Moisture in cartons before a sea shipment
Updated 2026-09-01
Context
A buyer had two consecutive seasons of mould complaints on a textile order shipped from the south of Vietnam. They asked for a pre-shipment inspection that looked specifically at packaging and moisture control, not only at the product.
Assignment
Inspect a random sample of cartons against the buyer's packaging specification, measure moisture content where the spec gives a limit, check pallet configuration and stretch wrap, and record how long the finished goods had been held in the warehouse.
Observations
- · Cartons on the bottom two layers of four pallets showed soft corners and a damp feel, consistent with standing water rather than condensation.
- · Pallets were wrapped to roughly three quarters of their height, leaving the top layer exposed.
- · The warehouse had no pallet racking in the finished goods area; cartons were stacked directly on a concrete floor in a covered but open-sided bay.
- · Production records showed the goods had been packed eleven days before the inspection, longer than the buyer's specification allowed.
Outcome
The affected pallets were re-packed, the wrapping was corrected to full height, and the buyer added a floor clearance requirement to the packaging specification. The inspection report recorded the moisture readings so the next shipment could be compared against them.
Takeaway
Mould complaints usually start with how the carton sits in the warehouse, not with the product. Ask what the pallet stands on and how long packed goods wait.
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