Minimal shipping container and method of construction

A ladder-shaped structure for forming a rectangular shipping container, said ladder-shaped structure comprising:

• a) two longitudinal strips of corrugated cardboard spaced apart and positioned substantially parallel, said two longitudinal strips having first and second outermost edges, first and second ends, and substantially equal lengths;
• b) a first lateral strip of corrugated cardboard positioned substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal strips and overlapping said longitudinal strips such that both ends of said first lateral strip are located within said first and second outermost edges of said longitudinal strips;
• c) a second lateral strip of corrugated cardboard positioned substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal strips and overlapping said longitudinal strips such that both ends of said second lateral strip are located within said first and second outermost edges of said longitudinal strips, said second lateral strip being spaced apart from said first lateral strip;
• d) a third lateral strip of corrugated cardboard positioned substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal strips and overlapping said longitudinal strips such that both ends of said third lateral strip are located within said first and second outermost edges of said longitudinal strips, said third lateral strip being spaced apart from said second lateral strip;
• e) a fourth lateral strip of corrugated cardboard positioned substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal strips and overlapping said longitudinal strips such that both ends of said fourth lateral strip are located within said first and second outermost edges of said longitudinal strips, said fourth lateral strip being spaced apart from said third lateral strip, said substantially equal lengths of said longitudinal strips being sufficiently long to fold said ladder-shaped structure at each of said first, second, third, and fourth lateral strips along axes substantially perpendicular to said two longitudinal strips to form a rectangular shipping container, and whereby said first and second ends of said longitudinal strips overlap;
• and
• f) a bonding means for fastening together each of said longitudinal and lateral strips wherever they overlap, said bonding means activated to form a flat unitary ladder-shaped structure prior to the folding thereof.