What can be used to secure a parcel?

Protecting your parcel from mechanical damage, moisture is a very important task. You should not underestimate it. The way in which the parcels are packed and secured determines whether the valuable contents will reach the addressee safely. Every item in a parcel should be carefully packed and secured – this will eliminate the risk of damage to the parcel during transport. How do I secure a parcel?

Fitted cardboard boxes

Cardboardboxes are a basic element when it comes to packaging. Many people opt for used cardboard boxes, taken from grocery shops, drugstores. This is a mistake. Old, somewhat decrepit cardboard boxes lose their original properties due to repeated use. What to do? The cardboard box you choose should be new and of an appropriate size (large enough to comfortably accommodate the items being shipped). Cardboard boxes, purchased from specialist packaging shops, are a guarantee of the strength and safety of the shipment. They are very durable.

Any goods that come in a box should be protected with so-called parcel fillers. You must not allow the contents to come into direct contact with the inside walls of the cardboard box or – even worse – protrude from the corner.

Bubble wrap – the most popular representative of parcel fillers

The main task of the universal bubble wrap is to protect various items. It is enough to wrap it repeatedly around the goods. It has unique properties – it absorbs shocks. The bubble foil is perfect for filling empty space in a parcel. It is especially useful in correlation with objects of unusual shape, glass, fragile, sensitive to shocks. It prevents them from moving sideways during transport in the carton – it protects against possible mechanical damage.

Other parcel fillers

Bubble foil is not everything. Other void fillers can be found on the market that are just as effective as its predecessor. Worth mentioning are skropak, flopak, foil airbags, paper fillers.

Skropak is a popular packet filler. Its success is due to the fact that it is biodegradable. Nowadays, more and more importance is being attached to ecology. Plastics and goods that can be recycled are gaining ground. Skropak comes in the form of soft foam crisps. It is lightweight. It squeezes effortlessly into every – even the least accessible – space in a parcel. It is ideal for shipping fragile items, cosmetics, electronics.

Flopak also takes the form of a foam material – special polystyrene pads. Its properties are very similar to those of skropak. Flopak is a lightweight, biodegradable product. It is ideal as a shock and impact absorber. It will fill the space between glass, porcelain or electronic objects and the walls of the cardboard box. The cushions will not crumble during use.

So-called universal paper fillers are another eco-friendly filler. These take the form of cut cardboard strips or wood-wool-like shavings. They are distinguished by their 100 per cent environmentally friendly, biodegradable nature – not surprisingly, they consist entirely of paper. Paper fillers usually resemble thin paper shavings.

Stretch foil – effective protection against moisture

Stretch foil is one of the cheapest options for securing shipments. Unlike bubble wrap, it is not placed inside the parcel, but on the outside. It is most often used to wrap non-standard parcels, pallets and large-size items. It is the ideal answer to the question “how to protect parcels from moisture“. Stretch film is used to secure parcels and minimise the risk of damage. It protects the valuable contents of parcels against moisture, dirt and impacts. Stretch film is characterised by exceptional strength, stretchability. It does not slip off the carton.

Stretch film is particularly useful for so-called palletised shipments. What does it look like? Individual parcels are arranged on a pallet. They must be arranged in such a way (heavier boxes on top and lighter boxes on the bottom in an even distribution over the entire surface) that the whole is stable. The final stage is the stretch foil, by means of which the parcels are firmly secured to the pallet.

Essential accessories for packing parcels

When packing a parcel, do not forget the various accessories – adhesive tapes, warning labels. If you have to choose between rubber or paper adhesive tape, don’t hesitate for a second – we’ll explain why you should choose paper packaging tape.

It stands out for a number of advantages. It is eco-friendly, biodegradable, durable, resistant to temperature extremes, moisture, UV radiation. It is possible to personalise the packing tape (individual printing). These accessories do not damage cardboard boxes and are easy to peel off – without the use of scissors.

Foam profiles – non-obvious accessories for securing shipments

If your consignment contains goods with sharp edges and corners (e.g. furniture, paintings, electronics, protruding shop products), there is a need to protect these sensitive areas. What can happen to them? Edges and corners can crumble on contact with something heavy, tear the thin surface of the cardboard box or injure the courier, the receiver of the parcel or a shipping warehouse employee.

The remedy is universal foam profiles. They provide a simple answer to the question “what can I use to secure a parcel with sharp corners?”. How do you use them? Select a single, already formed piece of foam profile and then attach it to the sharp edge (e.g. using adhesive tape, packaging tape). They guarantee a solid and strong protection of angular objects.

When choosing foam profiles, pay attention to their type. The most popular “C” type is used to secure objects with complex shapes. “U” shaped foam profiles will serve to protect flat loads, e.g. mirrors, glass. “L” shaped foam pads are used to protect the corners of the goods in question.

Would you like to find out more? Check out the practical application of foam profiles.

What do I need to protect my parcel? Check out the packaging materials at RAJA

The RAJA company stands out from other companies in the packaging industry. The cardboard boxes, parcel fillers, pallets and packaging accessories it offers are – for the most part – 100% ecological, biodegradable and recyclable. This is an exception on the Polish packaging market.

When it comes to eco-friendly parcel fillers, at RAJA you can choose between SizzlePak, Flopak, skropak, ecological bubble wrap, creped paper, cardboard dividers, wrapping paper, air cushions (foil or paper).

The most popular cardboard boxes that RAJA has to offer are flat cardboard boxes, long cardboard boxes, reinforced cardboard boxes, cardboard boxes with automatic bottoms, height-adjustable cardboard boxes. Popular packaging accessories include paper adhesive tapes, cardboard protective corners.