High-volume, low-density sorting where height and reuse count matter more than crush rating.
Textile sorting and recycling runs on volume, not weight. A 44" triple-wall gaylord on a 48×40 footprint holds a large amount of soft goods and stands up to repeated manual loading.
Sorters, thrift networks and apparel recyclers usually want tall graded gaylords on a steady replenishment cycle. Describe your volumes and a partner supplier can quote a regular supply.
Graded, inspected bulk containers that have already done one job and are ready for several more, supplied through partner suppliers in our network.
The thing underneath everythingRecycled GMA, heat-treated export, plastic and presswood pallets, matched to the box riding on top and supplied through partner suppliers.
The small parts that decide everythingLids, pallet caps, liners, corner boards, slip sheets and strapping: the parts that keep a bulk load square, supplied through partner suppliers.
Construction limits, height selection, liner matching and load weights: the things that decide whether a specification survives contact with your dock.
| Construction | Thickness | Typical max weight | Stacking | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single wall C | 5/32" (4.0 mm) | 65 lb | Not for bulk | Lids, layer pads, dividers |
| Double wall BC | 9/32" (7.1 mm) | 900 – 1,200 lb | 1 high loaded | General bulk under 1,200 lb |
| Double wall CC | 5/16" (7.9 mm) | 1,000 – 1,300 lb | 1 high loaded | Slightly better cushioning than BC |
| Triple wall BCC | 7/16" (11.1 mm) | 2,200 – 2,500 lb | 2 high loaded | The bulk workhorse |
| Triple wall ACC | 1/2" (12.7 mm) | 2,400 – 2,700 lb | 2 high loaded | Dense product with cushioning need |
| Five wall AAC | 5/8" (15.9 mm) | 3,000 lb+ | 3 high, matched pallets | Castings, stampings, export |
| Height | Cube | Fits | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28" | 25.9 ft³ | Low-clearance racking, pick faces | Dense product, ergonomic sorting | Doubles your container count on light goods |
| 36" | 33.3 ft³ | Most standard racking | The default — best price and availability | Check reach height if hand-loaded |
| 40" | 37.0 ft³ | Cooler racks, harvest lines | Produce, bakery, mixed DC | Top-edge wear climbs with reach |
| 44" | 40.7 ft³ | Tall bays, textile sorting | Light bulky goods — foam, film, apparel | Hand-loading above 44" is uncomfortable |
| 48" | 44.4 ft³ | Dedicated tall programs | Very light, very bulky loads | Triple wall only; never stack loaded |
| Gauge | Style | Product | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 mil | Flat | Dry, light, non-abrasive goods | Bagged or boxed contents inside the container. |
| 3 mil | Flat or gusseted | Light powders, dry components | Usually the lowest gauge suited to free-flowing product. |
| 4 mil | Gusseted | Pellets, produce, general purpose | The default specification for most applications. |
| 5 – 6 mil | Gusseted | Heavy, sharp-edged or dragged product | Specify when discharge involves dragging the liner. |
| 4 mil antistatic | Gusseted | Resin pellets and polymer powders | Performance falls in very dry air; rotate stock. |
| Foil barrier | Gusseted, sealable | Hygroscopic powders, long storage | Seal above the fill line, never against the board. |
| Product | Bulk density | Loaded weight | Construction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixed apparel, unbaled | 6 – 9 lb/ft³ | 200 – 300 lb | Double wall | Volume-limited. Buy tall, not strong. |
| Loose foam / film | 2 – 5 lb/ft³ | 70 – 170 lb | Double wall | 44 inch bodies pay for themselves here. |
| Cardboard offcuts | 7 – 12 lb/ft³ | 230 – 400 lb | Double wall | Keep dry or the weight is water. |
| Plastic regrind flake | 20 – 30 lb/ft³ | 660 – 1,000 lb | Double / triple | Static — specify antistatic liner. |
| Resin pellets (PE, PP) | 32 – 38 lb/ft³ | 1,050 – 1,250 lb | Triple wall | Octabin preferred above 1,200 lb. |
| PET flake | 22 – 28 lb/ft³ | 730 – 930 lb | Double wall | Abrasive — 5 mil liner minimum. |
| Apples / citrus | 30 – 35 lb/ft³ | 1,000 – 1,150 lb | Triple wall | Field heat and condensation; 40 inch is the produce default. |
| Potatoes / root crops | 38 – 45 lb/ft³ | 1,250 – 1,500 lb | Triple wall | Bottom-layer bruising — use a layer pad. |
| Frozen fruit / vegetable | 35 – 42 lb/ft³ | 1,150 – 1,400 lb | Triple wall | Manage the freezer-to-dock transition before stacking. |
| Grain / seed | 42 – 50 lb/ft³ | 1,400 – 1,650 lb | Triple wall | Octabin or bin — hoop stress matters. |
| Mineral powder | 55 – 75 lb/ft³ | 1,800 – 2,480 lb | Triple / five wall | At the top of what fiber should carry. Check the pallet. |
| Glass cullet | 80 – 95 lb/ft³ | 2,650 lb+ | Five wall | Fill to weight, not to height. Never fill to the top. |
| Metal stampings | 90 – 140 lb/ft³ | Fill by weight | Five wall + V-board | Sharp edges: burst strength and corner protection both matter. |
| Electronic returns, mixed | 10 – 16 lb/ft³ | 330 – 530 lb | Double wall | Mixed-height pools work best here. |
| Books / paper records | 35 – 45 lb/ft³ | 1,150 – 1,500 lb | Triple wall | Dense and deceptive — people routinely overfill. |
