Cardboard DIN A4

The DIN A4 carton is the tailor-made shipping solution for printed products

High-quality and cost-effective packaging solutions are required for shipping and storing important documents, papers, files, brochures and similar printed matter. The packaging material should be tailored to the dimensions and requirements of the packaged goods. Retailers offer customised boxes and cartons in several DIN formats, including the DIN A4 box, which is suitable packaging for documents, pictures, books, folders, calendars, brochures and catalogues. Alternatively, the use can be extended and adapted to the needs. The cardboard boxes are particularly stable and practical as slipcases or folding boxes, while the choice of different heights is possible in order to obtain more volume. If a box has DIN A4 format, the base area always remains the same so that the contents do not shift and get mixed up.

With A4 format shipping cartons as slip lid carton or box, contents remain protected

The A4 shipping carton is one of the most popular types of packaging. It is sufficiently flat and handy and allows goods, books, manuscripts, documents and papers to be shipped in the same format. It is prefabricated according to the FEFCO standard and thus has the appropriate and fixed standardisation. The inside dimensions are set slightly wider than the DIN format to be sent. This allows the contents to fit perfectly into the package and remain clean, protected and undamaged.

The shipping box is available in various designs, including a maxi letter box, a slip lid box, a folding box with lid and without, an erecting box and an archive box for longer storage. It is mostly made of sturdy corrugated cardboard, which provides sufficient stability in single or double wall versions. The A4 shipping cartons consist of a base and lid, are easy to open and can be set up and ready for use in a few seconds, even as a folding or collapsible carton. The load capacity is usually between 500 grams and 5 kilograms, while the material is environmentally friendly and recyclable, and at the same time the flat design allows space-saving storage. There is a choice of fixed and flexible boxes and cartons in the shops. Particularly easy to handle are cardboard boxes DIN A4 according to the FEFCO standard with automatic bottom.

Corrugated cardboard - the versatile, robust and environmentally friendly material for cartons

Corrugated board is one of the best-known packaging materials in the packaging industry because it is robust, stable and extremely versatile. It consists mainly of the environmentally friendly raw material paper and is a pulp product made from pure plant fibres and wood. As a result, corrugated board not only has ecological advantages, but is also characterised by its high quality and strength. For lighter goods, the single wall A4 cardboard is recommended, while for heavier goods a double wall cardboard should be used.

Corrugated cardboard always has at least one smooth and one corrugated layer of paper, which are joined and glued together. The single wall board consists of two smooth faces and an inner corrugated web. The double flute board has two corrugated layers between the cover papers and offers even more stability. How strong the board is is also determined by the type of corrugation, e.g. a C, A or K corrugation in fine to coarse. The quality always depends on the composition of the materials and the paper thickness. The paper type for single and double flute cartons is usually kraft liner, test liner, schrenz paper, corrugating medium and white cover paper.

DIN A4 cartons are available in these different variants

To ensure that documents and papers reach their destination undamaged, the DIN A4 shipping carton is the right choice due to its optimal size and ensures a high carton quality for smooth shipping and transport. Alternatively, the shipping carton is available in other DIN formats, so that there is a wide choice of packaging solutions and the protection of the contents is comprehensively guaranteed. The cardboard boxes are available in the common 297 mm x 210 mm format, above all in the following variants:

The maxi letter and large letter carton for lighter packaged goods and inexpensive shipping.

For shipping, there is the maxi and large letter box, which does not require any further padding due to its firm material. The maxi letter is limited in thickness to a maximum of 5 centimetres, so that the contents fit through a letterbox. Due to its dimensions, it is subject to the regulations of the German Post Office and is suitable for lighter to medium packaged goods, including books, papers, files and the like. The Maxibrief box is a robust and inexpensive solution in the common letter format, which is a good alternative to the classic parcel and also permits the delivery of goods, which allows for lower postage. If the contents are somewhat heavier, double wall corrugated board should be chosen instead of single wall. The Maxibrief is closed in such a way that the contents are stably integrated and cushion light impacts.

