Every ton of recycled cardboard saves 17 treesReusing one box saves 3.5 kWh of energyCardboard can be recycled up to 7 timesWe have diverted over 2 million boxes from landfillsUsed boxes reduce carbon emissions by up to 60%One tree produces approximately 100 boxesPortland Boxes: 100% committed to zero-waste operationsChoosing used boxes saves up to 70% compared to newEvery ton of recycled cardboard saves 17 treesReusing one box saves 3.5 kWh of energyCardboard can be recycled up to 7 timesWe have diverted over 2 million boxes from landfillsUsed boxes reduce carbon emissions by up to 60%One tree produces approximately 100 boxesPortland Boxes: 100% committed to zero-waste operationsChoosing used boxes saves up to 70% compared to new
Portland Boxes
Used Boxes

Premium Used Corrugated Boxes

Inspected, graded, and ready to ship. Same quality performance as new boxes at a fraction of the price — and a fraction of the environmental impact.

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Free, no obligation

Our Grading System

Grade ALike New

Minimal signs of use. No printing, clean surfaces, strong structure. Perfect for retail and customer-facing shipments.

Grade BGood

Light wear, may have minor printing or tape marks. Structurally sound. Great for e-commerce and business shipments.

Grade CFair

Moderate wear with visible printing or labels. Still structurally reliable. Ideal for storage, internal moves, and non-customer-facing use.

Grade DUsed

Heavy wear but still functional. May have dents or soft corners. Best for padding, packing material, or short-term storage.

Available Sizes

CategoryDimensions (in)Wall TypeCommon Uses
Mini4x4x4 to 6x4x4SingleJewelry, samples, small parts
Small Cube6x6x6 to 8x8x8SingleCandles, jars, cosmetics
Book Box10x8x6 to 12x9x6SingleBooks, DVDs, documents
Small Standard12x12x12SingleKitchenware, small electronics, toys
Medium Shipper14x14x14 to 16x12x12SingleShoes, retail goods, clothing bundles
Medium Deep18x18x16 to 18x18x18SingleElectronics, household items
Large Standard20x20x20Single / DoubleBulk items, small appliances
Moving Box18x18x24SingleHousehold moves, office relocation
Large Shipper24x18x18Single / DoubleLinens, pillows, bulky goods
Large Cube24x24x24Single / DoubleLarge storage, inventory, moving
XL Shipper30x24x24DoubleHeavy industrial, export shipping
Jumbo36x24x24DoubleFurniture, oversized equipment
Wardrobe24x20x46DoubleHanging garments, tall items
Flat Panel40x6x30DoubleMonitors, artwork, mirrors

Don't see your size? We have 200+ sizes in stock. Contact us for availability.

Why Used?

8 Benefits of Choosing Used Boxes

Used corrugated boxes are not a compromise — they are a smarter choice. Here is why thousands of Portland businesses make the switch every year.

01

Save 40-60% on Cost

Used boxes typically cost half (or less) of their new equivalents. For businesses shipping hundreds or thousands of packages per month, the savings add up to thousands of dollars annually.

02

Identical Performance

A used Grade A or B corrugated box retains 90-100% of its original crush strength. Corrugated board is engineered to withstand multiple use cycles without meaningful degradation.

03

Reduce Carbon Footprint

Reusing a box skips the entire manufacturing process — pulping, pressing, drying, corrugating, cutting. That eliminates up to 90% of the carbon emissions associated with a new box.

04

Save Water

Producing one ton of new corrugated board requires approximately 7,000 gallons of water. Reusing existing boxes consumes virtually zero water.

05

Preserve Forests

Every ton of corrugated board reused keeps roughly 17 trees standing. Over a year, our customers collectively save the equivalent of an entire forest.

06

Immediate Availability

New custom boxes can take 2-4 weeks to manufacture. Our used boxes are in stock, graded, and ready for same-day pick-up or next-day delivery.