| Nuts / dried goods | 28 – 34 lb/ft³ | 930 – 1,120 lb | Triple wall | Gusseted liner, plus eight inches of height. |
| Construction | First week | After 30 days | After 90 days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double wall BC | 2 high | 1 high | 1 high, inspect weekly | Never stack a partly filled unit. |
| Triple wall BCC | 3 high | 2 high | 2 high, inspect weekly | Two high loaded is a common working figure that already allows for storage. |
| Five wall AAC | 4 high | 3 high | 2 – 3 high | Matched pallets only; check deck boards each move. |
| Empty, nested | 8 high | 6 high | 6 high | Above that the bottom scores compress and will not re-erect square. |
| Knocked down, flat | To 60 inches | To 60 inches | To 48 inches | Scores aligned, off the floor, indoors. |
| Relative humidity | Duration under load | Strength factor | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below 50% | Under 30 days | 1.00 | Published stacking limits apply as stated. |
| Below 50% | Over 30 days | 0.25 – 0.30 | Divide laboratory compression by about four. |
| 50 – 70% | Under 30 days | 0.85 | Reduce stack height by one unit on marginal loads. |
| 50 – 70% | Over 30 days | 0.22 | Two high loaded becomes one high for double wall. |
| 70 – 85% | Under 30 days | 0.65 – 0.75 | Specify one construction up, or stop stacking. |
| 70 – 85% | Over 30 days | 0.15 – 0.18 | Do not stack loaded containers. Shorten dwell time. |
| Above 85% | Any | 0.10 – 0.14 | Fiber is the wrong container unless dwell is measured in hours. |
Damage is evidence. Where it appears tells you whether the problem is the container, the pallet, the aisle or the weather.
| Failure | What it looks like | Cause | Prevention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strap cut | Crushed line across a vertical corner, half an inch wide. | Polyester strap tensioned over an unprotected edge. | A V-board corner protector under every strap. |
| Forklift shear | Scuff outside, hollow feel inside over a six-inch band. | Lateral contact delaminating liner from medium. | Floor guides at pinch points; operator training. |
| Overhang crush | Failure at the bottom score, two corners only. | Container footprint larger than the pallet deck. | Buy pallet and container on the same quote. |
| Humidity creep | Bulging walls, leaning stack after weeks of storage. | Compression loss above 70% RH compounding under load. | Reduce stack height; one construction up; shorter dwell. |
| Condensation cycling | Soft outer liner after a freezer-to-dock move. | Surface below dew point for twenty minutes. | No stacking for 24 hours after a temperature transition. |
| Liner bridge | Uneven settle, container out of square after filling. | Flat liner bridging the corners under free-flowing product. | Gusseted liner sized to the footprint. |
| Dead score | Bottom flap will not hold its fold. | Repeated knock-down and re-erection, or wrong fold line. | Collapse along original scores only; train receiving. |
| Tine puncture | Paired holes about four inches above the base. | Tines entering at the wrong height on a stacked position. | Position signage and double-stack rules. |
| Measure | Imperial | Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard footprint | 48 × 40 in | 1,219 × 1,016 mm | The GMA pallet that standardised US distribution. |
| Triple wall thickness | 7/16 in | 11.1 mm | Takes about 7/8 in off interior width across both walls. |
| Typical capacity | 2,200 lb | 998 kg | Triple wall BCC, evenly distributed, matched pallet. |
| Container cube at 36" | 33.3 ft³ | 0.943 m³ | Outside dimensions, before board thickness. |
| OCC bale | 1,000 – 1,400 lb | 454 – 635 kg | Typical bale from a horizontal baler. |
| Trailer capacity, knocked down | 400 – 600 units | — | 53-foot dry van; cube limited, never weight limited. |
| Moisture ceiling for OCC | 12% | 12% | Above this you are selling water at a penalty. |
Short answers to common questions. If yours is not covered, ask it on the form and a partner supplier in our network can answer it with your quote.
All 33 answersThe container named after a Michigan paper company that became the standard bulk box of American warehouses.
Read →A, B, C and D are not vibes. Here is what a careful grader looks at, in what order, and what gets rejected outright.
Read →Why 48×40 dominates, when 40×40 is smarter, and how to choose a height that fits your racking rather than your habit.
Read →A plain-language guide to the three numbers printed in the box maker's certificate — and which one to actually use.
Read →Containers for food plants, where origin, odor and moisture matter more than anywhere else.
Returns processing, bulk consolidation and reverse logistics on a predictable replenishment cycle.
Dense parts, sharp edges and work-in-process staging that punish ordinary packaging.
Send the load detail. A partner supplier in our network follows up with construction, grade, height and freight.
Selling empties? Describe them in the message: footprint, wall count, how many, and their condition. A partner supplier can usually quote from that and a few photos.