Straight answers to common packaging questions — from Pinnacle Packaging, serving Toronto, Mississauga and the Greater Toronto Area.
"Cardboard" is often used as a catch-all term, but true corrugated board is made of a fluted middle layer glued between two flat liner sheets, which is what gives it strength and cushioning. Thin single-ply cardboard (like a cereal box) has no fluting and can't handle the same weight or stacking pressure. If you're shipping products, corrugated board — not plain cardboard — is the right material, and it's what Pinnacle Packaging's corrugated boxes are built from.
It depends on pallet size, load weight and film gauge, but as a general guide, a standard pallet typically needs 1 roll of 18-20 micron hand-grade stretch wrap for a secure multi-layer wrap (usually 3-5 full wraps at the base, mid and top of the load). Heavier or irregular loads may need thicker film or machine-grade wrap. See our stretch wrap range or contact us and we'll recommend the right gauge for your load.
FIBC bags (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers), also called bulk bags or jumbo bags, are large woven polypropylene bags used to store and transport bulk dry, flowable materials — things like sand, grain, resin, powders and industrial ingredients — typically in quantities from a few hundred kilograms up to over a metric ton. They're a cost-effective alternative to drums or smaller sacks when you're moving large volumes. Explore our FIBC / bulk bag range.
Laminated woven bags have a thin plastic film bonded to the fabric, which improves moisture and dust resistance and gives a smoother surface for printing — a good fit for chemicals, animal feed or anything sensitive to humidity. Unlaminated woven bags are more breathable and usually more cost-effective, making them well suited to dry goods like construction materials and agricultural products where moisture isn't a concern. See our full woven bags range.
The right seal depends on what you're protecting and how much security you need. Wire, padlock and plastic seals are good for basic tamper-evidence on lower-risk shipments. Bolt seals and other high security seals are built to resist cutting and forced entry, and are typically required for shipping containers and high-value or international freight. Custom numbered seals add chain-of-custody tracking. Browse our security seals range or contact us for a recommendation based on your application.
For most carton sealing, BOPP tape in a 2-inch width is the standard choice, offering strong adhesion at a low cost. Heavier or long-distance shipments benefit from a thicker tape gauge for extra hold. If branding matters, custom-printed tape reinforces your brand every time a customer opens a box. Pair your tape with the right tape dispenser to speed up packing and get a cleaner, more consistent seal.
Using a box that's too large increases void-fill and shipping costs, while one that's too small risks product damage. As a rule of thumb, choose the smallest box that fits your product with 1–2 inches of clearance for cushioning material. If you regularly ship a specific product, a custom die-cut box sized to that product often pays for itself in reduced shipping costs and damage claims — see our corrugated box options.
FIBC bags are built for large-volume bulk loads (hundreds of kilograms to over a ton) that are typically handled with a forklift or crane, while standard woven bags suit smaller unit loads that can be handled manually. If you're moving bulk dry material by pallet or container load, an FIBC bag is usually the better fit.
Still have a question, or need a custom quote? Get in touch with our team.
Pinnacle's team helped us figure out exactly which packaging made sense for our shipments — genuinely useful advice, not just a sales pitch.
We appreciated how straightforward it was to get guidance on FIBC vs. woven bags for our operation.