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Come across a packaging term and you’re not sure what it means? Let us guide you through all the most common terminology you’ll need to order great boxes.
Bleed Lines
The bleed lines are the barrier that show where your design will be cut off after printing. It’s best to avoid designing over these lines, as any artwork outside this border will be trimmed and lost.
Corrugated Board
A paperboard with a wavy profile that is used in the centre of your corrugated cardboard boxes. Corrugated board is layered between sheets of linerboard.
CMYK Colours
This acronym refers to the four inks found in a digital printer: Cyan (C), Magenta (M), Yellow (Y) and Black (K). They are commonly used in home and office printers, but also in industrial digital printers like the one we use at Echo Boxes Online. (See also: Process Colours)
Digital Printing
A direct print process where digital imagery and designs are printed onto corrugated cardboard packaging. Think of it like a state-of-the-art office printer. You send us design files, we feed those to the printer and it produces full-colour, high-quality cardboard packaging.
Die Cut
A type of box that has been specially cut, scored and shaped for easy assembly without the need for glue or tape. Die cut boxes are very common for eCommerce businesses.
Displays
Also known as POS (Point of Sale) or POP (Point of Purchase) Displays. These are cardboard stands designed to be eye-catching in store, promote your products and make them easy to purchase
Dividers
Cardboard inserts designed to keep products separate during transit and provide light cushioning (See Also: Partitions and Pads in this list of common packaging terms). Commonly used in the beverage industry for neater packing.
Double Wall
A box featuring two layers of corrugated board. Double wall boxes are highly customisable as the corrugated layers can include different flute sizes.
DPI
This stands for Dots Per Inch and is a method of measuring the quality of a photograph. For best results with digital printing, we recommend a minimum of 300 DPI.
FEFCO
This is an acronym for the European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers. They manage the FEFCO codes – an internationally applied system for corrugated packaging design. For example, FEFCO 0471 is the code for a common style of mailer box that many online retailers use.
Flute
The name for the size of the waves which make up corrugated board. Sizes range from E which is very small to A which is thick. Choosing the right flute size helps provide strength and rigidity to your box.
Folder Style
A type of box which is supplied to you flat so that you may wrap it around your items with ease. Ideal for transporting long and thin items.
Grammage
A measurement of the weight of the paper used to make your boxes. There are many weight options from lightweight recycled fibres (100gsm) to heavier Kraft papers (300gsm).
Half Slotted Container (HSC)
A regular 4-sided box with flap closures on the base and an open top. The HSC has many uses, but one of the most common is displaying product in bulk. Some retailers even specifically request this box.
Internal Printing
Printed brand logos, text and other designs that appear inside your boxes. Commonly printed onto box flaps to elevate the unboxing experience of your customers.
Joint
The edges of the box which have been taped, glued or stitched together. Sometimes called a manufacturer’s joint as the assembly is often completed during manufacturing.
Kraft
Kraft is a German word meaning ‘strength’. In the box world, it refers to paperboard made from virgin pulp. It is a strong material that is fully recyclable at the end of its use.
Lead Times
The packaging lead time refers to how long it takes to produce your packaging. At Echo Boxes Online, we have fast lead times of 1-2 business days for stock boxes and just 7 working days for custom designed packaging.
Linerboard
A flat paperboard, sometimes called liner, which makes up the outer layers of your corrugated box. Linerboard is layered on top of and in between corrugated cardboard to create your box walls.
OCC
OCC stands for Old Corrugated Containers. It is the term used to classify paper for recycling. At Echo Boxes Online, we recycled 100% of our offcuts and waste. Our OCC is processed offsite to create recycled papers which we then use in new boxes.
Partitions and Pads
Like dividers, partitions and pads are a form of box insert that is designed for extra cushioning, protection and packing efficiency for your products.
PMS Colours
PMS stands for Pantone Matching System. These are a set of premixed colours that are ideal for providing consistent and accurate results when printed. (See also: Spot Colours)
Primary Packaging
This is the final thing a consumer will open before handling their goods. In other words, it is the product packaging. Primary packaging may be made from many materials such as cardboard, glass, paper or plastic.
Process Colours
Process colours are mixed as they are being printed. This is also known as 4-colour printing. CMYK colours are an example of process colours.
Regular Slotted Container (RSC)
A regular 4-sided box with flap closures at both the top and base. The most common box style manufactured around the world, the possibilities of an RSC are endless.
Recycled Paper
Paper fibres which have been repurposed into the liner or medium for new cardboard boxes. We recycle up to 250 tonnes of manufacturing offcuts per year. That’s equal to 750,000 boxes.
RGB Colours
RGB stands for Red (R), Green (G) and Blue (B). These colours are made for digital design – such as websites, social posts, graphic designs, TV advertising, mobile apps and more.
While it is technically possible to print RGB colours, they were designed for screens. So, they don’t come out like you expect. Working in CMYK colours is recommended for print-ready digital designs.
Seasonal Packaging
Seasonal packaging is any packaging that has been designed for a special time or year or a limited run. The most popular time is Christmas, but other options include Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Halloween or even springtime.
Secondary Packaging
This is the packaging that is used for delivery. It carries multiple units of a product to stores. Corrugated cardboard is often used for secondary packaging, since it is strong and lightweight.
Shelf-Ready Packaging (SRP)
Shelf-ready packaging is a carton featuring an outer transit box which then converts into a unit for display on retail shelves. This means it can go straight from factories to stores. Features of SRP include bold branding to make your box stand out and tear-away sides for easy opening.
Shelf Appeal
Shelf appeal refers to how a product looks at the point of sale compared to competitors nearby. It’s important for your boxes to stand out on shelves while also being easy to shop – making consumers more likely to purchase.
Single Wall
A box featuring a single layer of corrugated cardboard. Single wall boxes are great if you need a lightweight option with plenty of strength.
Small Run/Short Run
The minimum amount that can be ordered from a particular manufacturer. At Echo Boxes Online, we have low minimum order quantities starting at just 25 boxes.
Spot Colours
Spot colours are mixed before being printed. They come as standard and produce exactly the same colour, no matter where they are used around the world. PMS colours are an example of spot colours.
Stock Size Boxes
Plain boxes that have been manufactured to standard sizes. Great for generic uses, such as shipping boxes or last-minute orders. Head to the Stock Box Shop to order stock size boxes with delivery available to metro Melbourne.
Stitched
Most corrugated boxes are glued together however, when you need extra strength – they can be stitched. We have a machine that applies staples along the join. It’s a technique we use for when clients need a heavy-duty box.
Unboxing
The moment a customer opens their package is known as the unboxing. An unboxing video is a popular trend on social media and YouTube. Many businesses, especially online ones, choose to design a box for the unboxing experience.
Vector Art
Vector art refers to highly precise graphic files which come in formats such as .eps, .ai, .svg and .pdf. These files are preferred for printing as they produce a higher quality design than web-based images (such as .jpg and .png).
Virgin Paper
Papers that have not been processed in any form, other than by the original manufacturer. For example, virgin kraft paper are new fibres made from wood pulp. Virgin papers tend to be stronger than recycled papers. We often use a mix of papers in our boxes to improve durability.
Ready to order? Here’s where to start
Now that you know all the key terminology, you’re more than ready to order some packaging boxes.
For stock boxes, we recommend heading to the Stock Box Shop to see what we have available.
If your heart is set on custom design, then get started with our free design templates. Order online and we’ll have your packaging ready in just 7 working days.