Garments, shoes, bedding and soft goods — moisture-protected, crease-minimised, weight-optimised.
Clothing and textiles are among the easiest categories to ship internationally — they are soft, flexible, and won't break. The main risks are moisture ingress (causing mould or water damage), odour transfer from packaging materials, and weight/dimensional inefficiency. Compression vacuum bags can reduce garment volume by up to 60%, significantly cutting volumetric weight charges. Shoes require slightly more care than garments because they can crush and lose shape. For high-value fashion items, use tissue paper and branded or rigid boxes to preserve presentation on arrival.
All garments must be clean and dry before packing. Any moisture trapped inside packaging during transit can cause mould growth over a 5–10 day international shipment. Do not pack damp or recently washed items that have not fully dried.
Roll soft items like t-shirts, jeans and knitwear — rolling reduces creasing and saves space compared to folding. For delicate fabrics (silk, linen, tailored garments), fold carefully using tissue paper between layers to prevent friction marks.
Place each item in an individual clear polythene bag to prevent items rubbing against each other and transferring lint or colour. Seal the bag. For delicate or high-value items, wrap in tissue paper before bagging.
For bulky knitwear, duvets or bedding, place items in compression vacuum bags and compress using a vacuum or hand-rolling to remove air. This can dramatically reduce volume and therefore volumetric weight charges.
For soft goods only (no shoes, no rigid items), a poly mailer is sufficient — it is waterproof and lightweight. For mixed contents including shoes, use a cardboard box. Pack tightly so items cannot shift, but do not overstuff or force the closure.
Seal poly mailers with the self-adhesive strip, then reinforce with a strip of tape over the seal. For cardboard boxes, use the H-tape method. Attach the shipping label to a flat, smooth surface and cover with clear tape to prevent smudging.
Packing damp or recently washed garments — moisture causes mould during transit, which can ruin an entire shipment.
Overfilling the box or mailer until it is taut — excess pressure can burst seams or cause the mailer to tear at corners in the courier network.
Using cardboard boxes for soft goods when a poly mailer would save weight and volumetric charges — many clothing shipments are charged by dimensional weight, so lighter packaging saves money.
Forgetting to account for volumetric weight on bulky knitwear — a fluffy jumper in a large box can cost as much to ship as a heavy item. Compression bags solve this.
Sending leather goods without conditioning — cracked dry leather is more prone to damage. Condition leather items before packing and stuff leather bags to hold shape.
Packing shoes without stuffing the interior — shoes that are not stuffed with tissue or paper will collapse and crease during transit.
Poly mailers are waterproof, lightweight and reduce your volumetric weight charge compared to boxes — ideal for soft clothing shipments.
Use silica gel sachets for shipments to tropical or humid countries to absorb any moisture that enters during transit.
For fashion boutiques shipping internationally, use branded tissue paper, ribbon and inner boxes even for courier shipments — the unboxing experience matters for returns reduction.
Roll knitwear rather than folding to minimise crease marks and reduce volume.
Stuff the inside of handbags and shoes with tissue paper or bubble wrap to maintain their shape during transport.
For high-value items (designer clothing over €200), always purchase declared value insurance and photograph the items before packing.
Use a poly mailer (not a cardboard box) to reduce volumetric weight. Roll garments instead of folding to minimise volume. Compare courier rates on Cargosender — for clothing shipments under 5 kg, DPD, GLS and DHL often have very competitive rates from Portugal.
Yes. All international shipments require a customs declaration listing the items, their quantity and their value. Clothing must be declared at the correct commercial value (or retail price for gift shipments). Undervaluing clothing is customs fraud and can result in the shipment being seized.
Yes. Used clothing is widely traded internationally and most countries accept imports of second-hand garments. Declare them as 'used clothing' with an estimated value. Some countries have restrictions on textile imports — check the destination country's import rules.
Roll soft fabrics (t-shirts, jersey, denim) rather than folding. For tailored or structured garments (suits, blazers), fold once along the natural seam and insert tissue paper between layers. Pack tightly so garments cannot shift and unfold.
Only for very soft shoes like flip-flops or fabric trainers. Structured shoes (leather shoes, boots, hard-sole footwear) need a box to maintain shape. Pack each shoe individually in a bag, then box with tissue or paper fill to prevent movement.
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