Packing Materials & Guidelines

Boxes should be in good condition with no signs of puncture or tear.
All flaps should be intact.
Chipboard boxes, such as gift or shoe boxes should not be used a primary shipping boxes but should be placed in a corrugated outer box.
Heavy or fragile items should be packed using the box-in-a-box packing method.
Double boxed fragile items should have 3” of cushioning inside the inner box to inhibit items from moving around inside the inner box and between the smaller box and the outer box.
If you have multiple items in a box, make sure they are individually wrapped with cushioning material between the items and the box walls and between the items.
Bottles that contain liquids should be wrapped in sealable plastic bags. The inner box should have a bag that can contain leaks.
For odd- or irregular-shaped items, at a minimum you should cushion wrap and tape all sharp edges and/or protrusions.
An extra label or business card or letterhead with the shipper’s address and phone number and the recipient’s address and phone number should be in an obvious place inside the package.
Before shipping, remove all old address labels from reused boxes
One last time, examine the box to be sure there are no signs of damage such as holes, tears or corner dents in the outer box.

Follow these general guidelines for single-box and double box packaging.

Single-Box Packing Method

Nonfragile products like soft goods can be shipped inside a single box.
Conserve resource by reusing cushioning material like crumpled old newspaper or air-cellular cushioning material to fill void spaces and prevent movement of goods inside the box during transit.
Anything that might spill liquids should be placed in a plastic bag.
Small parts or spillable granular products should be in a strong sealed container, such as a burlap or plastic bag.
Use the H taping method for sealing your package.

Box-in-Box Packing Method

Wrap product(s) individually with at least 2″ thickness of air-cellular cushioning or foam material to fit snugly inside a corrugated box.
Restrict product movement inside the box using filler like crumpled newspaper, bubble wrap or other cushioning material.
Close and tape the inner box using the H taping method. This will help prevent accidental opening.
Use a second box that is at least 15 cm (6″) longer, wider and deeper than the inner box.
Choose the wrap or fill method to cushion the inner box inside the larger sturdy outer box.
Ship fragile products individually, wrapping them in a minimum 8-cm (3”) thickness of air-cellular cushioning material such as bubble wrap
Wrap the inner box with 8-cm (3″) thickness of air cellular cushioning material or use at least 8 cm (3″) of other cushioning material to fill the spaces between the inner box and outer box on the top, bottom and all sides.
Fill any void spaces with more cushioning material.
Use the H taping method for sealing your package.

Sealing Your Package

Use pressure-sensitive plastic tape, water-activated paper tape (minimum 60-lb.] grade) or water activated reinforced tape that is at least 2″ wide. Do not use cellophane tape, duct tape, masking tape
Use the H taping method to apply tape evenly across flaps and seams to both the top and bottom of the outer box.
Do not use string or rope to seal packages.

Addressing and Labelling Your Package

Place delivery information inside your package with your address and contact info as well as your addressee’s address and contact info.
Remove old address labels on the outer box.
Place package labels and packing slips facing the same direction on the same side of the box.
Do not place labels around the corner or directly on the edge or seam of the package.
Shipping labels should be placed on the package’s largest surface.