The box glossary — jargon, decoded.
Corrugated has its own language. Here are the terms you'll meet buying, selling and shipping boxes, in plain English.
Speak box, need boxes?
Tell us what you're sourcing — grade, wall, footprint — and we'll translate it into a firm, freight-included quote.
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- 48-hr quotes
- Nationwide freight
The box trade leans on a handful of acronyms — OCC (old corrugated cardboard), ECT (edge crush test) and Mullen burst for strength; RSC for the common shipping-box style; and ISPM-15 for export-compliant pallets. This page defines those and the rest, so a spec sheet or quote never leaves you guessing.
- B
Backhaul
- Carrying freight on the return leg of a trip that would otherwise run empty — cutting cost and carbon.
- D
Dunnage
- Loose or shaped material used to protect and stabilize goods in transit; ours is made from upcycled board.
- E
ECT
- Edge Crush Test — a measure of a board’s stacking strength, reported in pounds per inch.
- F
Flute
- The wavy fluted medium between liners that gives corrugated its cushioning and strength (A, B, C, E, F profiles).
- G
Gaylord box
- A pallet-sized bulk corrugated container, typically 40×48 in. Also called a bulk box, pallet box, tote or bulk bin.
- G
Grade (A/B/C)
- A condition rating for used boxes based on liner, corners, crush and moisture history.
- I
ISPM-15
- International standard requiring wood packaging (pallets) used in export to be heat-treated and stamped.
- L
Liner
- The flat facing of a corrugated board, inside and out; can be kraft, mottled white or specialty (poly, foil).
- M
Mullen / burst
- Burst strength — the pressure a board withstands before rupturing, reported in psi.
- O
OCC
- Old Corrugated Cardboard — the recycling-industry grade for used corrugated collected for re-pulping.
- R
Reconditioning
- Restoring a used box — cleaning, cut-downs, re-flapping, re-lining — to return it to service.
- R
RSC
- Regular Slotted Container — the most common shipping-box style, with flaps meeting at the center.
From vocabulary to a spec you can order.
Now that the terms make sense, dig into the numbers behind them — dimensions, wall types and how we grade used stock.
Frequently asked questions
What does OCC mean?
OCC stands for old corrugated containers, the industry term for used cardboard collected for reuse or recycling. It is also the commodity name under which baled cardboard is bought and sold.
What is a flute in corrugated board?
The flute is the wavy fiber layer sandwiched between liners, and its profile letter, A, B, C, E or F, describes its height and density. Taller flutes cushion better, finer flutes print better and take up less space.
What does ISPM-15 mean on a pallet?
ISPM-15 is the international standard for treating solid wood packaging so it cannot carry pests across borders. Compliant pallets are heat-treated and stamped, which is required for most international shipments.
What is dunnage?
Dunnage is the filler and bracing material that keeps a load from shifting in transit. We make ours from reclaimed corrugated, which is one of the upcycling routes for boxes that can no longer serve as boxes.
What is the difference between reconditioning and recycling?
Reconditioning repairs a box so it can be used again, through cleaning, cut-downs, re-flapping or re-lining. Recycling repulps it into new board. Reconditioning keeps the fiber in its current form; recycling breaks it down.