Packaging material markings
PAP 20 — corrugated board. What the code on packaging means
PAP 20 is the material code for corrugated board — a material made of at least one fluted layer glued to flat liners. You will find it on transport cases, outer cartons and shipping boxes. In our range PAP 20 accompanies PAP 21 pastry boxes as the outer packaging that protects them in transit.
PAP 20 = corrugated board (transport). PAP 21 = solid board (primary pack). These are two different materials, not variants of one.
| Code | Material | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| PAP 20 | Corrugated board | Outer cases, shipping cartons, display pallets. |
| PAP 21 | Solid board | Primary, pastry and premium boxes. |
| PAP 22 | Paper | Void fill, interleaves, wraps. |
How corrugated board is built
Corrugated board is made by gluing flat liners to a fluted layer. The flute height (from micro-flutes E and F to C and B) determines stiffness, cushioning and wall thickness. The larger the flute, the better the mechanical protection — but also the greater the storage volume. Outer cases for pastry products most often use E and B flutes: rigid, yet thin and easy to print on.
When to choose PAP 20 and when PAP 21
The choice depends on the role of the pack in the supply chain:
- PAP 20 — when crush resistance, pallet stacking and long-distance transport matter.
- PAP 21 — when the pack is visible to the end customer and must be smooth, rigid and attractive.
- PAP 20 + PAP 21 — the standard set-up: a solid-board primary box inside a corrugated outer case.
- Printed PAP 20 — when the outer case doubles as a point-of-sale display.
Recycling corrugated board
Corrugated board is one of the best-recovered packaging materials in Europe — collection is widespread and the fibre returns to production of fluting paper. The condition is cleanliness: board soaked with grease or covered with plastic tape lowers the quality of recovered paper. We therefore recommend removing tapes and labels before putting the case out for collection.
Frequently asked questions
Need outer packaging for your products?
We will match the flute, size and packing method to your logistics and batch size.