17 Apr The Corrugated Cardboard Box

5 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Corrugated Cardboard Boxes

Corrugated cardboard boxes were not always the go-to vessel for shipping, storage, and packaging. It is hard to imagine a time when they didn’t exist, isn’t it? While we have all grown accustomed to their usefulness and multi-functional character – what do we really know about them?

Here are five fun facts that you didn’t know about corrugated cardboard boxes:

1. They were invented by accident. In 1817, a gentleman by the name of Sir Malcolm Thornhill decided one day to make a box using cardboard which silk manufacturers began to use them. Then, in 1856 corrugated paper was invented to use in hat liners. In 1871 it started being used to wrap items to ship in. Finally, in 1890 due to an accidental shift of a metal ruler while printing paper bags, Robert Gair realized he could make boxes and so the corrugated cardboard box was birthed. Amazing to think of how it came about and the massive amount of usage there is today.
2. Cereal. Manufacturers of cereal started shipping their product in the boxes in the 1850s.
3. Shipping use. Over 95% of all shipments in the United States use corrugated cardboard boxes. Even with all the other packaging materials available, it is still number one.
4. Environmentally friendly. Almost 90% of cardboard is recycled.
5. Other uses. Someone actually built a house made from boxes in 2004 and it is completely liveable. And, of course, kids make use of them by building houses and forts.

While you might not have necessarily needed to know this information, it probably gives you a lot of appreciation for something we use as Americans on a daily basis. If you are looking for packaging using corrugated cardboard products, Albert Paper Products can help.