Good quality packaging is critical to protecting your shipment during transportation. DHL provides a range of packaging supplies that are tried and tested. However, if you prefer to use your own materials, the following provides some general guidelines.

Since this guide is designed for general use across a wide variety of products, we recommend that you also refer to packaging standards within your industry.

Box/Parcel

Material
Always use high quality corrugated cardboard boxes for parcels. For fragile or heavy items, double-wall or tri-wall constructions are recommended. Avoid reusing old boxes as they may have lost some of their rigidity.

Strength
Look out for the manufacturer stamp which tells you information about the construction type and strength of a box. Ask your box supplier for more information as required. Refer to the box specifications below to select suitable packaging for the weight of your shipment.

Size
Under-filled boxes may collapse and over-filled boxes may burst. Prevent this by choosing a box with the right size for the content being shipped.

Flyer/Poly Bags

Strength
To avoid splits or tears, the tensile (stretch) and seam (seal glue) strength of the flyer bag should meet the minimum standards.

Internal Packaging Materials

Bubble wrap, airbags, cardboard and foam peanuts/pellets are all commonly used as packaging material. All have different qualities and it is important to use them appropriately.

Note that while bubble wrap offers some void fill properties, it is more effective to use more suitable materials when trying to fill larger spaces.