What kraft board actually is
Kraft is a strong, unbleached paperboard with its natural brown fibre colour left visible. Because it looks natural and unprocessed, it is a popular choice for food brands, soap makers and craft businesses that want their packaging to read that way. Like most paperboard it is widely recyclable through kerbside collection, though recycled content varies by grade, so tell us if a specific recycled or certified board matters to you.
White cardboard (bleached or white-lined board) gives you a clean, bright printing surface. It is a common choice for cosmetics, health products and retail packaging where colour accuracy and a crisp finish matter.
How each surface prints, and why it surprises people
Printing ink is largely transparent. On brown kraft, every colour you print mixes with the brown beneath it: whites turn cream, light colours go muddy and photographs lose their punch. Bold single-colour logos, black text and darker brand colours, by contrast, look sharp on kraft, and that is the look most kraft brands are actually after.
If you want full-colour print on a kraft look, there are two reliable routes: print a white underlay (a white ink base) beneath the artwork, or use white board and print a kraft-texture background around your full-colour panels. Both work; they simply need to be planned before artwork, not after. Tell us which effect you want and we will specify the board to suit.
Strength, weight and handling
Strength comes from the board grade and thickness (and fluting, if corrugated) more than from the colour. A heavy kraft board and a heavy white board of the same construction protect similarly. Kraft tends to hide scuffs and handling marks better in transit, while white board shows marks more readily but presents well on a shelf. For shipping boxes that double as brand packaging, kraft corrugated is a forgiving choice. If you are deciding between board grades and box formats generally, our rigid boxes vs folding cartons guide covers construction in more detail.
Choosing in one minute
- Natural, artisan or eco positioning with simple artwork: kraft.
- Vivid colours, photography, skin tones or pastels: white board.
- Kraft look with full-colour panels: white underlay on kraft, or a printed kraft effect on white board. Ask us to quote both.
- Food contact: if your box will touch food, say so in your enquiry so we can source and quote a board suited to that use.
