Warehouse Supplies
Shipping & Packaging Materials for Palletized Freight
A pallet or crate is only as secure as the materials used to stabilize and protect it.
Stretch film, strapping, corrugated packaging, edge protection, tape, labels, mailers, poly bags, and void fill all influence how your freight performs between pickup and delivery.
At Atlas Pallets, we supply the packaging materials that complete your shipment — designed to work with your palletized loads, not as an afterthought.
If it ships on a pallet, in a box, or through a freight network, we help you secure it correctly.
Shipping & Packaging Materials
Below is a structured guide to the materials most commonly used to stabilize, protect, and identify shipments.
Stretch Film
Stretch film provides containment force that keeps cartons and products stable on a pallet. Film type, gauge, and application method directly affect load integrity and freight damage rates.
Explore:
→ How Much Does Stretch Film Cost
→ Hand Stretch Film vs. Machine Film: Which Should You Use?
→ What Gauge Stretch Film Do You Need for Your Load?
→ How Much Stretch Film Do You Actually Use Per Pallet?
→ What Is the Difference Between Blown Film, Cast Film, and Engineered Films?
Stretch film decisions are rarely just about price — they are about load stability under vibration, stacking pressure, and transport stress.
Strapping
For heavier, irregular, or high-value shipments, strapping provides additional containment strength.
It’s commonly used for:
Industrial machinery
Lumber and building materials
Metal components
Export loads
Crated shipments
Understanding strap material and tensile strength is critical to preventing failure under tension.
Explore:
→ Poly vs. Steel Strapping: What’s Right for Your Application?
→ How to Determine the Right Strapping Strength for Your Load
→ When Do You Need Strapping Instead of Just Stretch Film?
Corrugated Boxes & Cartons
Carton strength affects pallet stacking performance, compression resistance, and overall shipment durability.
Improper box selection can compromise even the strongest pallet build.
Explore:
→ What Size Shipping Box Do You Need?
→ Single Wall vs. Double Wall Boxes: When Does It Matter?
→ How Much Weight Can a Corrugated Box Hold?
Carton design should support both product protection and pallet stability.
Dunnage & Edge Protection
Interior protection and load reinforcement prevent crushing, abrasion, and shifting during transit.
These materials are especially important for palletized freight stacked in LTL and full truckload environments.
Explore:
→ How to Prevent Damage in Transit: Edge Protection & Dunnage Explained
→ When Do You Need Corner Boards on a Palletized Load?
→ Slip Sheets vs. Pallets: When Does It Make Sense?
Edge protection and dunnage often reduce damage claims more effectively than increasing film thickness alone.
Tape & Adhesives
Carton sealing is one of the most overlooked contributors to shipment failure.
Tape type, adhesive chemistry, and application method determine whether cartons remain secure in varying temperatures and humidity levels.
Explore:
→ What Type of Packaging Tape Should You Use?
→ How Much Weight Can Carton Sealing Tape Hold?
→ Hand Tape vs. Machine Tape: What’s the Difference?
→ How to Reduce Carton Failures Caused by Improper Tape Selection
→ Water-Activated Tape vs. Pressure-Sensitive Tape: When Does It Make Sense?
Improper tape selection is a common cause of carton blowouts and rejected freight.
Labels
Shipping labels must remain legible and adhered throughout transit — regardless of temperature, moisture, or handling conditions.
Incorrect label selection can lead to scanning failures and delivery delays.
Explore:
→ What Type of Shipping Label Do You Need? (Thermal vs. Direct Thermal vs. Adhesive)
→ How to Choose the Right Label Adhesive for Your Environment
→ Do You Need Weatherproof or Freezer-Grade Labels?
→ Thermal Label Rolls: How to Ensure Compatibility with Your Printer
→ How to Prevent Label Failure During Transit
Label performance becomes especially critical in cold storage, export, and long-haul environments.
Mailers
Flexible packaging can reduce dimensional weight charges and material costs when used appropriately.
However, protection levels vary significantly depending on material type and product sensitivity.
Explore:
→ Poly Mailers vs. Bubble Mailers: What’s Right for Your Shipment?
→ When Should You Use a Mailer Instead of a Corrugated Box?
→ How to Reduce Dimensional Weight Charges with Flexible Packaging
→ How Much Protection Do Padded Mailers Actually Provide?
Mailers are most effective when product durability and carrier handling conditions are clearly understood.
Poly Bags
Poly bags serve as protective barriers, liners, or retail packaging components.
Thickness, sizing, and ventilation determine whether they function effectively in your application.
Explore:
→ What Thickness Poly Bag Do You Need? (Mil Thickness Explained)
→ Flat Bags vs. Gusseted Bags: What’s the Difference?
→ Do You Need Perforated Poly Bags for Your Application?
→ How to Determine the Right Poly Bag Size for Your Product
→ When Should You Use Liners Inside Corrugated Boxes?
Poly liners inside cartons are often critical for moisture protection or contamination control.
Void Fill
Interior cushioning reduces movement inside cartons and protects against impact damage.
The type and volume of void fill affect both material cost and freight performance.
Explore:
→ Paper Void Fill vs. Air Pillows: What’s More Cost-Effective?
→ How Much Void Fill Do You Actually Need Per Shipment?
→ When Does Void Fill Become Unnecessary?
→ How to Reduce Damage Claims by Improving Interior Packaging
→ Loose Fill vs. Structured Cushioning: What’s the Difference?
Optimizing interior packaging can reduce claims more effectively than simply increasing box strength.
Build to Support Your Palletized Shipments
At Atlas, we view packaging materials as part of a system:
The pallet or crate
The carton strength
The containment method
The interior protection
The labeling and identification
When those components work together, shipments arrive intact.
When one fails, the entire load is compromised.
Simplify Procurement
Many customers prefer to coordinate pallets, crates, and packaging materials through a single point of contact.
We can support:
One-time supply orders
Ongoing replenishment programs
Bundled pallet and packaging deliveries
Application review and specification guidance
Request a Quote
If you’re already sourcing pallets from Atlas, we can integrate packaging materials into your existing orders.
If you’re evaluating your current materials, we’re happy to review specifications and provide pricing.
Or give us a call at (630) 765-5476.