Why are cardboard boxes so expensive?

Cardboard boxes are rarely an optimal option for your home move; just consider the impact they can leave on the environment, not to mention their surprisingly expensive costs. It may be surprising to see how expensive these boxes have gotten, when you might expect that many stories and businesses would have a surplus of unused boxes sitting around that they would be more than willing to part with. So what gives?

There are a number of factors at play; one is the undeniable rise of online platforms like Amazon and eBay that have resulted in many more home-based entrepreneurs relying on boxes to send their products to customers through the mail.  

Another consideration is that few of us want to keep around a pile of unused cardboard boxes, especially when space is at a premium, which may compel some box manufacturers to adjust their pricing accordingly. At the same time, many cardboard boxes are destroyed to reduce waste by businesses, ultimately resulting in an effect of there being far less boxes in general, driving demand and prices accordingly.  

A far more affordable option, rather than buying a cardboard box only to throw it away again shortly, is to rent plastic, more environmentally friendly boxes from the likes of Chicago Green Box. You will likely increase your savings, feel better about your environmental impact that you are leaving as a result of your move, and not have to figure out what to do with your unwanted cardboard boxes following your move. Once you go plastic - you’ll never go back.