How to Package Glass and Ceramics for Postal Service Handling
Everyone has heard postal service horror stories. Stories about workers practicing the shot-put with boxes. Stories about boxes being eaten by sorting machines, or being pancaked by much larger packages. For that reason, the majority of people recognise the need to take particular care in packaging fragile items. It is, after all, the responsibility of the sender to ensure an item reaches its recipient unharmed.
The problem is that people have different perceptions of what 'good' packaging is. So far this year 40% of my 20 fragile eBay purchases arrived broken. And I believe they were damaged as a result of insufficient packaging. One of these damaged purchases was a set of glass jam pots. They arrived in a bubble wrap lined envelope. No box. Madness, right?
In the last year and a half I've shipped around 250 fragile items around the globe and have so far managed to maintain a 100% success rate. So, in an effort to share some of my packaging success, I present this guide to packaging fragile items. This guide can be used specifically for glassware, ceramics and fine china. For the purposes of this guide I'll be packing the Old Foley ceramic jam dish shown to the left. This post can also serve to show prospective customers the quality of packaging received when ordering here at Goldcrest Vintage.
1. Remove any lids or loose pieces from the item you're packaging. It can be tempting to leave lids in place and wrap the object as one whole, but each piece needs to be wrapped separately to avoid damage.
2. Wrap the pieces in acid free tissue paper. This isn't just for aesthetics; you want a protective layer between the item and the bubble wrap. This is especially important for glass items as bubble wrap can sometimes leave bubble impressions on glass surfaces.
3 - 5. Wrap the lid or any separate parts of the item. In this case, I'll then place the lid upside down where it would normally sit as shown in photo five. The metal spoon has also been wrapped in tissue.
6. Wrap the item in a generous layer of bubble wrap.
7. Fold in the open edges. This adds further protection to two sides.
8. Add a second layer of bubble wrap. I wrap in a minimum of two layers.
9. I added the spoon to the bubble wrapped jam pot having written 'spoon' on the tissue. The aim is to draw the eye to this piece while it's being unpacked. You wouldn't want small pieces being thrown away by accident. I then wrap the items in one final layer of bubble wrap.
10. It's now time to choose a box for your item. You need AT LEAST one inch of space on each side of the item to allow for any possible dents made in the cardboard. I'd say you need at least an inch and a half of padding underneath and above the item too.
11. I've added scrunched up brown packing paper as padding to the base of the box. You can also use newspaper, magazine pages or even pages from old books. If you're going to use polystyrene peanuts, you'll need to mix in a couple of layers of paper, like a layer cake, to prevent the item from becoming displaced amongst the peanuts.
12. Brown paper has been added around the jam pot. Be wary of packing it in too tightly, but ensure it's tight enough to stop the item from moving.
13. Add a final layer of paper on top of the item. I would then normally insert a packing slip and seal the box.
14. Finally, seal all open edges of the box. Tape can further reinforce a box, so be generous. I apply clear tape over the address and then go over the edges with more brown tape. Some may argue that postal workers ignore fragile tape, but I like to think that this isn't the case. Add any customs stickers you may need and your parcel is ready to go. Ultimately, you should feel like you'd be able to throw the package three metres or more without the contents breaking.
Additional Tips
Handles - You might think that handles are the most fragile parts of teapots or teacups. Yes, they are, but don't stuff paper or bubblewrap through the handles to compensate for their fragility. Doing so can actually place additional pressure on the handle and cause it to break.
Double Boxing - Many people will suggest double boxing glass and ceramics. I however have never felt the need to do so as it adds to the weight of the parcel and subsequently increases the price of postage. I've successfully shipped fine china to LA and glass to Singapore without double boxing, but for an especially valuable piece, it's something you should consider.
