Parcels wrapped & tied with string.

[Olumin]

For a while now I've been packing all my parcels & packages wrapped in brown packing paper and tied with hemp twine. 'Ive started doing this because it brings me joy and it'll always be a special occasion on the receiver's end aswell, and might well brighten their day.

I take great care in wrapping and tying everything neatly and tightly, there is no loose string anywhere aside from the tiny bows where the string is tied. The bows are secured with a drop of shellac to make sure they do not become undone. The package is of course still securely taped, however you couldn't tell from the outside due to the packing paper.


Only once I had my package declined at the post office (DHL) due to the string potentially obscuring the label. The string had to be cut off and the paper was taped over. Since then I've always attached the label on-top of the string, so that it cannot be covered by it.

However recently I read that parcels wrapped in string are no longer accepted in modern sorting & distribution centres and always have their string removed. The reason given is that loose string could get caught in the machinery and might cause damage to it.

So far every one of my parcels arrived securely and there have been no problems, aside from the one label issue.
Is it true that parcels tied with string are no longer allowed? Considering how tightly the string is tied on my packages I cannot see it causing any problems, it should not be able to shift or come loose. Since the string runs underneath the label, the package would also have to be re-labeled if the string were removed. Is anyone really going through all this trouble?

I wont lie it's been a little depressing to think that all my parcels might have arrived completely defaced & all my effort potentially wasted. Perhaps someone here has some insight. Anyone else who still wraps and ties their parcels, or someone who recently recieved one?

Thank you.

 

[tonyb]

Echoes of “My Favorite Things.”

(If you’ve never heard John Coltrane’s take on that tune, you haven’t yet lived.)

 

[Olumin]

It certainly is one of my favourite things, thanks tony.

I've of course thought about simply asking some of the recipients whether they received my parcels with the string intact, but it seems a bit unprofessional, and quite frankly annoying on my part. They are customers after all. They dont care about this & neither should they have to.

I'll probably just send one to someone I know and see what happens. Seems like the simplest solution.

 

[Turnip]

At least these handles are still produced.

 

[belfastboy]

Echoes of “My Favorite Things.”

(If you’ve never heard John Coltrane’s take on that tune, you haven’t yet lived.)

I think that piece is Coltrane's best work. Just as Sketches of Spain is Miles Davis best. Never, ever tire of it.

 

[Olumin]

Well, I sent one to a friend as a test and asked them to take pictures once it arrived. Luckily it arrived unaltered. Its possible it just slipped through but it eases my mind a good bit.

 

[rogueclimber]

A lovely sentiment for sure but perhaps consider the big picture.

Yes your package may make it through the system, but what if it does snag in the modern machinery and cause a break down. Everyone else's package is now delayed for your sentiment, or maybe a worker now has to take time out of their day to special handle your package again delaying other packages

Though I may be hyperbolical here, it is like choosing to ride a horse on the highway as that is how it used to be...

 

[tonyb]

^^^^^^
Good point. Perhaps the “brown paper packages tied up with strings” could be put in other boxes for shipping?

 

[Olumin]

You guys are of course right. I've looked at a few videos of these distribution & sorting centres after reading about the issue, and I really can't see a package getting stuck as long as the string is not super loose.

Keep in mind many things are regularly shipped in loose bags (i.e clothing) which are far more likely to cause issues then properly tied string around a sturdy box. I'd image these machines are very flexible & the issue is somewhat overblown. Whoever designed them had to take many factors into account, and tought string around a box is among the least problematic.

One reason I secure the bows with shellac is so they do not become undone and create loose ends that could cause issues. Even so if you look at the last picture you can see that one end of the bow actually did become undone anyway, telling me I need to secure them better or use slightly more shellac.