Not just a box

Examining the rising importance of the humble shoe box and explains how this seemingly simple package has demonstrated its lasting value.

by Stuart Morgan

Before the 19th century, shoes were largely crafted by hand in small workshops by skilled cobblers. Because footwear was typically made to order or produced in small quantities, there was little need for extensive storage facilities or sophisticated methods of protecting finished products. However, the emergence of new manufacturing techniques and the growth of large-scale production created a need for practical storage solutions for increasing volumes of footwear.

Some historians suggest that the first durable paper products resembling cardboard originated in China during the 15th century, while boxes manufactured from this material began to be produced commercially in England in 1817.

These early cardboard containers were basic in design, usually consisting of a single layer of brown board often covered with white paper. While suitable for storing goods in shops, they lacked the strength necessary for repeated handling. As so often happens with innovation, progress came through adapting an existing idea for a different purpose.

In 1856, English inventors Edward Healey and Edward Allen secured a patent for pleated paper. Produced using a simple hand-operated machine featuring a fluted roller and matching base plate, the corrugated material was originally intended as a lining for men’s tall hats. Fifteen years later, in 1871, New Yorker Albert Jones patented corrugated board with a single paper liner for protecting glass bottles during transport. Some four years afterwards, machinery was developed to manufacture large quantities of single-faced corrugated board.

Also in 1875, Oliver Long introduced corrugated board with paper liners on both sides of the fluting. The resulting increase in strength soon encouraged the production of reinforced boxes made from his patented material. Initially, however, the relatively high cost meant such packaging was reserved for premium fragile goods including glassware and ceramics. Further advances followed when Henri Norris began manufacturing double-wall sheets made from two corrugated layers positioned between three sheets of paper. By 1890, cardboard boxes had become the preferred packaging solution for fruit and fresh produce.

Scottish-born Robert Gair emigrated to the United States in 1839 at the age of 14, and established a paper bag factory in Manhattan in 1864. According to popular accounts, he realised that paperboard could be cut and creased simultaneously to create prefabricated cartons. By 1879, he had reportedly developed a process that enabled cardboard boxes to be mass produced. In 1895, the Robert Gair Company began manufacturing corrugated cardboard shipping containers in the USA, a development that proved highly profitable.

The board was cut and scored before being folded into shape, and the corners of the resulting box were secured using ‘stay’ tape and, in some cases, reinforced with staples. The base was then wrapped with plain or decorative paper coated with adhesive, leaving the brown board visible underneath, while the lid was similarly covered. The paper wrapping was always folded neatly inside both the lid and base to conceal any exposed edges.

A key element at POS

By the early 20th century, footwear was increasingly viewed as a fashion product rather than purely a practical necessity. Gradually, the shoe box assumed an important role in point-of-sale presentation, featuring illustrations of footwear alongside company branding. Initially, manufacturers relied on the colour of the covering paper itself as a means of identifying their brand.

As shoemakers looked to place more products on retailers’ shelves, demand for boxes in a wide range of sizes and colours increased significantly. This growth encouraged substantial investment in equipment such as platen die-cutting presses and automated paper-covering machinery.

Large paper-covering machines were developed to handle boxes up to 4½ inches deep, allowing most shoe box sizes to be produced using a common manufacturing method. For many years, millions of paper-covered shoe boxes were made and remained the preferred storage option. Mail-order companies often chose a more economical alternative – plain brown corrugated boxes without decorative coverings.

A different style of shoe box emerged during the 1980s. Manufactured from cut and creased solid white board, these boxes featured glued corner flaps and, although less durable than paper-covered designs, were not so expensive to produce. Some footwear manufacturers began making their own boxes rather than purchasing completed units. Delivered as flat die-cut blanks, these could be assembled whenever required. This approach gave producers greater control over stock levels, reduced storage requirements and lowered overall packaging costs.

Although these glued boxes generally reached retailers in good condition, repeated handling quickly exposed their weaknesses. Frequent removal from shelves, often by pulling the lid, caused many to deteriorate, particularly around the top. A compromise eventually emerged in the form of a glued box base combined with a traditional paper-covered lid. During the mid-eighties, retail consultants also encouraged footwear stores to adopt more contemporary display methods, using shelving and rails rather than rows of boxed products.

Many established independent shoe retailers reacted ‘with horror and disgust’ to this recommendation, yet the practice gradually became widespread. As a result, shoe boxes were increasingly moved out of sight and into stock rooms. Today, some retailers continue to keep boxes hidden until customers request a particular size, while others still display boxed shoes within the retail area.

The 1980s also brought intense competition from overseas footwear manufacturers. Many Western shoemakers relocated production abroad or ceased manufacturing altogether, causing significant disruption for domestic box suppliers. In the UK, numerous packaging companies lost key local customers and were forced to diversify or close. Some successfully adapted by supplying rigid paper-covered packaging to sectors such as education, software, toys and games.

Today’s shoe boxes are available in a remarkable variety of shapes, sizes and materials, including corrugated and solid board, fabric and plastic. Modern designs also offer different storage and stacking solutions.

Unless kept individually on angled shelving systems (which may be deemed wasteful if space is at a premium), traditional top-opening boxes require staff to remove several boxes to reach products stored lower in a stack. Alternative designs featuring front-opening panels or pull-out drawers allow shoes to be accessed without disturbing neighbouring boxes, although these formats remain less common than conventional top-opening styles.

Shoe boxes continue to provide an effective means of storing and organising footwear, both in retail environments and in the home. Many consumers retain the original packaging to protect their footwear collections after purchase. Meanwhile, purpose-made storage boxes, often produced from clear plastic, are widely available online.

Ensuring quality

Traditional cardboard boxes remain the most widely used packaging solution for transporting footwear from manufacturer to customer. When products must travel long distances, packaging quality becomes especially important in ensuring that footwear arrives undamaged and in excellent condition. To help guarantee this performance, SATRA developed a shoe box specification that evaluates factors such as structural strength, colour fastness, chemical composition and moisture absorption characteristics.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 14 of the July/August 2026 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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