How To Prepare a Box for Packing and Shipping

Custom noissue Recycled Shipping Boxes by @bikinisovereverything

Preparing custom shipping boxes for packing and shipping demands that you choose boxes made with the best materials for protection and develop innovative techniques when organizing them before sending them out. But your shipping supplies don’t have to be bland in order to be efficient or cost-effective. Let your branding shine bright on custom boxes that’ll safely contain your products during shipping! 🎁

Nowadays, shipping boxes can be customized to not only display a beautiful design, but come available in more sustainable and FSC-certified recyclable materials. They’re lightweight without using too much material and boast efficient designs with different flaps of the same length. Custom, rectangular boxes are budget-friendly solutions for shipping and storage, reducing packaging waste.

With sustainability in packaging and shipping firmly implanted in the minds of brands and consumers alike, preparation is as important as ever to satisfy the needs of both. There are various packing elements to consider, such as how the boxes for shipping should be designed, the sealing and labeling of the boxes, and the sturdiness or durability of the box’s material. When preparing a box for packing and shipping, there are some valuable tips to keep in mind before shipping out boxes to customers.

Assessing requirements and choosing better materials

Always keep in mind that boxes for shipping will be handled by various people before reaching the customer, including first and last-mile providers, air freight personnel, and more. Their strength will be tested at different touchpoints because of how many different people handle the boxes and the transportation methods involved. Using boxes that are old or simply aren’t sturdy enough for the products you’re packing and shipping will fall apart fast – something  your brand must always avoid!

When preparing a box for packing and shipping, make sure that the box is made from sturdy yet sustainable materials to handle the constant movement. Boxes with a high material stock weight and strong recycled fiber content are good options. However, consider the size and shape of your products and fragility before preparing the box. Fragile goods need extra cushioning and should be labeled appropriately.

Customized shipping boxes can rub against other boxes and packages during different times of a particular journey, creating friction that can substantially damage the contents of the package you’re sending. If the material isn’t strong enough, the packaging will weaken and might rupture or be damaged to a degree where it will look bad when it arrives, which isn’t a good look.

Wrapping items separately

While preparing a custom shipping box, you need to properly separate and protect your items if your box contains multiple products. Consider that the products will bump into each other while being transported, and if the material is weak, the products can easily fall out or be seriously damaged if they aren’t sufficiently protected.

Should the custom boxes for shipping contain different products, ensure that you wrap these items separately to prevent potential damage. Wrapping and cushioning the items separately keeps your products in place so that when they do move around within the box, they won’t be damaged. Pack the box for ultimate protection and tape it properly, ensuring it closes flat on every side, avoiding bulges.

When preparing the customized boxes for shipping, don’t use any cords, strings, or twines because they can get caught up in the products you’re sending. Also, make sure the box is the right size to handle multiple items simultaneously. Larger doesn’t always mean better when packing or shipping. Assess your products and packing styles carefully before purchasing and preparing the box you need.

Cushioning and filling 101 for customized shipping boxes

Cushioning and filling ensure you leave no empty spaces within your custom boxes for shipping without overstuffing them, thus protecting your products and keeping them from bouncing. Insufficient filler material, particularly plastic void fillers, causes your products to move around, damaging and diminishing product quality. Overfilling your boxes will lead to them falling apart during transit, so use around two inches or up to six centimeters of cushioning when preparing the box for shipping.

Additional fillers can be added to the custom shipping boxes, such as eco-friendly tissue paper and biodegradable packing peanuts. However, loose fillers like packing peanuts can shift around during transit or may cause heavier items to fall to the bottom of the boxes. Pack fillers as tight as possible to keep them from shifting around too much.

Securely seal your brand’s custom boxes for shipment

Customized shipping boxes necessitate the right sealing material to keep them firm during transit. Make sure to use the right tape and tape width when doing so. The tape should easily extend over the sides of the boxes by a few inches, ensuring that the boxes won’t burst whenever they aren’t lifted or moved properly. Use high-quality tape designed for heavy-duty situations to seal the boxes.

For fragile and highly valuable products, the box-in-box method is another effective way to prepare a custom shipping box. Not only does the method provide additional protection during transit, but it also helps whenever the inner box delivers an essential part of your branding experience and cannot be damaged under any circumstances. Protecting the branded box with another box, like a regular slotted shipping container, protects the value and quality of your products.

That’s a wrap!

Preparing a box for packing and shipping is a bit of an art and requires the right materials and techniques to ensure that it reaches its intended destination unscathed. Happy shipping!

Provide premium packaging experiences for your customers to enjoy through customized options on noissue! Get started with designing your custom shipping boxes here. Need help choosing the right box for your business? Head to this handy guide!