Fighting Box Flaps? Smarter Ways to Manage Flap Memory
From packing and picking to storage and reuse, the right components help keep corrugated box flaps where they belong.
Anyone who works with corrugated boxes knows the frustration: You fold a flap back, and it springs into your way. You close a box, but the flaps won’t stay down. Or you need a box to remain open for picking and packing, but the flaps keep getting in the way.
This common packaging challenge is related to flap memory—the tendency of corrugated flaps to return toward their original position after being folded.
It may seem like a small inconvenience, but when the same motion is repeated hundreds of times a day, it can create unnecessary handling, slow down operations, and complicate an otherwise simple process.
The good news? Managing flap memory doesn’t always require redesigning the box. Sometimes, the right component is all it takes.
When Box Flaps Need to Stay Closed
Not every box is sealed permanently. Many corrugated containers are designed to be opened, inspected, stored, and repacked multiple times. Traditional tape or staples may hold the flaps closed, but they can also add labor, create waste, and damage the corrugated when removed.
Allen Field’s Box Flap Closure provides a practical alternative by keeping box flaps closed during storage while allowing convenient reopening and repacking. For reusable packaging, this can help simplify the process and reduce the need for repeated sealing.
When Box Flaps Need to Stay Open
Sometimes the challenge is exactly the opposite. During product picking, order fulfillment, or packing operations, workers need unobstructed access to the contents of a box. Flaps that repeatedly spring back into the opening can interfere with picking and require operators to hold them out of the way.
Allen Field’s Open Flap Clip is designed specifically to keep box flaps open during product picking. By holding flaps out of the working area, this simple component helps make contents easier to access and reduces unnecessary handling. It’s a small improvement that can make repetitive tasks more convenient.
When Boxes Need to Stay Open—and Stack
For some applications, keeping a box open is only part of the challenge. The container also needs to support organized storage and efficient handling.
Allen Field’s Box Top Corners help hold corrugated boxes open while making them stackable. This combination is particularly useful for applications where open containers need to remain accessible while being stacked or stored. Instead of treating box opening and stackability as separate challenges, the right corner components can help address both.
Reusable Closures That Help Guide the Next Step
For packaging used repeatedly throughout a workflow, keeping boxes securely closed is only part of the challenge. Employees also need to know what happens next—whether a package is awaiting inspection, needs to be returned to storage, or has been approved for shipment.
Allen Field’s Box Latch series offers reusable closure solutions that secure corrugated packaging without tape or staples. Available in different colors, these components can also serve as visual indicators to communicate a package’s status and guide its next step.
Smarter Components, Smoother Operations
Flap memory is a natural characteristic of corrugated material that packaging designers and operators need to consider. The key isn’t simply keeping flaps in place, but determining where they need to stay at each stage of the packaging process.
- Closed for storage, transport, or repacking
- Open for picking and packing
- Open and stackable for organized storage and handling
- Secure and reusable, with clear status indicators to streamline workflows
Each application calls for a different solution. At Allen Field, we believe smarter packaging starts by solving the small frustrations that slow down everyday operations.