Edge Crush Vs Mullen Burst: What Is the Difference?
Corrugated Boxes are exposed to many different circumstances during packing, shipping and storage. Ensuring that your corrugated packaging is protecting your product fully is important. The two-test used to evaluate the strength of your packaging are Mullen Burst Test and Edge Crush Test.
They both serve a similar purpose of testing the strength of the box, and they test it in different ways. It is important to understand the difference between the two tests, in order to ensure you pick the right strength quality test for your packaging needs.
Mullen Burst:
The Mullen Burst Test was the first standard box strength test to be used. It uses a pressurized diaphragm to measure how much pressure the side of a corrugated box can endure before it will burst. It is measured in pounds per square inch.
This test is best for measuring the forces a box may be subject to during rough handling, as well as the total weight amount the box can hold. It doesn’t measure the amount of weight that can be stacked on top of a box that is when the Edge Crush Test becomes more effective.
Edge Crush
The Edge Crush Test (ECT) measures the vertical compression along the edge of a package and focuses on the compression and stacking strength of a corrugated box. It is measured by the force in pounds per lineal inch of load bearing edge that a box can take before failure.
This test is often used when one is concerned about the max weight a box can handle during pallet shipments and warehouse stacking. More so this test measures how much weight a corrugated box can handle before it would crush.
Which test should you use?
Edge Crush test is best used when the items you are packaging will not move during shipment, won’t exert lateral force to the sides of the boxes, and won’t go through a variety of different shipment handlers. If you are stacking or palletizing your boxes, ECT can provide a better measure of how the box will hold up during that stacking process. In order to best protect your product from being crushed during shipment, use Edge Crush Test.
Mullen Burst test is best if the items in the box will move during shipment, there will be pressure to the sides of the boxes, and the box will go through many different handlers during shipping. If you’re concerned about a package being punctured during shipment use Mullen Burst Test.
BMC
The Box Manufacturer Certification Stamp (BMC) is added to all corrugated boxes in order to show the boxes strength. Every BMC contains either the Mullen Burst Test Rating or the Edge Crush Test Rating information. This stamp shows that the box is compliant with the regulations set by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). Although this is not legally required most carriers require it.
What is located on a BMC?
- Box manufacturers name and location
- Mullen Burst Test Rating or Edge Crush Test Rating
- Max sum of outside dimensions
- Max allowed gross weight
- Board construction
Both Mullen Burst Test and Edge Crush Test are useful in their own ways. Although they both serve a similar purpose of testing the strength of the box, these test are not equivalent as they measure completely different things. It is important to understand the difference between the two tests, in order to ensure you pick the right strength quality test for your packaging needs.
If you need assistance understanding the difference between these two test and need help determining which one is best for your business packaging needs, then contact Brown Packaging and one of our packaging experts can assist you.
After the holiday rush, many packaging buyers face inflated costs from excess materials, rushed procurement, and seasonal surcharges. Q1 is the ideal time to reset,
Subscription packaging remains one of the fastest-growing segments in e-commerce. In 2026, buyers face rising consumer expectations, stricter sustainability standards, and the need for efficient
Affordability used to be a quiet compromise — a goal that lived behind the scenes while marketing focused on gloss and finish. But in today’s
The Challenge Parakeet Cafe was preparing a holiday coffee blend promotion and needed custom digital printed pouches that reflected a festive, premium look. While the
Premium packaging sells — until it doesn’t. In an environment where raw material costs, shipping rates, and consumer budgets all fluctuate, the smartest brands are
Dimensional (DIM) weight pricing has become a major driver of shipping costs in e-commerce and industrial supply chains. Carriers charge based on the greater of
By submitting your information, you agree to our terms and conditions and privacy policy.
RSC boxes are widely used because they balance strength with cost efficiency. But not all RSC boxes are created equal. Buyers have to weigh board
Whether storing household items, packing for a move, or packaging products for shipping, we often take corrugated boxes for granted. They offer strength, durability, and
Why Custom Corrugated Boxes Remain a 2026 Essential Custom corrugated boxes continue to be the most relied-on packaging solution for industries ranging from industrial manufacturing