07

Reduce Landfill Waste

Corrugated cardboard accounts for over 30% of municipal solid waste by weight. Every box reused is one less box in a landfill or recycling stream.

08

Support Local Economy

When you buy used boxes from Portland Boxes, your money stays in the Portland community. We employ local workers and partner with regional businesses for sourcing.

Use Cases

Common Applications for Used Boxes

Used corrugated boxes serve virtually every purpose that new boxes do. Here are the most popular applications among our customers.

E-Commerce Fulfillment

Online sellers ship thousands of orders in used boxes every day. Grade A and B boxes are visually clean enough for customer-facing shipments.

Warehouse Storage

Organize inventory, seasonal stock, and supplies in uniform boxes. Stackable, labelable, and vastly cheaper than plastic bins.

Residential Moving

Families save hundreds of dollars by packing their move in used boxes instead of buying new. Our moving bundles include all the sizes you need.

Office Relocation

Businesses relocating offices use our bulk orders for desks, files, and equipment. We deliver and pick up empties when you are done.

Product Returns & RMA

Companies processing returns and RMAs use Grade C and D boxes for cost-effective reverse logistics.

Subscription Box Services

Subscription brands that focus on sustainability use our Grade A used boxes as a selling point with eco-conscious customers.

Art & Craft Shipping

Artists, galleries, and craft sellers protect their work in appropriately sized used boxes, often at half the cost of new packaging.

Seasonal Retail

Holiday pop-up shops and seasonal businesses minimize costs by using used boxes for short-term inventory management.

Farm & Produce Packing

Local farms pack CSA boxes, farmers market goods, and wholesale orders in sturdy used corrugated containers.

Disaster Relief & Donations

Nonprofits and community organizations package donations and relief supplies in bulk at minimal cost.

Prototyping & Testing

Product teams test packaging configurations and shipping durability using affordable used boxes before committing to custom packaging.

Inter-Facility Transport

Manufacturers and distributors move parts and materials between facilities in used boxes that are returned and reused repeatedly.

Used Box Pricing Guide

Pricing depends on size, wall type, and condition grade. Below are typical price ranges per box. Volume discounts of 10-30% apply for orders of 100+ boxes.

Size CategoryGrade AGrade BGrade CGrade D
Small (up to 12")$0.75 - $1.25$0.50 - $0.90$0.30 - $0.60$0.15 - $0.35
Medium (13" - 18")$1.25 - $2.00$0.90 - $1.50$0.60 - $1.00$0.35 - $0.65
Large (19" - 24")$2.00 - $3.00$1.50 - $2.25$1.00 - $1.50$0.65 - $1.00
Extra Large (25"+)$3.00 - $4.50$2.25 - $3.50$1.50 - $2.50$1.00 - $1.75
Specialty / Wardrobe$4.00 - $6.00$3.00 - $4.50$2.00 - $3.00$1.25 - $2.00

Prices shown are per-box estimates for single orders. Double-wall boxes are approximately 30-50% more than single-wall at the same size. Contact us for an exact quote.

Pro Tips

How to Store Used Boxes Properly

Proper storage extends the life of corrugated boxes dramatically. Follow these guidelines to get the most out of your investment.

Keep Them Dry

Moisture is corrugated cardboard's greatest enemy. Even moderate humidity can reduce crush strength by 30-50%. Store boxes in a covered, ventilated area away from exterior walls where condensation can form. If storing in a garage or shed, elevate boxes on pallets to prevent ground moisture wicking.

Store Flat When Possible

Unassembled (knocked-down) boxes take up roughly 85% less space than assembled boxes. Stack them flat on pallets with the flutes running vertically. This preserves the structural integrity of the corrugations and prevents bowing or crushing from static weight above.

Avoid Direct Sunlight

Prolonged UV exposure degrades the lignin in paper fibers, making the board brittle and discolored. If storing near windows or outdoors under cover, use an opaque tarp or shrink wrap to shield the boxes from direct light.

