Corrugated Flute Types: From A to N

A-flute has relatively large flutes that provide excellent cushioning and rigidity. You’ll mostly find A-flute combined with K-flute or C-flute. In Europe, however, A-flute is rarely used nowadays. While it’s strong and impact-resistant, it’s also more expensive due to its high flute factor (the ratio between flute height and length). For that reason, C-flute has largely replaced it.

C-flute offers a good balance between cushioning and strength. As mentioned, C-flute is commonly used as a replacement for A-flute. It’s more economical but still highly resilient. C-flute has about 140 flutes per meter and is considered a medium flute. In double-wall applications, it’s often combined with B-flute — the most common and reliable combination.

Bought a new TV lately? The box it came in was probably made from E-flute. This relatively new type of corrugated cardboard is often used as an alternative to solid board. E-flute has about 300 flutes per meter and a height of around 1.2 mm. It’s ideal for packaging single, high-value items. Not just because of its strength, but also because it delivers excellent print quality for logos, images, and text.

The corrugated alphabet ends with N-flute. Similar to G-flute, N-flute is made by a different manufacturer. It’s a relatively new type with even finer flutes than F-flute. It provides excellent protection for small, fragile products and is often used for premium packaging or display purposes.