Box Industry Terminology and Standards

Industry Standards

Dimensions -

Boxes are generally listed according to inside dimensions. Folding carton dimensions refer to the center to center distance between creases. Dimensions are listed in the following order: length x width x depth. Depth is the distance from the opening to the bottom, regardless of print orientation. The box lid closes across the width, and hinges along the length. Dimensions of two-piece boxes are listed as follows: Length x width x base depth - lid depth. (Example: 6 x 4 x 2 - 1 refers to a setup box that is 2" deep with a 1" lid.)

Tolerances -

Board caliper (thickness): +/- 0.003"

Quantity shipped: +/- 10% or quantity ordered.

Blanket orders and "just-in-time" delivery: Blanket orders are manufactured and stored in our warehouse for a specified length of time until released by the customer.

Board types

Plain Chipboard - A low-cost, non-bending chipboard made of recycled materials. Not suitable for printing, often used for divider pads and setup boxes.

WVLC - White Vat Lined Chip, or "white vat"- Plain chip made with a layer of white paper on one side. Used for setup boxes where a white interior is desired. Generally not suitable for printing.

DKL - Double Kraft Lined Bending Chip, or "double kraft", has a layer of recycled kraft fibers on both surfaces for additional strength and resistance to cracking when creased. Double kraft is generally used for folding cartons in commercial/industrial applications. It has a printable surface but is not well-suited for multi-color print jobs.

WCCNB - White Clay Coated News Back, or "clay news", is a bending board used in folding cartons. It has a white clay coating on one side, providing an excellent surface for high quality, multi-color printing.

WCCKB - White Clay Coated Kraft Back, or "clay kraft", has the same clay coating as clay news, but with a kraft liner on the opposite side for additional strength.

SBS, C1S - Solid Bleached Sulfate, Coated One Side, is a solid white board made from virgin pulp. Often considered the "Cadillac" of boxboards, SBS has excellent strength and a crack-resistant surface. It has a superior printing surface that is coated to prevent ink absorption. SBS is usually used for retail applications where appearance is a major consideration.