Papers and Boards
As you are probably aware, all paper originates from wood pulp. This is either via recycled paper or directly from trees. This means that it is generally considered to be a sustainable material as it is a natural resource. It is suitable for recycling or if sent to landfill it will naturally biodegrade. However, during manufacture bleach is often used to whiten the paper or board and this can have a negative effect on the environment.
Working with card is relatively easy. If you are making nets for packaging there are three basic processes that can be completed as a one off or batch production process. These are cutting scoring and folding. Cutting is undertaken with a safety rule and scalpel (or craft knife) and creasing using a score board. This is a board with indentations so you can deform to fibres of the card.
The whole process cutting and scoring card can be undertaken as a batch process as shown below
As you can see in the batch process above it is labour intensive so for mass production the whole process is automated. This is sheet fed machine but it can be automated. As you will see on this machine there are several shapes being cut at the same time to make efficient use of the material.
In the video below you will see that when making boxes, the manufacturer needs to make sure they are prepared as far as they can so that the client that is using them have very little work to do with them when they fill them. Of course it is not feasible to deliver fully constructed boxes as this would not be cost effective so they are shipped flat with minimal construction for the end user. This video below shows the nets being glued on the near edge and then folded over to produce a box that just needs to be opened by the client and the top/bottom stapled or taped.
Further reading is available by clicking here and here