A common seller question
Printed and labelled gaylords
Old print or labels on a gaylord do not make it unsellable. They make it a different box for a different buyer.
Most buyers of used gaylords care about structure first: dry, intact, known history. Old print or old labels sit in the second tier. Grade B is defined with them in mind: visible wear, minor creasing, old labels or print, but no structural weakness.
| What is on the box | Usually fine for | Not fine for |
|---|---|---|
| Plain brown, no print | Everything | - |
| Maker's print only | Internal moves, scrap, returns, most industrial loads | Retail-facing packaging |
| Shipping labels, stencils | Internal use, scrap, regrind, parts | Anything the label could confuse |
| Another company's brand | Scrap collection and internal moves | Anything a customer sees |
| Hazard marks or old UN marks | Nothing to do with dangerous goods; recycle | Reuse for any load |
How to handle labels
- Peel what peels. Remove loose shipping labels; leave stenciled print.
- Do not paint over. Paint adds moisture and does not remove the old mark.
- Say it on the request. Print, labels and company marks are one line each.
- Hazard marks mean recycle. A box that carried dangerous goods does not go back into circulation.
Print does not change the stack height. A Grade B box with a label stacks like any Grade B box. What it changes is who can use it. A buyer who needs clean boxes for a customer-facing line will not want yours; a plastics molder who needs regrind boxes on a back dock will not care.
See also the sell desk, the grading guide and grades.
What a buyer checks first
A buyer sorting printed boxes looks at three things in order: is the print on the outside only, are there labels with names or addresses, and is anything on the inside. Plain printing on the board is rarely a problem. Customer labels are, because the box has someone else's name on it. Cover them with a plain label if you can, and say on the request if you cannot.
Safety and hazard markings are a separate matter. A box that carried a regulated product keeps its marking until the box is cleaned or retired. Say what the box held.
Photos that help
A photo of the printed panel and one of the label tell us whether the print is a problem. Send both with the request.
When print is an advantage
Plain, single-colour print on the outside rarely hurts the value of a box. A box with a clean printed panel and no personal labels can be sold as it stands. A box with a coloured wrap or heavy ink may have a narrower market.
A mixed pile of plain and printed boxes is easier to place when the two are stacked apart, with the labelled ones on their own pallet.
Questions, answered
Does printed board stack worse?
No. Print is on the surface; strength comes from the board. The grade, wall count and storage history decide the stack.
Sources and last reviewed
Facts on this page were last reviewed 2026-11-11.
- Container Exchanger: the gaylord box guide: A reseller's plain-language guide to gaylord sizes, walls, capacity ranges and bottoms.