Materials
The board decides what the box can do.
Five materials cover almost every custom box we make: SBS paperboard, kraft, corrugated board, rigid greyboard and specialty papers. Each prints, folds and protects differently, and the choice is made against the product and the structure. This page explains what each is for and how they compare, so the board on your quote makes sense.
SBS paperboard, kraft, corrugated board, rigid greyboard and specialty papers — what each is, what it suits and how it prints.
How to choose
What each material is for.
SBS paperboard
Solid bleached sulphate board is the standard stock for folding cartons: a clay-coated, bright white sheet that holds fine detail and accurate color and takes every finish. Specified by caliper, from 14pt for sleeves to 24pt for heavier products and auto-lock bases. The default for cosmetics, supplements, food and the retail shelf.
Kraft
Unbleached, uncoated board with a natural brown surface, in 18pt to 24pt. Kraft is chosen for how it looks, and it prints best in one or two colors, white ink or a foil mark; full color sits muted and warm. Used for cartons, mailers, wraps and bands where a natural position is the point.
Corrugated board
A fluted paper core glued between two liners. E-flute, about 1.5 mm, prints sharply and suits mailers and product boxes; B-flute, about 3 mm, carries heavier products; double wall is used where the board is the protection. Printed single color by flexo, in full color by litho-lamination, or digitally.
Rigid greyboard
Dense chipboard in 1.5 mm to 3 mm that is cut, wrapped and glued into rigid boxes. It is never printed directly; the wrap paper carries the print and the greyboard carries the structure and the weight. Every lid-and-base, magnetic, drawer and book-style box starts here.
Specialty papers
Linen, laid, felt-marked, metallic, pearlescent and leatherette papers used as rigid box wraps, sleeves and bands. Chosen when the surface has to say something before the print does. Textured papers soften print, so the brand mark usually goes on as foil or a deboss and full-color artwork sits on a printed panel.
Compare
Materials compared.
| Best for | Print quality | Structural role | Presentation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBS paperboard | Folding cartons, sleeves, retail packaging | Highest; fine detail, accurate color | Light to moderate; 14–24pt | Clean, bright, takes every finish |
| Kraft | Natural and craft positioning | Muted; one or two colors, white ink, foil | Light to moderate; 18–24pt | Honest, tactile, uncoated |
| Corrugated | Mailers and anything that travels | Flexo; full color by litho-lam or digital | High; E, B or double wall | Sturdy; refined when litho-laminated |
| Rigid greyboard | Rigid boxes: gifts, jewelry, fragrance | Not printed; the wrap carries the print | Highest in the hand; 1.5–3 mm | Weight and a hard, square edge |
| Specialty papers | Rigid box wraps, sleeves, bands | Softened by texture; foil and deboss read best | None; applied over board | Texture felt before the print is seen |
Material questions
Before you ask.
Anything not covered here, put it in the notes on your quote and we will answer it directly.
Ask on your quoteWhich material should I choose?
SBS for a printed retail carton, kraft for a natural look, corrugated for anything that travels or carries weight, greyboard for a rigid box, and a specialty paper when the surface matters more than the artwork. We recommend the board and gauge with the quote.
Can you print full color on every material?
SBS and litho-laminated corrugated print full color with accurate detail. Kraft and textured papers take color but soften or warm it, so single color, white ink or foil reads better on them. Greyboard is never printed directly; its wrap is.
Are the materials recyclable?
Paperboard, kraft and corrugated are widely recyclable, and greyboard is made largely from recycled fibre. Laminations, foils and window films can affect local recyclability, which we can advise on when specifying.
Is there a minimum order by material?
No. The minimum order is 50 boxes on every structure.
Start a quote
Three answers is all it takes to open a job.
Structure, board and finishing come next — with our team, on the full quote form.
No account needed. Artwork and reference images can be attached on the next step.
Start here
Send us your dimensions. We’ll send back a box.
Or talk to a packaging specialist: (209) 444-0744