October 2025

Welcome back to Corrugated Connections! 

As fall settles in, sharpened pencils and packed backpacks signal the start of a new school year and a major moment for retailers. In 2024, U.S. back-to-school spending topped $125 billion, making it one of the season’s most influential drivers of consumer behavior. 

In our latest Q4 Industry Bulletin, we explore how shifts in shopping habits—in timing, channels and product choices—are shaping packaging strategies across retail formats. Whether you're selling in-store or directly to consumers, understanding these trends is key to staying ahead. 

Packaging decisions matter. 

From box style to print method, the choices you make influence everything from supply chain efficiency to shelf impact. To help simplify the landscape, we’ve created two practical resources: 

• Basic Box Styles – a guide to structural options 
• More Than Ink on Paper – a breakdown of print methods and their applications 

Thanks for connecting with us this month—we’ll see you in November!