Alternatively, there is the large letter box as the second largest letter format, which also complies with the shipping regulations of Deutsche Post and is suitable for a load of up to 500 grams. The large letter made of cardboard is stable and allows cost-effective mailing, including of books, goods and small items. It is also ideal for papers, catalogues, brochures and manuscripts, which can be easily sorted. In total, the large letter box offers space for up to 95 pages in 297 mm x 210 mm format. The boxes are particularly useful for mailing with reduced postage, which is possible nationally and internationally. A consignment of goods in a large or maxi letter costs considerably less than in a normal shipping box. The same applies to book shipments weighing up to 500 grams.

The space-saving folding box with lid is simple, practical and easy to store.

Shipping products in folding cartons allows a high level of security for the contents. Folding boxes are prefabricated and space-saving. They are delivered folded and erected when needed. A folding box A4 consists of several cardboard sides, a base and a lid which closes towards the front. The frame is connected to the lid and bottom flaps and is designed with tuck-in flaps. The simple insertable bottom is already stable, while the automatic bottom makes it even easier to erect the box.

When in use, the folding box with A4 lid can be quickly assembled. The A4 folding box is made of corrugated board, either as a single or double wall version, and can be brown, white or coloured. The quality features are mostly defined according to the FEFCO standard, and concern the folding, creasing and scoring ability and the printability of the material. The box is practical and can be stored excellently even in larger quantities.

The slip lid carton as a storage box or shipping carton for sensitive packaged goods

Slip lid boxes are a popular packaging variant and slightly more robust than folding boxes. This makes them suitable as shipping boxes for sensitive or fragile goods. They consist of two parts, a base and a lid, while the latter is slightly larger than the base. This makes the slip lid box easier to open and close. Excellent are the cardboard A4 models with flaps or as a double-walled construction.

Due to the construction, slip lid boxes are also ideal as gift packaging, can be printed and reused. In the standard format 297 x 210 mm, there is a choice of rectangular cartons in sizes S, M, L and XL. The slip lid box is available as a flat box for erecting, as a carded or already erected version with additional hollow space. When documents, books and goods are to be sent, shipping lids of this type with standardised dimensions are ideal. At the same time, such an A4 box with lid offers a high level of protection for the contents.

The archive box is specially designed for documents and other important papers.

The A4 format is also suitable for archive boxes, which are specially made to hold documents, files, books, manuscripts and business documents and to store and archive them for a certain period of time. The archive box is made of single or double wall corrugated cardboard, is robust and stable and allows the sorting of documents, old documents and closed cases, especially in the office. Due to the construction, larger loads can also be handled without any problems in order to preserve the new condition of the contents.

Several file folders fit on top of each other in the archive box and are ready to hand at any time. Depending on the type and size, the load capacity is significantly higher than that of a normal shipping box, as the base and top edges are additionally reinforced. The archive box has a lid that protects the contents from damage, moisture and dirt, plus folding edges and plug-in devices to simplify assembly.

The format allows several archive boxes to be stacked in a neat arrangement, taking up less space and keeping the office or home tidy. The archive box offers versatile storage options. The larger format is also suitable for record collections, toys, mementos, letters, photos and collectibles. The small archive box is available with and without a lever handle in portrait and landscape format. As a rule, a volume of 6 to 9 litres fits inside, which means that the contents can also be stored in an opaque manner. An additional labelling field allows the packaged goods to be precisely defined and thus easier to allocate.

Dimensions and standardisation according to the international FEFCO standard

To ensure a standard for shipping, there is the FEFCO standardisation, which is internationally valid and ensures maximum quality. The catalogue contains over two hundred different packaging materials, which are classified according to the product requirement and defined with a code.

FEFCO is subject to the European Association of Corrugated Board Manufacturers and codes the packaging made of solid and corrugated board with a unique identifier. Thus, the coding makes it immediately visible which purpose the packaging material fulfils and which dimensions it has. Folding boxes are marked with the number 02, but can also have the code 07 if they are designated as folding-bottom boxes or erecting boxes, accordingly contain an automatic bottom and are glued ready. Both variants can be stored flat and erected and filled when in use. The slip lid box is marked with the code 03.

