Summer items you can send by courier

Last year, we identified some popular summer holiday items and how to send them via courier. For example, suitcases, beach towels and inflatable pink flamingos!

Despite this year’s summer feeling more like autumn, here's a quick recap on summer items you can and can’t send by courier.

What do you use in the summer?

Below are some everyday summer items and guidance on how to package them safely:

✔ Beachwear

Beachwear includes a variety of clothing like swimming costumes, cover-ups and beach dresses. As beachwear is usually lightweight and soft, it makes it easy and cheap to ship. It’s best practice to fold clothing on a flat surface and add extra protection on embellishments or zips. We offer low-cost courier services from APC, Evri and Yodel for small and light parcels.

✔ Sunglasses

A summer essential, sunglasses protect against UV rays and act as a physical barrier against wind, sand and other debris. Most lenses are polycarbonate or glass, making them susceptible to breaking.

When packaging sunglasses for delivery, you’ll want to place the sunglasses inside a hard-covered case. If you don’t have the glasses case, a clean sock or fabric pouch works too. Then, you need to wrap the case with protective material like bubble wrap to minimise movement in the box. When shipping multiple sunglasses, we advise using corrugated liners to separate each pair.

We also recommend taking out additional transit cover if you’re shipping expensive glasses.

✔ Flip flops/sandals

Flip flops are the go-to summer shoe and are easy to pack too!

You can place the flip flops or sandals sole-to-sole or tuck them together and wrap them with bubble wrap.

Similar to clothing, if the sandals have buckles or beading, we advise adding extra cushioning to avoid scratches. Place the shoes in an outer cardboard box for added protection.

✔ Sunscreen /lotions

Suncream or sun lotion are prohibited unless they are sent via a liquid parcel delivery service like APC Liquid or Parcelforce Express 48 Liquid. The reason is that liquids can open and leak in transit, damaging the parcel and nearby shipments.

APC Liquid is a fragile handling service as packages are handled by trained APC staff (rather than automated machines) and sorted in cages. These measures are in place to maximise protection for liquids in transit.

✔ Yoga mat

Much like sending a poster, you should ship a yoga mat in a mailing tube. We recommend triangular tubes over round tube-type cylinders for better protection. Fill any space with cushioning material and ensure the ends are tightly sealed.

Please ensure you clean and dry pre-used mats before you ship!

✔ Reusable water bottle

More people are switching to reusable water bottles rather than single-use plastic bottles because it’s a more sustainable way to stay hydrated.

Most reusable water bottles are made of stainless steel or BPA-free plastic, making them lightweight. However, if you dent stainless steel, it’s very difficult to reshape. That’s why, if you’re sending an empty water bottle in the post, surround the material with absorbent cushioning material before placing it in an outer shipping box.

✔ Umbrella

The English weather is unpredictable, so fixed and foldable umbrellas are essential, just in case. If you’re sending a pre-loved umbrella by courier, ensure it is dry first!

You should protect the handle with several layers of protective material and place it in a case or tube. Straight umbrellas are long, so nestle the umbrella in a strong cardboard box or mailing tube and fill the voids with packaging material.

What items are prohibited by courier?

Before you book a discount parcel delivery service with us, you must check if your item is safe to send. Prohibited summer items include passports, currency and aerosol cans/sprays. However, you can view our full Prohibited and Restricted Items list on our website.

If you’re sending an item abroad, you must also check the country’s rules and restrictions to avoid delays at local customs.

How should I package my items?

Once your chosen courier collects your parcel, it has a long journey ahead. It will travel alongside other boxes across different modes of transport and machinery. That’s why we stress the importance of packaging your parcel sufficiently for transit.

We have plenty of packaging guidance on our website and YouTube channel, so you can ensure your packaging is up to standard.

Book your summer parcel delivery with Interparcel

As you can see, we can send various popular summer items through our courier services. Don't forget to also check out last year's blog post on sending popular summer items. When you're ready, pop your parcel details online for an instant quote. From there, you can easily browse results and book your preferred courier service.

If you require assistance with your Interparcel booking, contact our Customer Service Team via telephone, email or live chat.

Courier services mentioned in this blog post

Please note: Information was accurate at the time of writing. Our Prohibited and Restricted Items list is frequently updated, so ensure you check the list at the time of booking. The Carrier/Interparcel have the right to refuse a consignment if there is no packaging, insufficient packaging, or the shipment contains a prohibited item. For further information, please read our T&Cs.