Cardboard can be classified in several ways, including by material, purpose, and color.
Classified by material and common uses, cardboard (grammage: 175g-450g) includes white cardboard, grey cardboard, and gold/silver cardboard, commonly used for packaging boxes and similar applications. White cardboard is a high-quality paper with a smooth surface, good printability, and high strength, widely used in food packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, cosmetic packaging, gift boxes, greeting cards, business cards, and labels.
Classified by specific uses, playing cardboard includes white cardboard used for regular playing cards, as well as coated grey core paper and high-grade black core paper used for advertising playing cards. Materials commonly used in professional card manufacturing include black core paper and double-coated paper. Recording cardboard includes book cardboard, industrial automation recording paper, and medical and hygiene recording paper. In handicrafts and educational toy making, cardboard is often distinguished and selected by color, such as white, blue, and orange cardboard.