Resources
Folding Carton Substrate Grade Chart
There are many different substrates you can use to create folding carton packaging. Each substrate has its own characteristics and attributes that make it unique. It is useful to understand the common folding carton material options available when making your decision.
Based on the specific needs for your project, there may be a substrate that matches your needs better than other options. For instance, if you were looking to make your packaging more environmentally friendly, Coated Recycled Board (CRB) may be a good option as it is made from 100% recycled fibres. The chart below which lists the different substrates and their individual characteristics.
| Substrate Grades | Solid Bleach Sulphate (SBS) | Coated Unbleached Craft (CUK) | Coated Recycled Board (CRB) | Uncoated Kraft Boxboard (UCB) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Fiber |
Virgin bleached hardwood, coated 1 or 2 sides |
90% unbleached virgin pine, 10% hardwood fiber, coated 1 side |
100% recycled fiber, bleached top, several plies, coated 1 side |
-85% virgin pine, 15% hardwood kraft fiber, uncoated
|
|
Appearance |
Clean, solid white |
Kraft back, white clay coating |
Grey back, white clay coating |
Natural solid kraft |
|
Print Quality |
Smooth surface, high printabilty |
Smooth surface, high printability |
Acceptable strength |
Moderate strength |
|
Strength |
Moderate strength |
Highest strength |
Acceptable strength |
Moderate strength |
|
Sustainabilty |
Renewable resource, coated fiber |
Renewable resource, ~17% recycled content, certified fiber |
Renewable resource, 100% recycled content |
Renewable resource, reduced weight, certified fiber |
Paperboard Conversion Chart
Board thickness is an important factor when determining the optimal packaging for your product. A good rule of thumb: the higher the number, the more strength and rigidity the board can provide because the number represents the thickness (also called gauge) of the material. The measurement used is grams per square meter (gsm).
C1S Conversion Chart
| Point (pt) | Millimeters (mm) | Grams/Square Meter (gsm) |
|---|---|---|
|
10 |
0.25 |
220 |
|
12 |
0.30 |
240 |
|
14 |
0.36 |
280 |
|
16 |
0.41 |
300 |
|
18 |
0.46 |
330 |
|
20 |
0.51 |
350 |
|
24 |
0.61 |
400 |
C1S Conversion Chart
| Point (pt) | Millimeters (mm) | Grams/Square Meter (gsm) |
|---|---|---|
|
10 |
0.25 |
250 |
|
12 |
0.30 |
260 |
|
14 |
0.36 |
300 |
|
16 |
0.41 |
350 |
|
18 |
0.46 |
380 |
|
20 |
0.51 |
400 |
Greyboard Conversion Chart
| Point (pt) | Millimeters (mm) | Grams/Square Meter (gsm) |
|---|---|---|
|
60 |
1.52 |
1000 |
|
70 |
1.78 |
1200 |
|
80 |
2.03 |
1400 |
|
100 |
2.54 |
1800 |
|
140 |
3.56 |
2200 |
ECT vs. Mullen Conversion Chart
Kraft Propack provides both ECT and Mullen corrugated packaging. This is an often-overlooked detail in the corrugated packaging design process, but we at Kraft Propack think our customers need to know about this! The conversion chart below shows the standard conversion between ECT and Mullen corrugated and the maximum suggested load per box.
Single Wall Corrugated Box ECT vs Mullen
| point (pt) | Millimeters (mm) | Grams/Square Meter (gsm) |
|---|---|---|
|
26 ECT |
150# |
35lbs |
|
29 ECT |
175# |
50lbs |
|
32 ECT |
200# |
65lbs |
|
44ECT |
275# |
95lbs |
|
55 ECT |
350# |
120lbs |
Double Wall Corrugated Box ECT vs Mullen
| Edge Crush Test (ECT) | Mullen (Burst) Test | Maximum Suggested Load/Box* |
|---|---|---|
|
48 ECT |
275# |
100lbs |
|
51 ECT |
350# |
120lbs |
|
61 ECT |
400# |
140lbs |
|
71 ECT |
500# |
160lbs |
|
82 ECT |
600# |
180lbs |
Triple Wall Corrugated Box ECT vs Mullen
| point (pt) | Millimeters (mm) | Grams/Square Meter (gsm) |
|---|---|---|
|
67 ECT |
700# |
240lbs |
|
80 ECT |
900# |
260lbs |
|
90 ECT |
1100# |
280lbs |
|
112ECT |
1300# |
300lbs |