The History of Cardboard Boxes

Cardboard boxes are everywhere. But where did they come from? The first cardboard box was invented by the firm M. Treverton & Son in England in 1817. The pre-cut cardboard box was created by Robert Gair in 1890. The first corrugated cardboard box manufactured in America came out in 1895, just a few decades after Albert Jones of New York City earned a patent for his single-sided corrugated board. Cardboard boxes became even more popular when breakfast cereals hit the market, and The Kellogg Company was one of the first manufacturers to package their cereal in cardboard boxes. Cardboard boxes also quickly replaced wooden shipping crates in the early 1900s, as they were much easier to move around. Today, many goods continue to be packaged in cardboard boxes.