A reinforced fiberboard container having a plurality of reinforcing pads adhesively attached to its vertical sidewalls. Each reinforcing pad has a height substantially less than the height of the attached sidewall, and the method of adhesive attachment is such that sidewalls of the container are bowed inward in a region vertically adjacent the reinforcing pads. When the container is made of outer and inner units, the pads are preferably disposed between the sidewalls of the units but may also be located on the inner surface of the inner unit. When the reinforcing pads are to be located adjacent the upper and/or lower edges of the sidewalls, sidewall extensions may be provided which can be folded upward or downward to create the pads.