Frits and dry glazes are usually packed in woven polypropylene bags with a plastic liner, or in large bulk bags, then loaded on pallets. Liquid glazes and digital inks go in sealed plastic drums or cans. The main job of all of them is to keep moisture and dirt out.
Packing should be agreed in writing before you order. Bag size, liner, pallet and labels all affect handling at your end.
Common pack types
- Small bags: woven polypropylene or HDPE bags with an inner polythene liner, commonly in 25 kg or 50 kg sizes. They suit factories that handle material by hand.
- Bulk bags, also called FIBCs or jumbo bags, holding around a tonne. They suit buyers with a forklift or crane to empty them into a mill or silo.
- Drums or IBC tanks for liquid glazes and slurries, sealed against leaks and drying out.
- Cans or drums for digital inks, often smaller, because inks are used in small volumes and have a shelf life.
Keeping moisture out
Frit absorbs little water, but bags can pick up damp from condensation during a long sea voyage. Wet frit clumps, and some glaze materials react with moisture. A wet bag can also burst when handled.
- Ask for an inner liner in every bag, sealed or tied.
- Use pallets with stretch wrap or shrink wrap, so bags do not touch the container floor or walls.
- Consider desiccant bags or a container liner for long or humid routes.
- Load only into a clean, dry container, and inspect it before stuffing.
Pallets and labels
Wooden pallets need ISPM 15 treatment and the stamp for most markets; see what pallet type your market requires. Plastic pallets avoid that rule but cost more.
Each bag or drum should carry the product name or grade code, batch or lot number, net weight and production date. If the product is hazardous under your country's rules, the label must follow those rules as well. Ask for the safety data sheet in advance and check it with your importer of record.
Container loading
Like tiles, frits and minerals are dense, so a container reaches its weight limit before its volume limit. The general rule is explained in why a tile container is never full.
Ask the seller for a loading plan with the number of bags or pallets and the gross weight. Make sure the weight is spread evenly over the floor and that pallets are braced so they cannot shift.
Solvent-based inks and some liquid products may count as dangerous goods for sea freight, depending on their properties. The safety data sheet will say. Tell your forwarder before booking.
At arrival
Check for torn bags, wet patches and leaking drums when the container is opened, and photograph them before unloading. Keep a sample from each batch for testing; see what tests apply to frits and glazes.
Next step
We check packing and labels before loading and supervise container stuffing. To plan a shipment of frits, glazes or minerals, book a free sourcing review.