The Fefco Standard
To save space, cartons are delivered flat folded - and there are many ways to do so. Fefco knows them all!
How are cardboard boxes folded, and why actually?
Cardboard boxes are supposed to offer a lot of space when filled; but when empty, they should take up as little space as possible. For shipping providers who need to stock 100s of shipping boxes in different sizes, they obviously cannot be stacked endlessly; certainly not set up ready for shipping. And that's why they fold them up for transport or storage. Not 'somehow', of course, but with a system!
Depending on the design of the cardboard box and its intended use, various folds are possible, and of course these folds are standardised.
The standardisation of packaging in general (not only of cardboard boxes) is taken care of by the European Corrugated Packaging Association in Brussels, so it is a matter of EU standards.
The Fefco standard is the most important standard for packaging in Europe.
The Fefco numbers that are assigned usually consist of 4 digits: The first two indicate the general type of packaging, the next two the exact design. Cardboard boxes usually start with the sequence of digits 02 or 03; however, the '0' is often omitted from the identification. The classic folding is the Fefco standard 0201, which is also used for the majority of our cardboard boxes.
In detail, the standard describes the following packaging:
- 01 = Common rolls and boards
- 02 = Folding cardboard boxes
- 03 = Lidded boxes (usually two-piece, such as shoe boxes)
- 04 = Folding sleeves and trays
- 05 = Sliding cartons
- 06 = Form-fitting boxes
- 07 = Pre-glued cardboard boxes (so-called automatic cardboard boxes)
- 09 = Interior fittings
Faltkartons
In our assortment you will mainly find boxes of types 02 and 03. Here is an overview of the most common folding boxes that you can buy from us:
You will not only find this packaging in the respective categories with fixed sizes, but you can also order it as a custom-made cardboard box. This means that when you buy cardboard boxes, no packaging wishes remain unfulfilled!