Versatile application possibilities of the packaging, for example as a storage carton in white and brown

DIN formats are subject to classification by the "Deutsches Institut für Normung e.V." (German Institute for Standardisation) and are precisely defined in terms of width and height. The initial format is DIN A0 with a size of one square metre and a specified aspect ratio. The subsequent DIN formats are halved in base area, while the designation increases by 1 with each halving. In total, there are the formats A0 to A10, supplemented by further B, C and D series and special custom formats. A normal sheet of paper or letterhead has a size of 210 x 297 millimetres. If a shipping box has A4 format, it is correspondingly adapted to the paper sheet and standardised so that slipping of the contents is not possible. The papers fit exactly into the box and remain undamaged. Additional padding is not necessary.

DIN-A4 format is particularly in demand for shipping or for storing files and documents. The shipping carton as a box or storage carton allows protection of the contents, quick access to papers, storage and smooth shipping with a low tare weight. Typically, a DIN box or A4 storage box is used for files, papers, books, small goods, CDs, small electrical items, brochures, catalogues and leaflets, but also for letters, photos and similar memorabilia. Customers can choose between boxes in white and brown. If A4 cartons are white, they are particularly suitable as storage boxes due to their high-quality appearance.

Agencies prefer to send their printed matter in this carton format, using slip lid cartons, Maxibrief cartons or folding boxes. At Deutsche Post, DIN A4 boxes are used primarily for discounted merchandise and book shipments, while the high quality ensures strength up to a certain weight. The cardboard boxes in DIN formats are available with the same base area in several heights to store or send individual brochures and sheets or a larger number.

If a box has A4 format, the load capacity depends on the grammage of the paper. From 80 g/m2 and upwards should be adjusted accordingly if the documents for mailing have higher grammages. These are determined by the weight of the paper per unit area in grams per square metre. The format is also suitable as a cardboard box for archives or storage boxes to archive documents or to have required papers quickly at hand. Also popular are calendar boxes in A3 or A2 format, folding boxes for individual folders or books and slip lid boxes for versatile use.

These are the advantages of A4 boxes for shipping and storage

An A4 box with a lid has its advantages for shipping and storing printed matter. A box with a lid allows customers easy access to the goods. The standardisation according to FEFCO allows exact dimensions so that the papers are neither compressed nor bent. This leads to an optimal utilisation of the volume with simultaneous savings in costs for shipping and filling material.

The format is particularly important for single sheets, files or manuscripts. But it also makes sense when sending books, calendars or catalogues to ensure that the contents do not slip or get damaged. THE A4 boxes can be adjusted in height with the same base area to accommodate several folders and guarantee that the contents completely fill the box and additional packaging material is not necessary. This is much more cost effective and also easier for packing and opening the box.

The corrugated cardboard material shows a very high stability and protects the contents from damage, dirt and moisture. In addition, the quality ensures that individual design is also possible, including the printing of company logos, advertising or decorative motifs. The print is possible in large quantities of cardboard boxes, so that companies can use the same shipping boxes. The A4 box is suitable as a parcel and outer packaging, ensures space-saving storage of important documents and can be easily recycled due to the material. The boxes are useful as book and picture packaging, but also as cross packaging where additional adhesive tape is not required.

As an archive box, the format is best suited for the most important documents and folders, including proofs, receipts, invoices, certificates, birth certificates, marriage certificates, baptismal certificates and tax documents. The sturdy construction proves itself for storage on shelves, but also in cupboards, attics and cellars. The size, which is precisely tailored to the contents, allows all papers to be sorted and organised for longer storage. In DIN-A4 format, the cardboard box is designed exactly for the file folder and can be stored lying down or standing up.

All carton variants offer either lids or corresponding folding surfaces to protect the contents. Like all DIN A4 boxes, the DIN A4 box with lid is easy to store and close due to its flat design. Archive boxes, folding and slip lid boxes are characterised by their good reusability, can be refined and printed and used as gift packaging and as advertising material. Check out our box configurator on Verpacking.com for more information on personalisation options.