Paper pallet: corrugated and honeycomb pallets

What is a paper pallet?

Paper pallets are made entirely from paper-based materials: corrugated board, honeycomb paperboard, or both. They are usually made to order, often matched to the product footprint, and are used mainly for light, one-way shipments.

palletdesign.ai does not design paper pallets. It designs wood stringer, block and skid pallets. This page compares paper and wood so you can choose and specify.

How paper pallets are built

Published figures (vendor): one maker states 750 kg in open-beam racking, some honeycomb designs reach about 1,000 kg, and weights start at about 4 kg, around 83% lighter than a wood pallet. Indicative prices are about $8 to $15 each.

When to use a paper pallet

• Weight-sensitive freight, such as air shipments, where tare weight costs money.
• Export, since paper pallets are exempt from ISPM 15; see export pallets.
• Light, one-way loads that are recycled with the packaging at the destination.
• Product-footprint pallets for displays and cartons.

When a wood pallet is the better choice

• Humid, wet or freezer environments: humidity reduces paper stiffness.
• Heavy loads, point loads or drums.
• Reuse: paper pallets are generally single-use.
• Rack storage beyond the maker's stated rating.

Paper vs wood pallets

What to check before switching from wood to paper

A paper pallet changes more than the base. Before replacing a wood pallet, confirm these points with the supplier and the receiver:

• Moisture along the route. Ocean containers, cold rooms and outdoor staging all expose the pallet to humidity. Coatings resist moisture but do not make the pallet waterproof.
• Handling equipment. Check fork and pallet-jack access for the foot style chosen: notched corrugated runners are the way paper pallets get 4-way entry.
• Load distribution. Published ratings generally assume a uniformly distributed load; point loads and drums need their own assessment. For drums, see drum pallets.
• Stacking and racking. Ask for the rating in each condition the pallet will see, and the standard behind it.
• Disposal at the destination. The benefit of recycling with other paper packaging only applies if the receiver can do it.

How to specify a paper pallet

1. Footprint (can equal the product footprint).
2. Construction: corrugated, honeycomb or hybrid; board wall and grade (ECT or burst).
3. Feet: tubes, blocks, runners or notched runners; 2-way or 4-way.
4. Moisture resistance: none, coated or waxed.
5. Load: weight, distribution, stacking and whether it will be racked.
6. Quantity and single-use confirmation.

For a light one-way wood alternative, see the 48 x 40 stringer pallet built as a single-use pallet, with heat treatment if exported.