Everyone knows that you need the right packing materials when you are shipping a product or item, whether it’s just one or many. With the proper packing materials such as the right boxes, flyer bags, and the like, you can make sure that your items are protected throughout transport, especially if you are planning to deliver them across the globe. If you want your package to arrive safely at its destination, here’s how to choose the right packing materials for your goods or items.
External packing
You have two basic choices of materials for shipping various goods or items: boxes or envelopes. Boxes should be high quality and durable. In most instances, a corrugated cardboard box is ideal for parcel shipping, and if you are shipping items which are fragile or heavy, double-walled boxes are expert-recommended. The strength of the box is paramount; to find out the box's strength, look for a stamp from the manufacturer which can tell you about the box's construction and durability. If you are dealing with a box supplier such as specialists in mailing boxes like UK Packaging, they should be able to tell you more about how their boxes are designed and constructed for optimum performance.
Important: if your box is under-filled, it may collapse, but if the box is over-filled, it may tear or burst. It's essential to find the right balance in the box's size and the size of the contents.
If you need flyer or postal bags, make sure the bags are strong in the seams and can survive a certain amount of stretching.
More on choosing boxes and flyer or postal bags
If your package is less than or equal to 10 kilograms, you can use a single-walled box, provided it is of good quality. But for items which are more than 10 kilograms, you would do best with a double-walled box. A good flyer or postal bag, on the other hand, can hold documents of up to 4 kilograms in weight.
Internal packaging
Internal packaging is also essential, mainly if you have delicate or fragile items or would like to fill the space appropriately, so the article doesn't move around too much during transport. The range of packing materials is also diverse, and these include bubble wrap, cardboard strips, packing paper, packing chips, and foam.
Bubble wrap and foam wrap are particularly useful for cushioning and as void fillers, and they offer adequate protection. Meanwhile, foam pellets or peanuts (packing chips) are helpful as cushioning, void fillers, and dividers. Crumpled packing paper can serve as void fillers and protection, while corrugated cardboard inserts are useful as void fillers, dividers, and protection. You can also make use of shredded cardboard, which is ideal for both void filling, but which you can also use for shock absorption.
When using void fillers, place them in the bottom of the box and around your item. Make sure there is no movement or gaps. Also, when you are choosing your void fillers, make sure they offer adequate support for the shipment’s contents, as some materials can either deflate or sink under the content’s weight.
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