Rotate Your Stock

Follow a first-in, first-out (FIFO) system. Corrugated board degrades slowly over time even in ideal conditions. Using your oldest stock first ensures you are always working with the freshest material available.

Do Not Overstack

Even sturdy double-wall boxes have stacking limits. As a rule of thumb, do not stack palletized bundles more than 3 high for single-wall and 4 high for double-wall. Excessive stacking compresses the bottom boxes and reduces their usable strength.

Remove Old Tape and Labels

Before reusing a box, peel off old shipping labels and tape to present a clean surface. This also allows you to inspect the box underneath for hidden damage. A razor scraper makes quick work of stubborn adhesive residue.

Reuse vs. Recycle

How Reuse Beats Recycling

Recycling is good. Reuse is better. Here is why extending the life of a box before it enters the recycling stream delivers dramatically greater environmental benefit.

FactorRecycleReuse
Energy RequiredHigh (pulping, re-pressing, drying)Near Zero (inspection only)
Water Consumed~7,000 gal/ton~0 gal/ton
CO2 EmissionsModerate (transport + processing)Minimal (local transport)
Fiber DegradationYes (loses 10-15% per cycle)No (retains original strength)
Chemical InputsYes (de-inking, bleaching)None
Time to Market2-6 weeks (remanufacture)Same day

The Lifecycle Math

A single corrugated box can be reused 4-8 times before it needs to be recycled. Each reuse cycle avoids roughly 90% of the energy, water, and emissions that would be required to manufacture a replacement. By the time a box from Portland Boxes finally reaches a recycling mill, it has already delivered 4-8x its environmental value compared to a box that was recycled after a single use.

The Waste Hierarchy

The EPA's waste management hierarchy ranks actions from most to least preferred: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Dispose. Reuse sits one tier above recycling because it avoids remanufacturing entirely. When you buy a used box from Portland Boxes, you are operating at the second-highest tier of environmental stewardship — the most impactful choice after not using packaging at all.

The Fiber Quality Advantage

Every time corrugated board is recycled, the paper fibers shorten by 10-15%. After 5-7 recycling cycles, the fibers become too short to form strong board and must be supplemented with virgin fiber. Reuse preserves the original long fibers intact, maintaining the full structural performance of the board without any fiber degradation.

Success Stories

How Portland Businesses Save with Used Boxes

Real results from real Portland businesses that made the switch to used corrugated packaging.

Online Retail
$18K
Annual Savings

Portland E-Commerce Brand

Challenge: Shipping 3,000+ orders per month with rising packaging costs eating into margins.

Solution: Switched to Grade A used boxes from Portland Boxes with a recurring weekly delivery schedule.

Result: Reduced packaging costs by 52% ($18,000 annual savings) while adding "shipped in reused packaging" messaging that increased customer satisfaction scores by 8%.

Agriculture
61%
Cost Reduction

Willamette Valley Farm Co-op

Challenge: Needed affordable, sturdy boxes for weekly CSA and farmers market deliveries across 12 pick-up locations.

Solution: Uses a mix of Grade B and C used boxes in 5 standard sizes, with Portland Boxes buying back undamaged returns.

Result: Cut packaging costs by 61% compared to new boxes. The buyback program recovers an additional 20% of the original box cost, creating a near-circular packaging loop.

Manufacturing
0%
Damage Rate

NW Manufacturing Inc.

Challenge: Storing and transporting machined parts between three facilities, requiring 500+ boxes per week with minimal damage tolerance.

Solution: Standardized on Grade A and B double-wall used boxes with custom divider inserts from Portland Boxes.

Result: Achieved zero-damage parts transport (previously 2.3% damage rate) while reducing packaging spend by $43,000 annually. Diverted an estimated 26,000 boxes from landfills per year.

Ready to Start Saving?

Join thousands of Portland businesses that save money and protect the environment with used corrugated boxes. Get a free quote in under an hour.

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