From our depot at Long March Industrial Estate in Daventry, Alltranz has completed over fifty trips to Europe. We hold RHA membership and an International CPC, which means our crews are loading for export routes regularly, not occasionally. Your belongings face longer journeys, more handling points, and harsher conditions on an international move than on any domestic run. The right packing materials make the difference between items arriving intact and arriving damaged. This guide covers what export-grade protection actually requires and what shortcuts to skip.
Why Standard Packing Is Not Enough for International Moves
Domestic removals typically involve one to three days in transit and direct handling by one team. International shipments cross borders, sit in containers, pass through multiple terminals, and face temperature and humidity swings. Your boxes need to survive stacking, vibration, and pressure changes. Standard supermarket boxes fail. Export-grade packing does not.
The Right Boxes: Strength, Not Savings
Double-Wall Cardboard Boxes
Double-wall is the minimum for international moves. Single-wall boxes buckle under stacking pressure. Standard double-wall (200 gsm) works for lighter items; heavier loads need 250 gsm or above. Size matters: 18 x 12 x 12 inches is the sweet spot for weight distribution. Avoid oversized boxes. They collapse when stacked, even when full.
Plastic Storage Crates
For items going into containers for weeks, plastic crates outperform cardboard. They resist moisture, do not crush, and stack securely. If your removals firm offers crates, use them for anything vulnerable: books, electronics, artwork, family documents. Alltranz offers containerised storage in 8ft, 10ft and 20ft units for international shipments. Ask whether crates are available for individual items within your shipment, and if the removals firm is packing, ask them to confirm they are using export-standard crates for vulnerable contents.
Cushioning and Wrapping: Do Not Scrimp Here
Void Fill and Cushioning
Bubble wrap with half-inch bubbles is your primary buffer. Wrap each item individually, then add a layer around the group. Foam sheets two to three inches thick line the inside of boxes on all sides. Air pockets absorb shock far better than scrunched newspaper.
Do not leave gaps in boxes. Crumpled packing paper, kraft paper or biodegradable void fill stops items sliding during transit. Fill to the brim. A shifting item damages both itself and the box around it.
Fragile-Specific Wrapping
Glasses, dishes and ornaments need individual wrapping: two to three layers of bubble wrap, then kraft paper. Pack vertically, standing on edge, not flat. Flat stacking means weight crushing from above; vertical means downward pressure only. For artwork and mirrors, use foam corners and edge protectors, then wrap in kraft paper and bubble wrap.
Materials You Can Skip
Newspaper
Newspaper is filler, not protection. It compacts under pressure, offers zero cushioning, and ink can transfer to items. Never use newspaper as wrapping for anything you want to arrive clean. Use packing paper or void fill instead.
Plastic Bags and Cling Film
Plastic traps moisture inside shipping containers. That is a real risk for climate-sensitive items. Use kraft paper or breathable wrap instead. Recycled kraft paper handles humidity better than plastic.
Cheap Tape
Bottom-of-the-roll parcel tape fails under stress and humidity. Use heavy-duty packing tape (2-inch wide, reinforced). Tape the bottom and top seams, plus an H-pattern across the top. Poor sealing means the box splits open in transit.
Packing Material Comparison
Double-wall cardboard (200 to 250 gsm)
Best for: general items, books, mid-weight goods
Pros: cost-effective, stackable, recyclable
Cons: can compress under extreme stacking
Plastic storage crates
Best for: electronics, artwork, fragile family documents, long storage
Pros: moisture-resistant, will not crush, reusable
Cons: higher upfront cost, less space-efficient
Bubble wrap (half-inch)
Best for: primary cushioning for all fragile items
Pros: excellent shock absorption, easy to apply
Cons: bulky, not reusable
Kraft paper (biodegradable void fill)
Best for: box gaps, void fill, wrapping
Pros: breathable, recyclable, handles humidity
Cons: less cushioning than foam
Assembling and Labelling for Export
Box Weight and Assembly
Keep boxes under 50 pounds (23 kg). Heavier boxes damage themselves under stacking pressure and can injure handlers. Reinforce the bottom with two to three layers of tape before filling. Once filled, seal the top with tape in an H-pattern.
Clear, Weatherproof Labels
Use printed labels, not handwritten (ink smudges in transit). Include: destination address, sender address, "Fragile" or "This Side Up" where needed, and a contents summary. Avoid brightly coloured tape. Use neutral kraft or clear packing tape so labels stay visible.
Storage and Containerisation: When Materials Are Not Enough
If items will sit in a container for weeks or months before onward delivery, the container environment becomes part of your protection strategy. Alltranz offers containerised storage in 8ft, 10ft and 20ft units. Containers hold temperature better than open trucks and protect contents from weather. Combined with export-grade packing, this is the gold standard for valuable or climate-sensitive shipments.
What to Ask Your Removals Company
When booking an international move, ask:
Do you supply export-grade boxes and packing materials, or do I source my own?
Will you pack fragile items to export standard, or is that an add-on?
Are items stored in a secure container before shipment, or in an open truck?
What is your packing material waste policy: do you recycle or reuse boxes?
Alltranz packs using recyclable and sustainable materials from the Daventry depot, and items are stored in secure containerised units before export. If you are self-packing, the guidelines above apply. If the removals firm is packing for you, ask them to confirm they are using export-standard materials and that their boxes meet double-wall strength and void-fill standards.
How Alltranz Helps
Alltranz supplies all export packing materials from the Long March depot, including double-wall boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, kraft paper void fill and tape. A full export packing service is available, the team packs to the standard outlined in this guide, not to a domestic standard applied to an international route. Packing materials are collected and recycled after the move rather than left for the customer to dispose of. Call 01327 876007 or use the contact form to discuss what your move needs.
Export packing, tracked transit and delivery to Europe from the Alltranz depot in Daventry.
Moving further afield? The international removals page covers long-distance destinations and what changes about the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What boxes should I use for an international move?
Double-wall cardboard at 200 gsm minimum is the baseline for most items. For anything going into a container for weeks rather than days, plastic storage crates are a stronger option. They resist moisture, do not compress under stacking, and hold up through the handling points that standard boxes do not. If you are booking a packing service, ask the firm to confirm they are using double-wall or heavier stock, not whatever is most economical on the day.
Q: Can I self-pack for an international move?
You can, but it requires more care than self-packing for a domestic move. The main risks are under-packed boxes (gaps allow items to shift), wrong box sizes (oversized boxes collapse under stacking pressure), and moisture-sensitive wrapping (plastic cling film and thin bags trap humidity inside containers). If you are self-packing part of the load and the removals firm is packing the rest, confirm with them that the materials you use meet the same export standard as theirs, so everything loads and stacks consistently.
Q: What does export-standard packing actually mean in practice?
In practice it means double-wall boxes rated for stacking weight, half-inch bubble wrap around each item individually before box-packing, no gaps (void fill to the brim of every box), weatherproof labels on every face, and tape sealed in an H-pattern on both top and bottom seams. For furniture and larger items it means corner protectors, edge foam and full stretch-wrap before loading. The difference from domestic packing is mostly in the void fill and the label spec, because the handling points and transit time are both higher on an international run.
Q: Does Alltranz supply packing materials for international moves?
Yes. We supply recyclable and sustainable packaging materials from our Daventry depot, including double-wall boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, kraft paper void fill and tape. For full-pack or fragile-only packs ahead of a European or international move, call 01327 876007 and we will confirm what is included in the service.
Planning an international or European move and need export-standard packing handled for you? See how Alltranz approaches European removals or call 01327 876007. A real person will answer and come back with clear pricing.
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