Packaging and shipping glassware can seem fraught with risk. However, there are a few steps you can take to help remove the stress out of the packing and shipping process.
This post examines several tips that will help you to ensure that you safely pack and ship glassware.
Which Materials Are Suitable for Cushioning and Protecting a Glass Shipment?
When shipping glass products, it is essential to cushion the contents of your package properly. Fragile products need to be separated from one another, as well as from the corners, sides, tops, and bottom of the box. Below are a few materials suitable for cushioning and protecting glass items:
Product Protection: There are a number of different product protection products available. Bubble wrap is designed to protect and cushion lightweight items and can be used in multiple wraps and layers to ensure that the item is completely protected, especially around corners and edges. HexcelWrap is an innovative and sustainable solution for protecting glassware. It is a paper cushioning material, made from PEFC certified paper.
Product Cushioning and Void Fill Material. These are designed to help protect fragile items during shipment. The cushioning controls shock and vibration so that the chance of damage is greatly reduced. Air pillows are effective as cushioning and void fill materials for lightweight products that are free of sharp corners or edges. Another advantage of air pillows is that they are light and therefore reduce total package shipping weight and costs. X-Pad is another product cushioning option. When the X-Pad system is used, the paper pad expands to full thickness and molds itself to almost any product, providing excellent bracing and cushioning.
Here are a few quick tips to help package and ship glass without Damage:
- Wrapping: Wrap each item separately. If you are using bubble wrap, don't use excessive tape, because it may lessen the effectiveness of the air bubbles. One of the advantages of using HexcelWrap, is that it does not require any tape for closure. Whatever wrapping method you choose, make sure you use an adequate amount; this isn't the time for skimping.
- Cushioning: Choose a suitable carton to house your glassware to fully protect your shipment. (See our blog on cardboard vs. corrugated cartons for further information.) Next, add your cushioning to all the walls of the carton so that there's plenty for the items to rest on. Insert your items and then add void fill to eliminate gaps to eliminate wiggle room. Again, use plenty of cushioning and void fill material.
- Shake test: You need to use enough cushioning and void fill material to ensure that the contents do not move when you shake the carton.
- Check for the potential for carton indentation: If your carton can be compressed in any way, this pressure can ultimately damage the contents. If you can press the lid in, add more void fill to stop compression.
Use Water-Activated Tape For Carton Security
It is just as important to seal your carton properly as it is as to have proper cushioning for your products. You want your carton to be sealed securely and safe from theft and to do this, use reinforced water-activated tape to seal your shipping carton. When water-activated tape has water applied, the tape penetrates the carton material. The tape then forms a permanent bond with the carton, ensuring carton safety. To complete the carton sealing process, indicate "FRAGILE" and "THIS WAY UP" on the sides and top of the carton.
Better Packages | Shipping Glassware
The importance of using a strong and secure tape when shipping glassware cannot be over-emphasized for it can make the difference between equipment arriving intact or not. Better Packages offers a full line of gummed tape dispensers, along with the Central® brand water-activated tape through its parent company, Intertape Polymer Group (IPG). Water-activated tape (also known as gummed tape, gum tape, Kraft paper tape, reinforced paper tape) is designed to create a superior seal on your corrugated cartons while providing advantages other carton sealing methods do not.
Central brand water-activated carton sealing tape is offered in a wide range of paper and reinforced gummed paper tape styles, roll lengths and widths to best fit your carton sealing needs.