Egg Carton Dimensions

Egg carton dimensions vary, but the most widely used in North America are those that hold a dozen large eggs. They are typically 12 inches long, 4 inches wide and 2 ¾ inches deep.

Other Egg Carton Sizes

The dimensions specified above are the large or standard eggs. Given that eggs come in a variety of sizes, the carton specs also vary. There are small, medium, large and jumbo containers.

Besides the 12 egg carton, other widely used sizes are 6, 8, 10, 15 and 18. The Shantou Baoyuan Plastic Packaging Co., Ltd of China use egg carton dimensions of 25.5 x 11 x 6.5 cm for their products.

Egg cartons are made from a variety of materials. The most used in the United States is cardboard, but there are egg cartons made of Styrofoam and plastic.

Egg Trays

Egg trays are used to keep fresh farm eggs. The plastic variants are utilized by egg processors to wash the eggs. To protect the eggs, a cardboard sleeve is used.

Most egg trays in North America hold 20 to 30 eggs. Just like egg cartons, the size of the tray is measured not so much by the physical dimensions but the size of the eggs it can hold and how many.

Construction and Appearance

Regardless of the egg carton dimensions, their appearance is standardized. The container has a dimpled shape where each egg is stored. The shape isolates the eggs from each other. At the same time, the shape acts as a shield against shocks and bumps during transportation.

However there are now efforts to make other kinds of egg cartons. This is particularly true for the so-called premium eggs. These eggs are produced in special ways to provide more health benefits.

To make them more attractive, manufacturers are inventing new egg containers. However, the dimpled egg carton is still the most prevalent.

Origin of the Egg Carton

The egg carton dimensions and shape were invented by a newspaper owner named Joseph L. Coyle. In 1911, a farmer delivered some eggs to a hotel owner. The eggs were broken. An argument ensued as to who was to blame for it.

To solve the problem, Coyle invented the egg carton. His egg carton was made of paper. Mr. Coyle used to make the egg cartons by hand. By 1919 onwards, he began utilizing machinery to make the egg cartons. He operated from Los Angeles.

His company became known as Coyle Egg – Safety Carton. From Los Angeles, cartons began to be manufactured in Ontario, New York and other places.

Egg Crate Mattresses

An egg crate mattress looks similar, but it is not employed for eggs. It’s actually a light camping mattress. It uses the dimple shape to distribute a person’s body weight evenly. In some instances, the egg crate mattress is used for transporting sensitive objects.

The egg carton shape is also used for acoustic foam tiles. Acoustic foam tiles are utilized for sound proofing.

As time went by, the egg carton dimensions began to vary. However, the basic design concept has remained the same.