Maybe this will help the cardboard / paper issue.
I have been in the car business for over 32 years and most of the dealers I have worked for, usually had an import line of some sort. Experience has shown me that, their packaging was of lessor quality and just plain flemsy. I learned some years ago why that was the case.
In the early 90's, our city started offering recycling bins for cardboard. The proceeds went to the local Easter Seal center. The only stipulation to what could be put in them, was cardboard from a source in southeast Asia.(imported cardboard)
After a couple of questions, I found out why. You see, as a rule, wood and related wood products are not used for their paper related products. They use quicker, renewable resources for this consumable. That is the reason for using rice and its byproducts for packaging and writing on.
Some other uses:
You can make flour, pudding, bread, cakes, and even candy from the kernels. Rice straw can be made into fuel or as thatch for the roofs of houses and sheds. It can also be twisted into rope, made into sandals, mats, rugs, blankets, brooms, raincoats, and even boots! Sometimes the stalks are pressed for the oil that is in them. It is also used for wine, milk, and noodles.
The hulls can be used in industry for polishing, as fertilizer, or for making paper and wallboard. People are still trying to find new uses for rice. The Japanese are trying to turn rice hulls into cosmetics and photographic film.
Now that the wet cardboard has been explained, how about the cosmoline. Since it is basically a petroleum product, it was/is used to package firearms, long time storage of machine parts, tools, cars and trucks. A salt water ride from anywhere is hard on finishes. Painted or bare metal. Back in the day, (before the U.S imposed rust through standards on car makers) a bath of cosmoline remover was given to all of the import vehicles. It sucked.
Since Jack covered the rubber related products, that should pretty well round out the aromatic inside of an import store.
Now you know the rest of the story and why the "rice box" was an accurate description. Sheesh
