It was 52 years ago that the movie The Graduate was released and a young Dustin Hoffman was told “The Future is Plastics”. That was true then, but now, in my opinion, the future is Chipboard. Chipboard, which is often referred to by numerous different names (boxboard, uncoated recycled board (URB), non-corrugated cardboard , particle board) is increasingly being used for different applications, and rightly so. It is versatile, low cost and eco-friendly, being made from recycled material and being recyclable.
Eco Friendly
Consumers and businesses are increasingly demanding that products and product packaging be eco-friendly and chipboard fits that bill. It’s significantly more environmentally friendly than plastics and other paperboards, being made from 100% recycled material and being 100% recyclable. Fewer trees will be chopped down when people choose chipboard over solid wood and other paperboard.
Cost Friendly
Being made from recycled material instead of from newly cut trees in the forest makes the raw material used for chipboard lower cost. Chipboard when compared to other paperboards (like white “SBS” or paperboard) is less dense as well, requiring less material per square metre of board produced. Also, relative to corrugated cardboard, chipboard is much less bulky, enabling it to take up significantly less volume during shipping and when being stored compared to a similar number of corrugated sheets.
Strong Like Bull
Chipboard is a solid material that holds up well under pressure , especially when compared to corrugated that doesn’t have the density chipboard does, nor the stability when used as a pallet liner if the flutes in corrugated are crushed under the weight of heavy loads.
Visually Appealing
The look and feel of chipboard gives consumers a warm and fuzzy feeling too – with the brown earth tone colour and natural feel, making them feel more connected to the earth (something that’s increasingly tougher to feel as time goes by). It can be printed on as well.
The covering over chipboard makes a wide variety of finishes possible. It can simulate any type of wood, and it can be made to look like the best quality of that wood, without knots or defects.
A Myriad of Uses
While chipboard might not have as many uses duct tape, it is very versatile. These are just some of the various uses of chipboard:
Picture frames: Chipboard is used to support the pictures inside the backs of frames and to help keep them standing upright, or used to mail photographs or other crease-able items, or as matting around art.
Backs of paper pads (padding board): Writing paper and note paper pads would be less pleasant to use if they didn’t have awesome chipboard support. They would just be limp piles of paper, impossible to write on unless flat on a surface.
Furniture: Not only can you actually make furniture from cardboard, furniture companies use chipboard cut to size as part of the furniture under the upholstery. Wooden furniture frames are often covered in cut to size chipboard before being upholstered.
Books: Bookbinders take advantage of the customizable attributes of chipboard for hard-cover books, and it’s used for three-ring binders, portfolio covers, clipboards, notebooks, restaurant menu boards and many other stationery products.
Chocolate/sweets boxes: Companies selling goodies like chocolates use chipboard for their beautiful boxes.
Jewelery/keepsake/luxury product boxes: Other boxes that can be custom cut and then wrapped in materials such as fabric, vinyl, or leather, are made from chipboard. From little blue boxes with jewelry, to bigger leathery boxes full of cigars, life’s little enjoyments come in chipboard boxes.
Puzzles: Where would the world be without jigsaw puzzles ? Chipboard makes sure these simple pleasures continue to be in our lives.
Packaging material: Packaging materials made from chipboard are incredibly useful. Custom-cut or die-cut pieces of any thickness can be made for all types of packaging, protecting your shipments and ensuring everything arrives intact.
Signage: During election season in particular, the cardboard sign is everywhere, but even after voting day has passed, signs are abundant, giving us valuable information, informing, directing, tantalizing, and selling. Sure, other materials like wood or plastic make for a decent sign, but for cost-effectiveness and customizability, chipboard is the sign of the times.
Protective temporary floor coverings: During renovations or new home construction, if you expect that your floor may take some forceful hits or large amounts of weight, you might protect it with chipboard sheets – or you might just want to protect it from being scratched dirt and stones on workers boots. Chipboard as a temporary floor covering will keep your floors or carpets safe and secure throughout the duration of your remodeling project.
Where To Get Chipboard Today
Operating out of Vaughan, Ontario, Hammond Paper Company has been a reliable source for chipboard in Canada for over 25 years. Whether its sheets you’re looking for or custom sheets or packaging made specifically to suit your needs, Hammond Paper can help. We’re not just about board – we can do custom laminating, cutting to size, die cutting, round cornering, grooving and more.
Call us at (905) 761-6867 or email us at sales@hammondpaper.com to get a free quote.