What this covers
Corrugated is the workhorse: it takes the impact of shipping and it is the format most e-commerce customers actually open. It is also the easiest place to over-spec and pay for strength nobody needed.
Choosing a flute
| Flute | Thickness | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| E-flute | ~1.5 mm | Mailers and retail boxes; prints well, folds tight |
| B-flute | ~3 mm | General shipping and gift sets |
| C-flute | ~4 mm | Heavier goods, longer transit |
| Double wall | ~6 mm+ | Export, stacking, fragile contents |
If you tell us the packed weight, the stacking height in the container and the transit mode, we can pick the flute rather than guess. Over-specifying is the most common avoidable cost in this category.
Recyclability
Mailers with a laminated printed liner, plastic windows or heavy varnish are harder to recycle in the EU. If your market has packaging waste obligations, a mono-material, water-based-ink mailer with no plastic window is usually the safer choice and rarely costs much more.
Sampling
Corrugated samples are cut and glued by hand from the production board, so they represent structure and board accurately. Print on a hand sample is indicative — ask for a printed production sample if colour is critical.