- How To Pack Supplies Plastic Boxes Vs Cardboard Boxes?
- Cost
- Moving Frequency
- How Many Boxes Do You Need?
- Storage Environment
- Advantages Of Plastic Boxes

How to Pack Supplies: Plastic Boxes vs Cardboard Boxes?
Are you planning to move soon? Do you wonder whether you should use plastic or cardboard boxes? If so, you are not alone. Many people find themselves in this predicament when planning to either move some office items or residential stuff. In order to make the decision easier for you, here are some factors for you to consider:
Cost
One of the major differences between plastic and cardboard boxes is the price. The average cost of one plastic box is probably 5 to 10 times the cost of a similar cardboard box.
The upside of plastic boxes is that they are durable and stronger so some people will find them worth the high cost but it depends on what you want to move or pack in the box.
Moving frequency
How many times will you be moving? If you are planning to be moving some supplies from point A to point B on a regular basis, it is worth considering plastic boxes for their strength and durability. However, if you are moving just once, cardboard boxes are more economical and easy to dispose once the move is done.
How many boxes do you need?
The number of boxes you need for the project at hand affects your choice because of storage and shipping purposes. Unlike plastic boxes, cardboard can be folded up so it’s easier to ship them and also store them after use. If you need a lot of moving boxes, the ideal choice would be cardboard boxes so you can enjoy the massive shipping discounts for bulk orders and also save on space.
A-1 Auto Transport can help you move your household goods nationwide. Call 888-241-3110 to get a free, no obligation to buy price quote on interstate moving services.
Storage environment
It’s very important to consider the environment in which the boxes will be stored once they arrive. Since you can’t unpack everything immediately, you should keep the boxes in a place where they won’t be damaged. Cardboards are very susceptible to pests and they are damaged by moisture so if your environment will expose the boxes to such conditions it is best to choose plastic boxes.

Advantages of plastic boxes
- Plastic boxes come ready to use so you don’t have to waste time assembling and breaking them down.
- Plastics have a snap on lid meaning you won’t waste time and money sealing with tapes and staplers.
- Plastics are more durable and stronger; they offer the contents inside extra protection from moisture, dust, pests and everything that can penetrate through cardboards.
- It’s easier to stack plastic boxes on top of each other without causing accidents.
- Plastic is the greener choice because it takes less energy to produce than it does to make cardboard and paper.
The advantages of cardboard boxes are widely known; they are cheaper recyclable, easy to store and they come in very small to large sizes. The choice of whether to use plastic or cardboard boxes to move solely depends on the user and their specific needs. The truth is that most industrial and residential moves use cardboard boxes because of their versatile and economic nature.