What is Cigarette Card in the Packaging Industry?

Introduction

Have you heard of cigarette card? In the packaging world, it’s known as a premium-grade paperboard. People often refer to it as "SBS" or "tobacco card," because it’s commonly used to make cigarette packaging boxes. If you're curious about cigarette card or need to source high-quality board for cigarette packaging, this article is for you.

What Does Cigarette Card Mean?

SBS stands for Solid Bleached Sulphate. It’s a type of single-coated white paperboard with a white core. Unlike FBB (folding box board), which uses different types of pulp for different layers, cigarette card is made entirely from bleached sulfate pulp—top layer, bottom layer, and core. This gives it better overall quality and makes it a top choice for cigarette cards.

Key Features of Cigarette Card

Cigarette card is actually considered a higher-grade version of FBB. While FBB typically has a yellowish core and is made from a mix of pulps, cigarette card has a white core and is made entirely from bleached pulp. To improve printability, the top layer of cigarette card is coated, and in our factory, we apply two to three blade coatings for even better results.

FBB is made from three layers. The top and bottom layers use bleached sulfate pulp, but the core is made from high-yield mechanical pulp. This helps lower costs but results in a thicker, less dense board with weaker fiber bonding. In contrast, cigarette card uses bleached pulp throughout, which makes it denser, whiter, and thinner than FBB of the same grammage.

Benefits of Cigarette Card

Excellent Protection

Cigarette card offers great tensile and tear strength because of its carefully selected pulp. This helps protect the contents of the box, especially during transport, storage, and everyday use.

Strong for Finishing Processes

A cigarette box goes through many processes: printing, varnishing or laminating, extrusion coating, die cutting, folding, and gluing. The board must be strong and consistent to handle all these steps smoothly. Cigarette card is built for it.

Superior Printability

Even low-cost cigarette brands often have well-printed, attractive packaging. That’s because cigarette card has a clean, coated surface that works perfectly with printing. Its high brightness and stable color tone help deliver sharp, vivid images and text.

Safe and Clean

Since cigarette cards come in direct contact with tobacco, cigarette card must meet high hygiene standards. It’s produced in clean environments, free from impurities or odors. The pulp is bleached with sulfate instead of fluorescent whitening agents, and VOC levels meet the strict requirements of the tobacco industry.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for reliable paper solutions or need help sourcing materials for cigarette packaging, feel free to contact us at Golden Paper. With over 20 years of experience, we provide a wide range of paper products and customized solutions tailored to your business. Let us help you build your brand and succeed in the market.