Folding Carton Manufacturers & Suppliers

Folding carton board grades, print processes, and finishing

Folding cartons are printed and die-cut cartonboard packaging — the standard format for food products (cereals, tea, confectionery, frozen food, dry goods), pharmaceuticals (tablet and capsule outer packs), cosmetics, and consumer goods. The main cartonboard grades are: SBS (solid bleached sulphate) — premium food-grade board made from virgin bleached pulp, providing excellent printability, a uniform white surface, and food contact compliance; the standard for pharmaceutical cartons, cosmetic packaging, and premium food cartons. FBB (folding boxboard) — a multi-ply board with a bleached surface providing good printability at lower cost than SBS; the workhorse grade for branded consumer goods folding cartons. GD2 (greyboard, recycled solid board) — made primarily from recycled fibre; white-coated on the outer surface for printability; the most cost-effective grade for non-food-contact applications and outer packaging. Print processes for folding cartons are offset lithography (the standard for high-quality, full-colour, large-volume carton print — the same technology used for commercial printing, producing excellent colour accuracy and fine detail) and digital printing (for short runs, fast turnarounds, variable data, and test batches — no plate cost but per-unit cost is higher than offset at volume). Finishing options that significantly affect premium perception include: UV spot varnish (a gloss coating applied selectively to create contrast between matte and gloss areas); hot foil stamping (metallic or holographic foil transferred under heat and pressure — used for premium brand logos, crests, and decorative elements); embossing and debossing (raised or recessed relief patterns in the board); and soft-touch lamination (a velvety matte tactile coating).