How to Protect Fragile Items with Bubble Wrap

To protect fragile items for shipping, use wrap each item individually in bubble wrap, stack where you can, utilize stretch film, fit items in the right box, and fill extra space with packing peanuts. As a business owner, your reputation depends on your products arriving intact at their destination. Items broken during shippingcan result in negative online reviews of your company and decreased customer satisfaction. In this blog post, we will go over how to pack fragile items for shippingwith bubble wrap rolls, bubble wrap sheets, and more. To make things easier, we’re going to use the example of a set of plates you’re trying to ship to a customer.

What You’ll Need: 

1. Wrap Plates Individually

Wrap the first plate in small bubble wrap (3/16” bubble wrap) with the bubbles facing in. Making sure your bubble wrap faces the right side is important to protect your packages.

Tape the middle and ends of the small bubble wrap sheet so it stays in place.

Each plate will need to be wrapped individually. 

Although they may not seem like they’ll bounce around, they will. When it comes to fragile items packing, it only takes one forceful bump to break one fragile item against another. And trust us, the mail truck is going to hit plenty of bumps. 

2. Stack Plates and Wrap Together

Whether it’s plates, cups, snow globes, or other fragile items for shipping, you’ll want to try and minimize as much empty space as you can. 

Stack the bubble-wrapped plates together and then wrap them with large bubble wrap (1/2” bubble wrap) with the bubbles facing in. Remember that the right size bubble wrap is important! Tape the ends of the bubble wrap so the plates stay together. You may need to trim the ends of the big bubble wrap sheet if there is excess material (which you can save for later needs!)

3. Use Stretch Film

Stretch film acts a lot like the clear plastic wrap you use in your kitchen. Not only is it stretchable, but it also sticks to itself so you don’t need to use tape. You’ll want to wrap the stack of plates in stretch film at least three of four times in two different directions.

This helps ensure that the package is snug and won’t come unbound in any unexpected commute problems. 

4. Use the Right Size Box

The right size box is crucial when shipping fragile items. While it may be tempting to use what box size you have available, it’s not worth the cost of broken items and customer dissatisfaction. 

It may seem like more of a cost upfront, but the right packaging supplies will save you money in the long run. 

A box too large means that your items are in the boxing ring. Although securely wrapped, they are still breakable. And even though your box might be snug inside a truck, the access space inside the box could be enough room for a fragile shipping disaster. 

There should be about 1/2” of space on all sides of the item you wish to ship. 

The half-inch allows for an object to have enough room to move little to prevent Newton's Third Lawfrom ruining your day, while not having so much room that it breaks during a nasty bump. 

5. Fill Box with Packing Peanuts

First, use two layers of tape on the bottom of your box so you can be assured the bottom won’t give out during shipping. 

Then, fill the bottom of the box with one or two layers of packing peanuts. Next, you’ll want to place the item on top and fill the rest of the void space (that half-inch) with packing peanuts. 

The general rule of thumb is to put in enough packaging material that you can’t hear the items shake in the box. However, too much bubble wrap or other materials can strain the top of the box and cause it to burst open during shipping, so be mindful of how much space you’ll need to close the box. The top of the box should always lie flat.

6. Label Your Box FRAGILE

If the contents of a box are breakable, you’ll need to write “FRAGILE” in big letters in several places. If your business regularly ships fragile items, you may want to consider having a fragile stamp made. Doing this extra step while preparing packages for shipping will alert delivery companies that they need to handle certain packages with care.

Even though we used the example of plates, you can apply these tips to packaging other fragile items. 

In Need of Bubble Wrap?

It’s a package’s best friend! If you are unsure what bubble wrap products are right for your business, we recommend you reach out and contact us as your bubble wrap manufacturer. Premier Protective Packaging is proud to offer bubble wrap products for customers throughout the United States. If you are interested in learning more about bubble wrap, foam sheets, or other packaging materials, feel free to give us a call at (616) 791-7400.