Mould and moisture damage in textile shipments are prevented by loading dry goods into a dry, sound container, adding desiccant to absorb what remains, and not loading in rain. The container itself rarely leaks; the moisture that condenses on the roof and runs onto the cartons was already inside the goods, the pallets or the air when the doors were sealed. Prevention therefore starts at the factory, not at the port.
This article sets out the checks that matter, in the order they happen. The monsoon months in western India are the highest-risk period, but a cold-weather arrival in Europe or North America can produce condensation at any time of year.
Where the moisture comes from
- Goods packed before they are fully dry after finishing, washing or printing, which is common when production is running late.
- Wooden pallets with high moisture content, which release water vapour throughout the voyage.
- Cartons stored in a humid warehouse or on a damp floor before loading, which absorb moisture through the board.
- Loading in rain or high humidity, which seals wet air into the container.
- Temperature swings on the voyage, particularly from a hot port of loading into cooler waters, which make the trapped water condense on the steel roof and walls.
Checks before and during loading
Ask the factory to measure the moisture content of the goods and the pallets with a handheld meter before packing, and to record the readings. Fabrics and garments should be at ambient equilibrium, and wooden pallets should be kiln-dried or heat-treated rather than fresh. Cartons should be stored off the floor and away from external walls, and goods should be shrink-wrapped on the pallet so that any condensation runs off rather than soaking in.
On loading day, inspect the container before stuffing: check the floor for damp or staining, the roof and walls for light coming through or rust holes, the door seals for damage and the interior for smell. Reject a container that fails any of these, since the carrier will provide another. Then place desiccant bags in the quantity the supplier recommends for the container size and voyage length, hung along the walls or placed on top of the stack rather than buried where they cannot work. Do not load in rain, even under a tarpaulin; wait for it to stop and for the surfaces to dry.
Monsoon and seasonal risk
From roughly June to September the air in western India is saturated, and goods that feel dry can still be above a safe moisture level. Factories keep producing, so the risk is in the detail: a cover over the loading bay, cartons kept inside until the truck is at the door, extra desiccant and a container inspected on the day rather than the day before. A loading supervised by someone whose job is to say no when it is raining is the single most effective control.
At destination, open the container promptly rather than leaving it sealed in a yard, and photograph the stack before unloading so any damage is documented for the insurer and the supplier.
How we help
We inspect the container before stuffing and stay through loading, including stopping the load if the weather turns. We check moisture readings, desiccant placement and pallet wrapping, photograph the sealed container and send you the record with the weekly update. If mould has been a problem on past orders, a free 20-minute sourcing review is a good place to go through what happened.