Milk carton[carton?:carton box sample cutting machine] are water tight paper[paper?:paper sample maker cutting machine] containers used for packaging[packaging?:DCP-H series packaging sample cutter plotter] milk for retail distribution. One of the most common supermarket items, and found in nearly every home, the milk carton is nonetheless a precision product, manufactured according to exacting standards.
Up until recent times, milk was not usually available as a retail item. Once milk is removed from the cow, it spoils quickly in heat, and is vulnerable to contamination. Until this century, the most economical and hygienic way to store milk was to leave it in the animal. In Europe, a town cow keeper would bring his or her cow directly to the doorstep of the customer, and milk the animal there into a household container. In some places, milk was sold from a shop next door to the cow stall. In either case, the milk could not be safely stored for anything but a small amount of time. A large metal milk container was developed in Europe between 1860 and 1870. Called a churn, the lidded metal container could hold about 21.12 gal (801) of milk. Milk in churns was shipped by rail from farming areas into towns, where the demand for milk was high. Milk in metal churns was also dispensed door to door. Instead of the cow keeper bringing the cow, now the milk was ladled out of the churn into a smaller household bucket or can. The glass milk bottle was invented in 1884. This offered convenience to milk consumers, since the sterilized bottles could be kept sealed until needed. Milk that was pasteurized (quickly heated to above boiling, then cooled) was resistant to bacterial contamination and spoilage for several days. Bottled milk became prevalent across the United States and Europe through World War II, though glass containers are rarely seen now.
The first paper milk carton was introduced in 1933. This milk carton Wax was applied to the paper, to make it waterproof. In 1940, polyethylene was introduced as the waterproofing material. Refillable glass bottles reigned for a long time after milk cartons were introduced, but by 1968, over 70% of milk packaged in the United States went into paper cartons.
The manufacture of milk carton is actually a two-step process, at two different locations. The carton manufacturer cuts and prints the carton, which is shipped in a "knocked down" or flattened form to the milk packager. The packager completes the process by forming, filling, and sealing the carton.
