When it comes to shipping, there are a few different kinds of boxes that can be used. One of those boxes is cardboard. A solid yet cheap material that can be used for shipping. Another option is wooden boxes or crates. These boxes are heavier than the other options. The final option for shipping boxes would be plastic. This material is also cheap and durable but also flimsy. It can be challenging to decide what box would be the best to ship items, but hopefully, this will guide you in the right direction. 

The most common kind of box for shipping is cardboard. These boxes are great for all types of items, regardless of shape or size. Cardboard boxes can come in all shapes and sizes. The versatility of these boxes is unmatched. They are incredibly light and can hold quite a bit of item inside of them. Cardboard boxes have a unique design that gives them the strength they have. This design is called corrugation. Corrugated cardboard is the small waves you see in between the top and bottom pieces of cardboard. This design makes these boxes unmatched by being light but durable. Cardboard is also very cheap to mass produce with very little material. 

The following kind of box for shipping is wooded boxes or crates. These boxes are the strongest of the three we are going to discuss but very heavy. Wooden boxes need to be made by hand, so this is a long process. Usually, these boxes are used to ship large, heavy machinery that a cardboard box could not hold. The durability of wood boxes is obviously better than cardboard and plastic, but that durability comes at the cost of being very heavy. These boxes will need to be moved by at least two people or heavy machinery, which can be a problem for some people as they may not have access to the required items to move the box. 

Finally, we have plastic boxes. Like cardboard boxes, these are durable and can sustain the elements. The downside is that these boxes can be very flimsy. These boxes have a unique process to make them which cuts into the price tag they have. Plastic boxes can be more expensive compared to cardboard boxes and, at times, wooden boxes depending on the size. These boxes can hold about the same as cardboard boxes but have more strength to them as they are made from plastic. 

With so many different kinds of shipping boxes, it can be challenging to decide which one to get. It really depends on what it is you are trying to ship. Cardboard boxes are good for just about anything, and they are very cheap, which helps. Wooden crates are best for shipping large machinery that a cardboard box could not hold or support. The high price of plastic boxes can be a turnoff, but they are a happy medium between wooden boxes and cardboard boxes. Plastic is light like cardboard boxes but durable like wooden boxes. In my opinion, I would suggest going with the old faithful cardboard box. They are cheap and can be bought in bulk, thus saving some money in the long run. The need to construct wooden boxes before anything can be shipped seems as it will cut into the running costs of a big business, and no ordinary person has the need for it.