Difference Between Wooden Cases and Wooden Crates Explained

January 24, 2025

Look up the terms “case” and “crate” online, and you may notice that they’re synonymous. Consumers generally don’t care how an item is stored and transported as long as it gets to them safe and sound, be it a crate of wine bottles or a case with industrial machine parts.

But as a business owner, how you store your goods matters. From damage to items during transit to falling apart at the slightest turbulence, a lot can go wrong when using the wrong packaging product. In this case (no pun intended), learning the difference between a wooden case and a wooden crate can mean the difference between gain and loss.

The Distinction

To be fair, the blame isn’t entirely on businesses. Various industries haven’t been clear on the distinction for ages. For example, a “case” of beer should tell you that the beer is held in a fully enclosed package. However, in some countries, beer is also stored and carried in open plastic crates, which is considered a “case.”

The situation with “crates” isn’t any less confusing. Wooden shipping crates in Melbourne come in open, closed, and framed designs. Most people associate crates with the country-style open containers used to hold produce. Yet, enclosed wooden boxes with solid sides also qualify as “crates.”

Despite design variations, the packaging industry continues to refer to cases as enclosed wooden boxes and crates as either open or closed ones. Surely there’s a better way to distinguish one packaging product from the other.

There actually is: the goods it’ll hold.

Exceptions like beer cases are exceedingly rare, but the majority of cases are enclosed to safeguard fragile or highly sensitive items during transit. These containers are heavy-duty and low to the ground to keep them stable amid turbulence. Inside most cases are fittings that help hold the item in place.

Cases are the perfect packaging option for overseas export. Although wood isn’t designed to last in maritime environments, it’s a much-needed complete enclosure for keeping moisture and salt at bay. Coupled with combination packaging and storage best practices, wooden cases are your ideal choice for heavy-duty packaging.

On the other hand, crates are better suited to carrying and storing a broad range of goods. Most situations that require wooden crates don’t call for the same degree of security and stability as wooden cases. Sure, wine bottles are fragile, but basic crate designs can keep them stable without the need for custom-made fittings like dividers.

Fruits need to be stored on crates, as they constantly release ethylene gas. This compound induces ripening, and trapping it in a closed container is a great way to spoil a batch or two. Fruits emit ethylene gas in varying amounts, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Long story short, consider the kind of item you’ll be shipping. If it requires careful handling and stability for long voyages, wooden cases are your best bet. If it doesn’t necessitate as much stability, wooden crates will help you save on packaging costs.

The Similarity

For all their differences, a wooden case and a wooden crate do have one thing in common. Three guesses as to what the answer is.

Amid alternatives like metal and plastic, wood remains the most popular choice for cost-efficient packaging. Data from the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) estimated that 91% of all packaging products in the Australian market in FY 2021-22 were wood, comprising roughly 613,000 tonnes.

To put that number into perspective, that’s slightly less than the heaviest seafaring vessel ever put to sea: the 657,000-tonne supertanker Seawise Giant.

It’s hard to beat wood in certain aspects, namely its balance of strength and cost. Metal may be more durable, and plastic may be less pricey, but wood offers a delicate balance. Such a trait is a boon among business owners who are always looking for opportunities to cut costs without compromising quality.

Wood packaging also has a high recovery rate, with APCO reporting that 45% of the total tonnage in the same fiscal year was recovered for future use or repurposing. Depending on the nature of the goods it carries, a wooden case or crate is good for up to 70 uses before the material suffers from wear and tear.

Every wooden box that sees several more uses saves more trees. APCO reported that an estimated 2.4 million trees were spared the chainsaw due to wood packaging’s reusability. Coupled with pressure on businesses to be more ecologically responsible, it’s no surprise that wood packaging tonnage is set to increase by almost 10% in the next few years.

Conclusion

Business owners should avoid thinking that the terms “case” and “crate” mean the same thing. Learning the distinct capabilities and features of these wooden packaging solutions can help avoid logistical issues and costly losses.