When should you use sleeves instead of boxes?
When it comes to shipping goods safely, most people think of cardboard boxes first. However, there are some situations in which cardboard boxes are not always the best choice. In some cases, for example, tubes are the better solution. They are sturdy, space-saving and provide excellent protection for certain products. Many people are probably wondering when tubes are better than cardboard boxes.
In this article, we address precisely this question. We explain why tubes are often the better choice. We also present the best types of tubes for shipping.
The crucial difference between sleeves and boxes
Cardboard boxes are said to be true all-rounders. They are ideal for shipping a wide variety of products. However, if you want to ship long, round goods, for example, cardboard boxes quickly reach their limits. This is exactly where tubes are a better option.
High-quality tubes are usually made of solid cardboard. They are cylindrical in shape and offer a very high degree of stability. Compared to cardboard boxes, tubes do not bend as easily. The pressure is distributed evenly over the entire surface when tubes are used. This is particularly important when shipping products that must not be bent or crushed under any circumstances.
You can also save on packaging material by using tubes. You don't have to stuff large boxes with filling material just to ship a long product safely. Tubes have exactly the right shape and are ideal for this purpose. They are also very easy to use.
When are sleeves the better choice?
In some cases, tubes are a better choice than cardboard boxes, for example. We have summarised a few examples for you here. These clearly show why you should use tubes instead of cardboard boxes:
Long products
Long products such as profiles, strips or pipes are very difficult to fit into boxes. It is difficult to store them securely there. Very often, these goods protrude or rattle around inside the box when stored in a cardboard box. However, with a suitable shipping tube, they can be sealed perfectly. This prevents possible damage.
Rollbare Materialien
Drawings, posters, plans or fabrics can be easily rolled up and transported in a tube. This ensures that your goods are well protected and prevents creases and folds.
Delicate surfaces
Even sensitive surfaces can be perfectly protected with the right sleeves. For glass, printed films or metals, for example, it is important to use packaging that does not leave any pressure marks. Sleeves provide uniform protection without hard edges.
Rail-shaped materials
Paper, film, textiles and labels are very often supplied on rolls. In such cases, cardboard tubes are ideal. This type of tube is also very well suited to special requirements.
Space-saving shipping
Tubes take up much less space than boxes. This not only saves you storage space, but also shipping costs.
Mailing tubes – the classic choice for secure shipping
Mailing tubes have proven their worth for many years. They are ideal for shipping long goods such as strips and profiles. Cylindrical items are also held securely in place. Marketing materials, drawings and other rollable contents are also well protected in a mailing tube.
A shipping tube not only ensures that your products are securely prepared for shipping, but is also very inexpensive. Your product is well protected without the need for lots of additional packaging material.
What types of sleeves are there?
There are several different types of sleeves. They are suitable for many different applications. We would now like to introduce you to the different types of sleeves in more detail:
Hard paper tubes – stable and versatile
Hard paper tubes are already used in many industries. They serve as winding cores for web-shaped materials such as paper, films, textiles or labels. These tubes can withstand high loads perfectly. They can also be quickly customised. They are also very well suited for special applications, such as display tubes for your POS displays or support tubes for reinforcing system packaging.
These types of tubes can be made to measure. This means you can be sure of finding the right cardboard tubes for your project.
Quarter-shell and half-shell sleeves – edge protection with added value
A sleeve does not always serve as packaging. In some cases, sleeves can also be used as protective components. A very good example of this are quarter-shell and half-shell sleeves. They protect IBC containers from damage caused by packing straps.
But they also have other uses. They protect textile load securing equipment from sharp edges. They also stabilise pallets with bagged goods or textile bales.
The big advantage of these sleeves is that they can be used multiple times. This makes them sustainable and cost-effective.
Sleeve rings – small but crucial
Core rings are the inconspicuous helpers in the background. They are used wherever narrow webs are wound up. Core rings are used, for example, in labels, adhesive tapes and films.
The advantages of tubes over cardboard boxes
Compared to cardboard boxes, tubes offer you many advantages.
Here are some advantages that tubes can offer you that cardboard boxes cannot:
Tips for using sleeves
To ensure that your products are optimally protected, you should bear a few points in mind:
When cardboard boxes are still better
In some cases, however, cardboard boxes are still the better option. For example, they are more suitable when many small parts need to be shipped together. Cardboard boxes are also sometimes better suited when the product has an irregular shape. If padding is required in all directions for shipping, cardboard boxes are also a very good choice.
Sometimes a combination of cardboard and sleeve makes sense – for example, if the sleeve is also placed inside the cardboard box.
Pods as a smart packaging choice
Tubes are a really good alternative to boxes when it comes to shipping long or fragile goods. They offer high stability and are extremely space-saving. They can also be easily customised. If you want to reduce shipping costs, avoid transport damage and present a professional image, you should consider whether tubes are the better solution.