Handle With Care - Shipping Fragile Items

What about shipping fragile items?

Basic Packaging Ingredients

Just like you cannot substitute whole wheat flour for white flour and expect the same results, you cannot substitute the proper packing materials for makeshift items and hope things turn out alright. Improper materials include: clothing, blankets, towels, pillows and newspaper.

Bubble Wrap

Designed to protect and cushion lightweight items.  It is typically used in multiple wraps and layers to ensure that the item is completely protected, especially on corners and edges.

Stretch Film

Stretch film is a highly stretchable plastic film that is wrapped around items. It is used to keep items tightly bound.  Not to be confused with shrink wrap, which is also a plastic film that is applied loosely around an item and then heated to shrinks tightly.

Packing peanuts

Packing peanuts (aka. expanded polystyrene), is used primarily as a void-fill material for lightweight items.  UPS recommends a minimum of two inches of cushioning to be used around the contents.  If you have multiple items, use a corrugated fiberboard between the contents and peanuts.

NOTE: Peanuts cause static electricity and may damage electronic items. Anti-static peanuts should be used for electronic items.

Packing tape

Packing tape is meant for shipping and designed to be long last-lasting. It works great in hot or cold temperatures. Scotch tape, masking tape, or duck tape should not be used

Right Box and Right Size Box

Select a new box over a used box.  A used box is estimated to lose 40-60% of its strength.  
When your items are packed safely inside, there should be at least two inches of room between the items and all sides of the box.

Basic Packaging Directions

Cushion It

• Wrap the item in small bubble wrap first. If you are shipping more than one item in the box, cover each one separately.
• Use the tape to secure the small bubble wrap, then wrap it in large bubble wrap (all items can go together here with at least two inches of small bubble wrap individually cushioning the items)
• Tape the large bubble wrap closed.  Use stretch film around the large bubble wrapped object to keep items from moving.
  

Box It

• Select a new box of the right size (there should be at least two inches of room between the items and all sides of the box)
• Fill the bottom of a box loosely with packing peanuts, insert the item into the box and then loosely fill the empty spaces with the remaining packing peanuts (remember the two inch rule from above under ‘Right Size Box’). Don’t over-pack the peanuts on top; you should be able to close the lid

Seal It

• Place a spare void shipping label on the inside.  The label should include the destination information, tracking number, and an "in case found, please call .."
  
• Now tape the box well with packaging tape (not duck tape)

Label It

• Place the shipping label on the outside of the box.  If you are using a previously used box, ensure you have no other address markings or shipping labels.
  
• Refrain from adding sticking handle with care stickers on there – they’re useless. Let me repeat: packages do not get preferential treatment because they have a fragile sticker. Shocker I know, but we must move on.

How To Know When It’s Done?

Risks of Shipping Fragile Items