Foldable returnable shipping container

A returnable container having an assembled mode for containing products and a disassembled mode for return shipping, comprising:

• a molded base having a container bottom plate surrounded by an upstanding flange;
• a molded top closure having a container top plate surrounded by a depending flange;
• a sleeve part comprising:
• a plurality of sidewalls which, when the container is in the assembled mode, surround a space between the molded base and the molded top closure, said sidewalls having upper and lower margins for being received within said flanges, said plurality of sidewalls each being formed from plastic material having an outer sheet and an inner sheet held in spaced relation by a plurality of vertically oriented webs, and
• hinge portions each connecting pairs of said plurality of sidewalls, each hinge portion comprising a substantially single layer flexible panel portion including substantial continuations of at least the outer sheets of the plurality of sidewalls adjacent to said hinge portion, said hinge portions for forming rounded corners of the container when the container is in the assembled mode and said hinge portions, when the container is in the disassembled mode, for forming bends at 180.degree. from the flat condition between adjacent sections, of which one bend joins two of said plurality of sidewalls when folded with their outer surfaces juxtaposed, wherein said base and top closure flanges are arranged to provide a hollow space between said top and bottom plates when the container is in the disassembled mode, said hollow space for accommodating the sleeve part when folded and, wherein the sleeve is for folding substantially flat to occupy an area within the hollow space when the container is in the disassembled mode.