5 Things You Didn't Know About Cardboard Postal Tubes

If you ship anything long, rolled or tubular — posters, blueprints, fabric, calendars, vinyl — you've probably already got cardboard tubes in your stockroom. Here are five things most operators don't know about them.

1. Wall thickness matters more than length. A heavy-duty heavy-duty tube can survive being dropped from a Royal Mail van. A standard tube usually can't.
2. End caps are not optional. Push-fit plastic end caps add about 2p per tube but eliminate 90% of damage claims for rolled goods.
3. Diameter affects postage band. Going from 50mm to 65mm diameter can push you from "small parcel" to "medium parcel" pricing — re-check your courier bands annually.
4. They double as void fill for long boxes. Empty tubes inside a long carton add structural rigidity at almost no cost.
5. Extra-heavy-duty exists for a reason. If you're shipping textiles, banners or anything where crushing equals damage, the extra-heavy-duty range is worth every extra penny.

See the full lineup at Cardboard Tubes.