What an RSC is
The regular slotted container is the most common corrugated box in the world. It is cut and scored from a single sheet: four panels wrap around to form the walls, a glued or taped manufacturer's joint closes the tube, and four flaps fold in from the top and four from the bottom. The two outer flaps on each end are each half the box's width, so they meet in the middle — that's the "regular" in the name. It ships and stores flat, then squares up and seals with tape or glue.
When to use an RSC
- Shipping and distribution. It's the default for cartons of product, e-commerce over-boxes, and case-packs of retail units.
- Cost. It uses material efficiently and runs on standard equipment, so it's usually the cheapest corrugated option.
- Stackable loads. With flaps meeting at the center, the box carries top load well for palletized freight.
Reach for a different style when the flaps don't meet (very long, narrow boxes waste material — consider a full-overlap), when you need a clean retail unbox (a tuck-end carton), or when the product is shallow (a folding carton).
How it's specified
Corrugated dimensions are always given as length × width × depth (inside dimensions), because the product has to fit inside. Length is the longer side of the opening, width the shorter, depth the height. From those three numbers the flat blank falls out directly:
| Blank dimension | Formula | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Flat width | 2·L + 2·W + joint | The four wall panels plus the glue tab, unrolled |
| Flat height | D + W | The wall depth plus one half-width flap top and bottom |
The board matters as much as the style: the same RSC in a heavier flute or double wall holds far more stack. Estimate it with the box compression calculator, and see how cases fill a pallet with the pallet calculator.
Strengths and trade-offs
An RSC is cheap, strong, and universally understood by every converter and packer. Its limits show up at the extremes: when the box is much longer than it is wide the top flaps leave a gap that needs taping, and it isn't a presentation box — the taped seam and kraft interior read as shipping, not retail. For most cases of product, those trade-offs don't matter, which is why the RSC is the box you'll specify most often.
Questions
What does RSC stand for?
RSC stands for regular slotted container. It is the standard corrugated shipping box, made from one scored sheet with four walls and flaps that meet in the middle on the top and bottom.
How do I calculate an RSC blank size?
The flat blank is about (2 times length plus 2 times width plus the glue joint) wide, by (depth plus width) tall. Enter your length, width, and depth in the tool above and it shows the flat sheet size instantly.
How are RSC boxes measured?
Corrugated boxes are measured length by width by depth, using inside dimensions, because the product must fit inside. Length is the longer opening dimension, width the shorter, and depth the height.
When should I not use an RSC?
Avoid an RSC when the box is very long and narrow, so the flaps do not meet, or when you need a retail-quality unboxing experience. A full-overlap container or a tuck-top mailer can be a better fit.
Get an RSC spec'd and priced.
PackOS turns dimensions into a dieline, a 3D proof, and a quote — with board, pallet, and freight worked out as you go.