Shipping Glass: Legal or Not Legal? | Shipping School

Due to its fragile nature, we often get asked if shipping glass is legal or not. The good news is that the answer is yes. Technically, you can ship any type of glass item with any carrier. however, shipping glass isn’t as easy as dropping it in a package and calling it a day. you’ll want to protect your items as best you can to prevent breakage. If you’re not sure where to start, we’ve got some tips on how to do it here.

none of the carriers prevent you from shipping glass

First things first, you can ship glass with any major or regional carrier. the glass itself is not a hazardous material, so you will not be restricted from shipping it. Now, if there is alcohol inside the glass, that’s another story (USPS won’t let you ship alcohol, only UPS or FedEx will). That said, if you’re shipping things like empty mason jars or blown glass artwork, you’re good to go!

Pro Tip: Depending on the weight of your package, you’ll usually get the cheapest rates with the US Postal Service. uu. USPS offers the best combination of affordable rates and fast delivery times, which is why small package shippers use USPS every day. Learn more about why shipping with USPS is the best option for smaller, lighter shipments like boxes that contain glass.

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use proper packaging material to prevent glass items from breaking

When it comes time to pack your shipment, that’s when the real work comes. lucky for you, here are some basic steps you need to follow:

  • first, use a strong corrugated cardboard box. This may sound like common sense, but you’d be surprised how often we get asked, “can I put the glass in a padded envelope?” using a padded envelope is just asking for glass to be broken. therefore, find the strongest possible cardboard box and use it for your shipment. the tighter the box is around your item, the better it will be.
  • then, sufficiently wrap the glass item. wrapping your item will prevent it from getting scratched or cracked, and this is very important. a great way to do this is by using packing paper, or even sheets of newspaper if you have them lying around. when you’re done wrapping, tape it down and maybe consider adding another layer on top. to check if you’ve wrapped it well enough, you should be able to press down or lightly tap the item without noticing there’s glass inside.
  • finally, fill in the empty space in the packageonce you place the glass. Filling the empty space in the package will prevent the item from moving around inside the box and breaking. Some materials that fill empty space well are packing peanuts, air cushions, and cardboard-based crumpled paper. the more you can use in this case, the better.
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Learn more about the most popular types of packaging materials.

consider buying insurance

The thing about glass is that it’s one of the most brittle types of materials out there…and many packages get damaged in transit. you never know what might happen to a package on its way to its final destination. it could fall off a shelf in the truck after hitting a pothole in the road, or it could fall at any time. In our experience, the chances of something going wrong are endless. That’s why we always suggest protecting your packages with shipping insurance.

When you add insurance to your packages, you can declare the full value of the items (plus shipping cost). then you will receive that full amount back if anything happens to your items. it’s the best way to protect yourself against losing money when packages are lost or damaged…and that protection is especially important when shipping something as fragile as glass.

Want to know more about shipping glass and other delicate items? see our guide to shipping fragile items.

if your items are too bulky, work with glass shipping professionals

While we hope this guide has given you the tools to ship on your own, some types of glassware are too bulky and expensive to do yourself. An example of this is fine art and blown glass sculptures (instead of jars and bottles, think vases or large decorative pieces). When it comes time to ship an item like these, you can trust professionals like fine art shippers to handle your glass shipments for you.

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The special thing about art carriers is how they pack their shipments; Basically, they ship glass pieces in special wooden crates made by their team in-house. That means they build each box to the exact dimensions of the artwork to ensure complete protection, so your shipment can withstand anything that might happen during transit. Last but not least, they also take care of all shipping insurance and will even install the art on site once it reaches its final destination.

Want to learn more about fine art chargers? visit their website for a free quote today.

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