What You Need to Know About Postal Tubes

Apr 7 2011 Advertisement Feature

A postal tube is used to keep paper or light card safe whilst in transit. This could be when it is being delivered by the Royal Mail or courier company or when being taken between meetings. 

It works because rolling up paper or light card keeps it crease and fold free. Inserting this in a thick, sturdy cardboard tube keeps it safe from crushing or damage. In theory, sending a paper item this way should ensure it arrives in mint condition. A postal tube is more than just a roll of very stiff, thick cardboard. It has two plastic stoppers at each end that can be easily inserted and removed. These can also be sealed to ensure they don't pop out in transit.

These sorts of tubes also make ideal storage containers for items you want to protect, such as posters and pictures. Because they can be rolled up into a smaller size, it means they won't take up so much space when placed in storage.

The tube container will also keep them free of dust, moisture and hopefully small insects that might otherwise damage the contents. 

Although the typical image of a postal tube that springs to mind is the cardboard variety, you can also get plastic tubes. These can also be air tight and water tight too. Handy if you are transporting particularly valuable and fragile items, such as paintings. 

Clear plastic tubes are also available, and are frequently used by marketing companies and businesses who might want to get their contents noticed by the recipient. Also sometimes called poster tubes, the cardboard ones come in a choice of either brown or white. 

Large postal tubes are also available, and these are often used for mechanical items that need to be kept in a long shape, such as tripods for cameras.