| Small consumer goods |
Non-fragile items below 2 kg, such as apparel, books, accessories, or household goods. |
Single-wall corrugated box with a regular slotted carton design.
Recyclable fiber-based board
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Keep at least 25 mm of clearance around the product when cushioning is required.
Target: compact fit
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Use paper fill, molded fiber, or recycled air-cell protection to prevent movement and surface abrasion. |
Use moisture-resistant outer packaging for humid or rainy transit routes. Leave a clean area for customs labels. |
Design for automated sorting, repeated handling, and stacking. Avoid loose straps or protruding parts. |
Check box compression, edge crush strength, seal adhesion, and drop performance for the packed product. |
| Fragile glass or ceramic products |
Breakable goods with high sensitivity to shock, vibration, and concentrated impact. |
Double-wall corrugated box with an internal partition or fitted insert.
Individual compartments
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Maintain approximately 50 mm of cushioning space between the product and outer walls where practical.
No product-to-product contact
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Use molded pulp, closed-cell foam, or engineered paper cushioning. Immobilize each item and protect corners. |
Consider temperature swings and humidity that can weaken paperboard and increase condensation risk. |
Use a strong, tamper-evident closure and clear orientation or fragile handling marks where appropriate. Marks do not replace cushioning. |
Perform sequential drop, vibration, compression, and clamp or impact testing on the complete packed system. |
| Long or narrow products |
Posters, tools, lighting components, rolled materials, or products with a high length-to-width ratio. |
Double-wall box with reinforced end caps or a telescoping two-piece design.
End protection required
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Keep the longest dimension within the selected service's dimensional rules. Minimize unused internal length.
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Add rigid end blocks and longitudinal bracing to prevent bending, crushing, and telescoping during handling. |
Confirm import restrictions for wood components, treated materials, or any included batteries and accessories. |
Review dimensional-weight calculations. Long parcels may incur handling limits or special surcharges. |
Test bending resistance, end-drop performance, compression, and conveyor or sortation compatibility. |
| Heavy dense products |
Metal parts, hardware, tools, machinery components, or compact goods above approximately 10 kg. |
Double-wall or triple-wall corrugated box with a reinforced bottom and load-bearing seams.
High compression strength
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Use the smallest safe cube that allows cushioning and hand clearance. Avoid excessive empty space.
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Use molded fiber, corrugated pads, or rigid blocking. Distribute the load evenly across the base. |
Protect against moisture and corrosion with suitable inner barriers, desiccant where appropriate, and sealed components. |
Confirm maximum package weight, manual handling limits, pallet compatibility, and lift or team-handling needs. |
Check edge crush strength, box compression, bottom seam strength, forklift or clamp exposure, and stacked-load stability. |
| E-commerce multi-item order |
Several products with different shapes, weights, and protection needs in one parcel. |
Adjustable-depth corrugated box or a right-sized multi-item mailer with internal dividers.
Modular interior
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Design around the combined product dimensions plus cushioning. Reduce void space to control dimensional weight.
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Separate hard, sharp, heavy, and fragile items. Use partitions or wrap to prevent contact and scuffing. |
Ensure all items are listed accurately on commercial documents when the shipment is exported. |
Provide a flat, scannable label panel and a secure closure that remains intact through multiple handling points. |
Test the heaviest realistic assortment, including mixed-product drop, vibration, compression, and seal testing. |
| Temperature-sensitive products |
Goods affected by heat, cold, freezing, or prolonged exposure to changing temperatures. |
Insulated shipper with a corrugated outer box and a validated thermal-control system.
Use only with a validated pack-out
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Size the interior for product, coolant or thermal buffer, and required clearance without compressing insulation.
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Use insulation, phase-change materials, gel packs, or dry ice only when compatible with the product and transport rules. |
Check destination import rules, seasonal weather, customs delays, and permitted refrigerants or coolant materials. |
Confirm service time, weekend storage, dangerous-goods requirements, ventilation, and applicable package markings. |
Conduct thermal mapping and lane simulation using worst-case ambient temperatures and realistic transit delays. |
| Products containing lithium batteries |
Electronics or equipment containing lithium-ion or lithium-metal cells or batteries. |
Rigid, strong outer box with effective inner restraint and protection against accidental activation.
Battery-specific review
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Prevent movement and contact with conductive materials. Keep the battery and device secured within the inner pack.
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Use non-conductive cushioning and protect terminals. Damaged, defective, or recalled batteries require separate handling controls. |
Requirements vary by battery type, lithium content, state of charge, transport mode, and destination regulations. |
Confirm air-transport eligibility, marking, labeling, documentation, quantity limits, and carrier acceptance before shipment. |
Verify applicable dangerous-goods rules, battery test documentation, packaging integrity, and emergency information. |
| Export shipment on a pallet |
Multiple cartons or oversized goods moving through road, sea, rail, or air freight networks. |
Heavy-duty corrugated cases, edge protectors, stretch wrap, and a load-rated pallet system.
Unit-load stability
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Keep cartons within the pallet footprint where possible. Center the load and avoid unstable overhang.
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Use corner boards, top caps, anti-slip sheets, and banding or wrapping selected for the load and route. |
For wood packaging, use compliant treated and marked wood material where required by the importing country. |
Confirm pallet dimensions, maximum gross weight, stackability, forklift access, and container loading pattern. |
Assess compression, vibration, incline impact, load shift, moisture exposure, and securing performance. |
| Returns and reusable packaging |
Products likely to be exchanged, repaired, or returned through a two-way distribution cycle. |
Durable corrugated box or reusable transit container with a resealable closure.
Multiple-use design
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Allow enough space for the product to be repacked without damaging folds, tabs, or closure points.
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Use replaceable cushioning and clear pack-out instructions. Design the interior to prevent repeated abrasion. |
Provide return documentation and ensure labels can be removed or covered without obscuring required information. |
Use tear strips, resealing tape, or locking tabs that can withstand at least the intended number of cycles. |
Test repeated opening and closing, abrasion, compression, drop performance, and label adhesion after reuse. |
