Use The Right Packaging
For many of us, parcel packaging is an exhausting and stressful task. Ensuring your parcel is appropriately packed and ready for safe shipping can often cost your time, nerves, and money.
At Packlink, we want to make your parcel wrapping process go smooth, easy, and cost-effective. Read our guide and master the art of packing to perfection!
Use The Right Packaging
Choosing the correct parcel packaging is the first step toward responsible parcel shipping. Depending on your item's size and weight, it's crucial to use the appropriate material and strength of your packaging.
To pack your standard parcel, use a corrugated high-quality cardboard box, preferably one that hasn't been used before. Used boxes may have lost their strength and may not be solid enough to protect their contents fully. It's essential that the box you're using is undamaged and doesn't have any tears and dents that may expose your items to damage during delivery.
Your cardboard box should have enough surface area to attach the shipping label with address details.
Small and flat objects don't necessarily need to be shipped in cardboard boxes. You can post such items as books, CDs, folded jeans, or T-shirts in padded envelopes or jiffy bags.
A padded envelope also protects small items featuring sharp edges or non-standard shapes. The built-in cushioning material in the envelopes protects its contents from potential damage during delivery.
Protect Package Contents
Apart from picking the correct packaging for your parcel, it's also essential to take care of the internal packaging to prevent damage to your item in transit.
If you're shipping a single item, place it in the middle of the box, ideally keeping the distance of about 5cm from walls and corners. You can cover your item in bubble wrap for extra protection.
If you're planning to post small items, wrap them individually to prevent them from touching each other and risking mutual damage.
Remember never to leave an empty room inside your box, as items will move about what may cause damage. Fill the hollow spaces in the box with protecting material, such as polystyrene chips or foam peanuts, to secure your items inside.
As a more cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative, you can use empty toilet rolls as gap-fillers which are light and absorb shock well.
Used newspapers will also do the job. Just screw them up, and you'll get an effective and sustainable gap-filling solution that doesn't cost the earth.
Seal Your Parcel
Once your items are packed in the box, the next step is to seal the package correctly.
To ensure your box is safely secured, you can wrap it with durable kraft paper before sealing. This strong packing paper is often used to pack flour or sugar, so it works well with heavy contents.
Avoid using black outer packaging, like plastic wrap. Parcel machinery cannot handle it properly; therefore, the sortation process and domestic deliveries take longer.
To seal the package, you will need a strong tape, such as a nylon or vinyl tape, ideally about 5cm wide. Thoroughly seal all the box openings with tape, not forgetting about the edges. Make sure you flatten every sharp edge from metal fastenings or staples and cover them with tape.
Label Your Parcel
Finally, you must label your parcel to ensure it's delivered to the chosen destination.
In case of a pre-paid or return label, you can print it out and attach it to the top of the box. Be careful not to fold the label over the edges but place it on a flat surface to provide easy readability of the barcode.
If you're reusing a shipping cardboard box, make sure to remove or cover any old labels and barcodes.
How To Package Specific Items
Some items may require more attention and effort when packaging to ensure they are safely delivered. These include products that are easy to break, oversized and heavy, and in non-standard shapes.
Fragile Items
Fragile items particularly need some extra care when packing. Due to the delicate material they are made of, like glass or porcelain, the risks of potential damage during delivery are bigger.
To pack your fragile items securely, you must provide your parcel with appropriate shock protection. Wrap the objects in bubble wrap and place them in a sturdy box, ensuring that hollow spaces are filled.
If you have kept the items' original packaging, it might be a great idea to post them packed in those. These materials are specifically made to match the size of the products perfectly and, therefore, provide the best protection. For extra safety, wrap the box in solid packing paper and seal with strong tape.
Finally, attach a "FRAGILE" label to the box, ideally on top, so it's visible to the courier.
Oversized and Heavy Items
Large items, especially heavy ones (over 10kg), should be packed in cardboard boxes featuring double- or triple-layered walls to be able to sustain the items' weight.
If you're shipping multiple large parcels or other items, like furniture, you can consider a pallet shipping option which is ideal for heavy loads.
Odd-Shaped Items
It might be challenging to pack irregularly shaped belongings that won't always fit into a regular box.
To ensure your non-standard object is protected during shipment, you might need to disassemble larger parts as much as possible and pack them individually in bubble wrap, so they are securely placed in the box.
If your items are round, make sure they fit correctly in the box and don't bulge at the sides, which may cause the package to open during transit. It's a good idea to have a box slightly bigger than the object and fill the hollow spaces with cushioning material.
Some delivery companies may have individually established regulations regarding parcel wrapping. Check out our reputable courier services for specific parcel packaging guidelines.
Use The Best Courier Services to Ship Your Parcel with Packlink
Once your items are securely packed, it's time to post your package. Packlink offers fast and affordable courier services at our top-notch carriers, no matter what kind, size, or weight your parcel is.
Visit our website today to get a quick quote and save money on your shipment. Our offer covers both domestic and international courier services.