Post #651875 by Swanky on Thu, Sep 13, 2012 7:55 AM

I say don't use newspaper because the ink will come off and stain or dirty the product.

I get the big box of shipping paper from U-Haul and use it as the first layer over a mug, and as packing material. This keeps it clean.

This is my Physics ideas on packing:
I do use paper to pack around the interior box. I do not want it to move. I am not concerned about cushioning. Your mug won't break because of lack of cushioning, but may because of cushioning. Why? Interia. If you pack it in there nice and tight, and it gets dropped off the top of the truck, the mug does not move and the impact does nothing but maybe dent the box. If you have some sort of cusion in there, then when you drop that box, your mug will move inside the box and part of the impact of that drop will be absorbed by the mug as it moves in the box and then stops somewhere.

It is just like the seatbelt. You want it tight. If there is a crash and your belt is loose and your body moves 6 inches from your seat and then the belt stops you, your body will be destroyed. If your belt is very tight, and your body moves 1 inch and the belt stops you, you get much less injury.

So the premise in packing is no movement.

At some point nothing matters, but, aside from the box being crushed or punctured all the way through, a good packing job will keep it safe.

For the Mini Mai-Kai Mystery Bowls, we have a plastic bag inside to keep, and the bowl is inside a custom cut styrofoam package, inside a heavy box. That box is put inside a USPS box.