Slotted cartons are the most common type of cardboard box. They’re the sort you’re most likely to use when moving house and are also used for transporting a huge range of products.

These boxes are made from one piece of cardboard, and have a manufacturer’s joint – a pre-glued or stitched section which holds the body of the box together. The carton will also have top and/or bottom flaps for the user to close, with packing tape, staples, or hot melt adhesive (as used in glue guns).

The ‘slotted’ name comes from the fact that when the boxes are flat, there are small slots cut between the flaps which allow everything to fold effectively. These boxes are usually shipped flat or knocked down, which makes them easy to store.