Clothes are one of the most commonly shipped items, whether you’re shipping clothes off to college or shipping a wedding dress, it can be confusing to know how and what to do.
So, does UPS ship clothes, and what do you need to know before you send a package? If you’d like to learn more about this topic, keep reading to see what I discovered!
What is the Policy for Shipping Clothes Through UPS In [currentyear]?
UPS does ship clothes, and offers 4 different services: UPS Next Day Air, UPS 2nd Day Air, UPS 3 Day Select, and UPS Ground, and all of these services come with different costs and delivery times in [currentyear]. Note that how you package your clothes to be shipped can vary depending on the type of clothes in your package.
If you’re thinking about using UPS to ship your next package of clothes, be sure to check out the rest of the article to find price and time comparisons, as well as some helpful tips and tricks!
Can You Ship Clothes With UPS?
There are no clothes that UPS restricts from being shipped domestically, however, international shipments are always subject to the laws of the package’s destination country.
Many countries have weight, size, and value limitations in place for international packages that may result in your item being sent back from customs if you don’t comply with regulations.
For example, if you have scheduled a destination wedding in Aruba and need to ship your wedding dress from the United States to your hotel, Aruba customs does not allow for items with a value in excess of $20 USD to be shipped into the country.
This means that you likely won’t be able to ship your wedding dress to Aruba, as most wedding dresses are definitely more than $20 in value!
So, if you’re planning on shipping clothes internationally, be sure to use the import/export regulations page on the UPS website to make sure that you’re not shipping any restricted textiles or exceeding weight/size limitations.
How Much Does it Cost to Ship Clothes With UPS?
Shipping with UPS depends on a variety of factors, including the weight and value of the package, as well as the distance your package will travel and how quickly you need it to arrive.
For packages weighing 50 lbs or less (which would apply to most packages containing clothing), you can opt to use UPS Simple Rate boxes, which are an inexpensive alternative to normal shipping that charges by the size of the box rather than weight.
If we assume that you’re shipping your package of clothes domestically from Austin, Texas to Los Angeles, California using a large UPS Simple Rate box, we can start to see some price estimates begin to take shape.
UPS Next Day Air Saver is the fastest option available, with a guaranteed delivery window before the end of the following day.
However, it’s also the most expensive option, coming in at just over $63 in shipping costs.
UPS 2nd Day Air is another fast option available, with the delivery window typically being 48 hours from package pick up with less expensive shipping costs at around $55.
UPS also offers UPS 3 Day Select, which delivers in three days and costs just under $39.
Finally, you can choose to ship your package with UPS Ground, which also takes around three days to deliver but costs around $23.
It’s important to keep in mind that the above prices are all estimates that vary depending on the factors listed above, and are not fixed prices set by UPS.
If you’re interested in getting an estimate that is more personalized based on your package’s weight, size, and the distance it will travel, be sure to check out the UPS Shipping Cost Calculator, which can be found here.
How Can I Ship Clothes With UPS?
There are all different kinds of clothes you may need to ship, from formal and occasion wear to more casual, everyday wear, and how you ship your clothes as safely and effectively as possible largely depends on what type of clothing you’re shipping.
For wedding dresses, it’s advised that you use the following tips:
- Hang the wedding dress up and store it in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to ship.
- Purchase a box that is just big enough to fit the dress, ensuring that no fine details will be damaged. You want to be sure that the dress can’t move around the box while in transit, which could damage and crease it.
- Fold the arms of the dress carefully, placing acid-free tissue paper between every layer of fabric. This is particularly important if the dress has embellishments, as they may catch on the delicate fabric (ensure that the dress is not crushed).
- If the dress has a train, handle it gently. Fold the left- and right-hand sides toward the center of the dress and roll up carefully, without bunching or crushing.
- Place the entire dress inside a clear plastic garment bag for shipment, then lay the bag in the box. If the bag is zippered, be careful not to snag the fabric as you zip it shut. Keep a hand gently underneath the zip as it closes to protect the dress.
- While the dress should fit snugly in your box, use bubble wrap for additional padding, if needed, to keep the dress from sliding around in transit. Close the box securely, using as much tape as required, and mark the box clearly with the words ‘Wedding Dress.’
For other helpful tips and tricks for shipping more casual clothing such as shirts and pants, you can check out this page of the UPS website.
To learn more about UPS shipping, you can also read our posts on UPS shipping restrictions, how fast is UPS Ground, and UPS jewelry shipping.
Conclusion
UPS allows you to ship clothes and has no restrictions for clothing shipments domestically. If you’re shipping clothing internationally, make sure the country you’re shipping to doesn’t have any restrictions, which you can check on the UPS website.
UPS Next Day Air Saver is the fastest shipping option available with delivery taking place by the end of the following day, however, it is also the most expensive option. The least expensive shipping option available is UPS Ground.
