Buyer's Guide
How Tiles Are Packed for Export (and Why It Matters for Breakage)
A tile order can be perfect leaving the factory and arrive with a broken corner in every third box. The difference is almost always the packing.
The carton
Tiles are stacked on edge, not flat, inside a five-ply corrugated carton with the coverage, size, series and batch printed on the outside. Stacking on edge lets each tile support the next and spreads load through the stack rather than onto the bottom tile. Carton weight is kept to a level a person can lift and a forklift can handle in bulk — usually around 25–35 kg depending on tile size.
The pallet
Cartons are stacked onto a heat-treated wooden pallet (heat treatment, ISPM-15, is required for wooden packaging entering most countries), squared off, and wrapped with stretch film plus corner boards under high-tension strapping. A well-built pallet moves as one block; a loose one lets cartons shift and grind against each other every time the ship rolls.
The container
Pallets are loaded tight so there's no room for movement, heaviest at the bottom, with dunnage or airbags filling any gaps at the doors. A container that's loaded loose will have shifted cargo by the time it reaches a transhipment port.
What to check
- Carton grade — five-ply for floor tile, not three-ply.
- Palletised, not loose-loaded — hand-stacked "floor loaded" containers have far higher breakage.
- ISPM-15 stamp on the pallets, or your container can be held at the destination.
- Batch numbers on the cartons, so a shade or size issue traces to one run.
- Photos of the loaded container before the doors are sealed — most exporters will send these.
Eternal Overseas packs to this standard as routine — more on the checks we run before packing on our quality control page.
Talk to our export desk More guides
Frequently asked questions
What's a normal breakage rate for a tile shipment?
With proper packing and handling, a low single-digit percentage is typical. Higher than that usually points to weak cartons, poor palletisation, or rough handling at a transhipment port.
Who covers breakage in transit?
It depends on your Incoterm and insurance. Under CIF the exporter arranges the marine insurance; under FOB you do. Either way, photograph damage on arrival and raise it with the insurer, not just the supplier.
Can you use my carton branding?
Yes — private-label printed cartons are standard for distributors. Send your artwork with the order.