How to Pack and Ship Candles

Whether you’re making and selling candles as an online business or simply want to send a candle to a loved one, you should know how to pack and ship candles so they survive the journey. Here are some tips for packing and shipping candles.

Modern candles come in many shapes, styles and sizes: traditional and honeycomb taper and pillar candles, container candles in glass, wood or tin containers, tiny tealights, birthday candles, votive candles, novelty candles, etc. All these types of candles need protection during transportation, but how much depends on the type: for example, candles in tin or wood containers are fairly safe from external impacts, while glass containers are fragile and containerless candles are completely unprotected.

Another thing to keep in mind is that candles are quite sensitive to temperature. Candles can be made from different types of wax that have different melting points. Coconut and soy wax have the lowest melting point, which can be as low as 120°F (49°C), while gel wax has the highest melting point at 210°F (99°C). However, candles can begin to soften at temperatures below their melting point, and trucks and vans can get very hot inside, so shipping candles during the summer can be tricky.

In short, most candles are fragile and can be easily damaged or deformed in transit, especially in hot weather, so proper packaging is essential to ensure they arrive intact. You will need sturdy boxes and packaging materials to ensure maximum protection.

As for boxes, your best choice will be a corrugated cardboard box, as it is sturdy and lightweight at the same time (a heavy box may increase your shipping costs). It should be slightly larger than your candle(s) to leave some room for protective padding, but not too large, as you don’t want your candles to be bumped around during shipping.

If shipping in hot weather, consider adding frozen gel packs or Styrofoam insulation to keep candles from melting; make sure the box has enough space for this. Do not freeze candles before shipping! It will affect the material and make them more brittle.

Regardless of the type, each candle should be individually wrapped because you don’t want them to melt into each other. If you’re shipping novelty candles, it’s best to put each candle in an individual box. Other types of candles can be wrapped in at least one layer of tissue or wax paper (for taper and pillar candles) or bubble wrap (for container candles). If you are shipping scented candles with different scents, make sure they are isolated from each other as much as possible.

Line the bottom of the box with packing material (biodegradable peanuts, crumpled tissue paper, bubble wrap, air bags, etc.) and carefully arrange the candles in the box, using dividers to keep them separated. If you are using frozen gel packs to ship candles in the summer, place each in a sealed bag (double bagging is highly recommended) to protect the candles from condensation. Fill any remaining space with more filler.

Close the box and shake it gently to make sure the candles don’t move; add more filler or rearrange the candles if necessary. Seal the box with heavy-duty packing tape, making sure to cover all seams and edges for added protection. As a final step, affix warning labels such as “Fragile” and “Do Not Stack” next to the shipping label to ensure your package is handled with care.

You should also keep in mind that timing is important when shipping candles, especially coconut and soy-based candles, during the summer. It’s better to ship them early in the week (Monday-Wednesday) to make sure there are no weekend delays, or pay extra for weekend delivery or priority/expedited shipping so the package arrives as quickly as possible.