RSC boxes, the standard four-flap shipping carton
The regular slotted container is the box most people picture when they hear "shipping carton": four flaps top and bottom, all cut the same length, the long flaps meeting in the middle. It is FEFCO style 0201, and it is what we quote more than anything else.
| Style | Regular slotted container (RSC), FEFCO 0201 |
|---|---|
| Flaps | All four the same length from score to edge |
| Closure | Major flaps meet at the centre; minor flaps meet only when width equals length |
| Board | Single wall 32 ECT or 200#; 44 ECT; double wall 48 ECT; triple wall |
| Ordered by | Inside length x width x depth, in that order |
| Ships | Flat, in strapped bundles, by the bundle or the pallet |
Why the RSC is the default
One rectangular sheet, four slots on each side, a glued or stitched manufacturer's joint, and the box is made. There is very little waste in cutting it, it folds flat for storage, and every case erector and taper on a packing line is built around it. That economy is why a supplier's stock range is almost all RSCs.
Because the outer flaps only meet at the centre, the top and bottom are a single thickness of board across most of their area and a double thickness down the middle seam. For most goods that is plenty. Where the load is heavy, long or pointed, a full overlap box puts two layers across the whole face.
Choosing the board
Most RSCs we quote are single wall, either 32 ECT or 200# test. Both are rated to a 65 lb maximum for the box and its contents. 32 ECT is rated for stacking and suits cartons that travel on pallets; 200# is rated for bursting strength and suits parcels that get handled one at a time. Over 65 lb, go to double wall, rated to 100 lb at 48 ECT or 275#.
Variations on the RSC
A centre special slotted container, or CSSC, has its inner flaps lengthened so they meet in the middle too, giving a flush double layer under the seam. An RSC can also be made with a perforated tear strip, handholds, or a printed opening guide for retail display. Each variation is cut on the same line or with a small change to the die, and the quote will say whether tooling is involved.
Closing and sealing
Most RSCs are closed with pressure-sensitive tape run along the centre seam, top and bottom, often with an extra strip across the edges for heavy loads. Plants with high volume use hot-melt glue on the flaps, applied by a case sealer, which needs a consistent board and a clean flap surface. Staples are still used on some heavy industrial cartons. Tell us how you seal; it can affect the flute and liner we suggest.
The manufacturer's joint, the glued or stitched seam on one corner where the blank was joined, is the weak point if it is badly made. On a good box you will barely notice it.
Machine or hand packing
Automatic case erectors need square, consistent blanks with accurate scores; a box that is a sixteenth out can jam a line. If your boxes run through equipment, mention the make and model so the carton is quoted to suit. Hand packers are more forgiving, but even they notice when flaps refuse to fold cleanly or the box sits out of square.
When to choose it
- Your product fits a rectangle and weighs under 65 lb packed: single wall RSC.
- It is long, heavy at the ends or needs padding top and bottom: a full overlap box.
- It needs an open top or a lid you lift off: a half slotted container or telescope box.
- It goes out as a parcel to a customer and you want it to open neatly: a die-cut mailer.
Request this box: an RSC to your inside size
Give the inside size, the board if you know it, the count and your ZIP. Say it is for rsc boxes in the notes, and we quote it delivered.
- Inside size
- length x width x depth, in inches
- Style
- RSC, full overlap, telescope, die-cut or bulk
- Wall and grade
- read it off the stamp on your current box
- Count
- boxes per order, and how often you reorder
- Packed weight
- box plus contents
- ZIP
- where the boxes are delivered
After you send it
- We reply by email, usually with questions first if anything is unclear
- You confirm the specification, and a sample or drawing if it is a new design
- We send the price, the delivery window and the count tolerance
- On approval the order is scheduled and shipped to your dock