Recyclable Corrugated Polypropylene Boxes For Shipping Fresh and Frozen Seafood
Recyclable corrugated polypropylene boxes for shipping fresh and frozen seafood
If you're shipping seafood, your packaging has to deal with things most boxes aren't built for: ice melt, refrigerated trailers, wet processing floors, and a lot of handling between the dock and the customer. Waxed corrugated softens and foam cracks and sheds beads, making both products a hassle to dispose of.
CoolSeal makes seafood boxes out of corrugated polypropylene (PP5) instead. The material doesn't absorb water and won't break down when it's wet, so the box keeps its shape, and your product stays clean and protected through the whole cold chain. The boxes ship flat, recycle as PP5, and can be printed with your branding.
Below is a quick guide to which box fits what you're shipping, how it compares to foam and waxed corrugated, and how to get a quote.
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Industry Leading & 100% Recyclable Fish Boxes
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20# Shellfish Box
Which Box Do You Need?
We make seafood boxes in standard sizes for most fish and shellfish operations, plus custom dimensions when you need them. All of them arrive flat and pre-folded, and assemble in one motion at the packing line.
Fish and fillet boxes come in 5, 10, 20, and 30 lb. capacities, a 13 kg box, 10 and 20 lb. fillet boxes, and a dedicated salmon box. These are the everyday workhorses for whole fish, fillets, and portioned product.
Shellfish boxes are built for oysters, clams, mussels, crab, and lobster, where you're dealing with shell, liquid, and ice. You have a few options depending on how you handle meltwater:
The #10 and #20 Shellfish Boxes are leakproof one-piece boxes with fold-over lids and locking tabs that keep everything sealed inside — the right choice when you want nothing leaking out, including for air freight.
The #10 Draining Box does the opposite on purpose: a drainage tray with permanent drain slots that let meltwater escape during transport while the product stays put. It pops open on the line and stays open.
The 20# Shellfish Box gives you a larger leakproof option for higher-volume runs.
If none of the standard sizes line up with your portion weights or pallet layout, we can extrude a custom box. Talk to us about your dimensions, and we'll size it to fit.
How It Compares To Foam And Waxed Corrugated
A few practical differences tend to matter most to seafood shippers:
It saves space and freight.
Because the boxes ship flat, they take up roughly 85% less storage than pre-assembled foam. And since the outer dimensions are smaller than foam while holding the same amount of product, you can fit more per pallet and cut your freight cost per shipment.
It holds up when wet.
Polypropylene doesn't wick moisture the way fiber board does. Our sealed edge — where we heat-seal the open flutes of the board shut — keeps water out of the structure and keeps the box rigid even after sitting on ice.
It's cleaner to run.
Sealing those flutes also means there's nowhere for bacteria to collect, and the boxes are certified for direct food contact. No foam beads breaking off into your facility, and less mess to clean up around drains.
It can actually cool faster.
This one surprises people: foam's thick insulation can slow how quickly product reaches chill temperature in a refrigerated chain. Because our boxes carry less bulk insulation, product tends to pull down to temperature faster, which helps quality and shelf life.
It's genuinely recyclable.
Every part of the box is PP5 and recyclable, which keeps disposal costs down and holds up against the recyclability claims a lot of waxed packaging makes but can't really deliver.
| Feature | CoolSeal Polypropylene | Waxed Corrugated | EPS Foam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holds up when wet | Limited | ||
| Recyclable (PP5) | Often difficult | Limited | |
| Ships flat | No | ||
| Flexes without breaking | Moderate | Sheds beads | |
| Food-safe sealed edge | No | No | |
| Custom printing | Limited |
Product Information & Research
Shipping By Product
Not sure which page fits your catch? Here's where to look:
Fish Boxes — whole fish, fillets, and salmon, in the standard and fillet sizes above.
Oyster Boxes — leakproof and draining shellfish boxes that keep oysters cold and presentation-ready.
Lobster Boxes — watertight boxes built for the moisture and handling that come with shipping lobster.
Custom Printing And Branding
If you want your boxes to do double duty as packaging and marketing, we print them in-house with high-speed flexographic UV, multi-color screen, and digital printing. That's how seafood processors, distributors, and wholesalers put their logo and product info on the box so it travels with the product to the retail case.
A Bit About Us
CoolSeal technology was developed for the seafood industry in Grimsby, UK, and has been used across Europe for more than 30 years. We manufacture for the North American market in a zero-waste facility in Perrysburg, Ohio, and we're one of only a handful of plastic corrugated extruders in North America, which means we make the material and build the box, rather than buying one and selling the other.
We work with seafood processors, distributors, wholesalers, commercial fisheries, exporters, markets, grocery and foodservice suppliers, and cold storage operations.
Get A Quote
Tell us what you're shipping, your typical portion weights and volumes, and whether you need standard or custom sizing, and we'll recommend the right box and get you pricing. If you're currently on foam or waxed corrugated, we can usually fit into your existing line with little disruption.
Contact us to talk through your seafood packaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the best box for shipping seafood?
One that stays intact when it's wet, doesn't leak, and is safe for food contact. Corrugated polypropylene boxes with a sealed edge handle ice melt and cold-chain transport well, and they're recyclable, which is why a lot of seafood operations use them in place of foam and waxed corrugated.
What sizes do you offer?
Standard fish boxes in 5, 10, 20, and 30 lb. and 13 kg, plus 10 and 20 lb. fillet boxes, and a salmon box. For shellfish, the #10 and #20 leakproof boxes, the #10 Draining Box, and the #20 Shellfish Box. Custom sizes are available if those don't match your pallet or portioning.
Leakproof or draining — which do I want?
Go leakproof if you need everything sealed inside the box, especially for air freight. Go draining if you'd rather let meltwater run off during transport while keeping the product in place. Some operations use both depending on the shipment.
Can I get them custom printed?
Yes — flexographic UV, screen, and digital printing, plus custom sizing, so you can put your branding and product information right on the box.
Are they recyclable?
Yes. The boxes are PP5 polypropylene and fully recyclable, made in our Perrysburg, Ohio facility.
Will they work for both fresh and frozen seafood?
Yes. They're used for both, across processing, storage, and distribution.