When to pick FBB
Pick FBB when you need rigid cartons at the lowest premium cartonboard price, for cosmetics, pharma, confectionery, and frozen food packaging where print matters but top-tier whiteness isn't essential. FBB's bulky middle ply gives good stiffness per gram, which converts to box rigidity on the shelf.
When to pick SBS
Pick SBS when you need the whitest board surface for premium print, the highest purity for food-direct-contact applications, or when the brand spec calls for 'solid bleached' construction. SBS is the default in North American liquid packaging (milk, juice cartons) and premium US cosmetics.
The decision in one paragraph
In Europe, FBB is the default cartonboard and SBS is a premium upgrade. In North America, SBS is the default and FBB is the budget alternative. If your brand guidelines don't specify, FBB gives you 80% of the SBS performance at 75% of the cost.
Frequently asked questions
What does FBB stand for?
Folding boxboard. Sometimes called GC1 or GC2 in ISO 15755 classification, depending on back-ply whiteness.
What does SBS stand for?
Solid bleached sulfate. 'Solid' because all layers are bleached chemical pulp, 'sulfate' because the pulp is made by the kraft (sulfate) process.
Is SBS worth the premium?
For food direct-contact (yogurt cups, liquid cartons), yes. For cosmetic and pharma folding cartons where only the outer print surface matters, FBB is typically sufficient.
Can you print CMYK on FBB?
Yes. FBB's bleached top ply is designed for four-color offset and digital print. Print quality is high, just not quite SBS level.