Step 1: Clean and secure the small parts

On a chess or Chinese chess board, the pieces are easily lost and can scratch the board if they knock against it. Never leave the pieces on the board and box it up as it is.

• Collect all the pieces: Put them in a soft cloth bag or a separate zip bag.
• Wrap each piece (for stone or finely carved wooden pieces): Wrap each piece in bubble wrap before putting it in the bag so the pieces don’t knock against each other in transit.
• Secure the piece box: If the set has its own wooden box for the pieces, pad the inside with cotton wool or soft foam so the pieces can’t move.

Step 2: Protect the board against scratches and cracks

The board has the largest surface area and takes the most force.

• Wooden boards: Wrap the board in 2 to 3 layers of PE cling film to prevent mould and protect the lacquer or gloss finish from scratches.
• Stone boards: Stone is heavy and very brittle under bending forces. Cut two pieces of rigid cardboard or flat foam the same size as the board, press them firmly against the front and back, then wrap them tightly in PE film to hold everything in place.
• Bubble wrap: After the PE film, wrap at least 3 to 4 layers of bubble wrap around the whole board. Take extra care with the corners and edges, which chip most easily in a collision.

Step 3: Choose the box and fill the gaps

Choosing the right carton accounts for about half of a handicraft’s safety.

• Choose a sturdy 5-ply or 7-ply carton that is 5 to 7 cm larger than the wrapped board on each side.
• Lay about 3 to 5 cm of foam on the bottom of the box.
• Place the board and the bag of pieces in the middle of the box.
• Fill all the gaps tightly with packing peanuts, foam or compressed paper. Shake the box gently afterwards. If you can still hear or feel anything moving, add more foam. Soleil Transportation’s shipping service to Canada includes basic packing in a carton.
• Special note: For very heavy or large stone boards, an ordinary carton isn’t safe enough. These heavy items need an extra wooden frame or pallet for safe lifting and unloading, which carries a specialist packing surcharge.

Step 4: Declare to customs and prepare documents

When shipping handicrafts to Canada, an accurate customs declaration helps your order clear quickly at the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

• Describe the goods in detail: Instead of a vague “gift” or “handicraft”, write “Wooden chess set” or “Stone Chinese chess set”.
• Declare an honest value: Declare the set’s real value. Our flights on the Vietnam–Canada route include all import duties, so you don’t have to worry about tax charges at the destination.
• Note on wood: Canada controls natural wood products very strictly to keep out termites and plant diseases. Wooden chess boards must be made of treated wood and be finished with lacquer or kiln-dried. Avoid sending rare woods on the CITES list without a permit.

Step 5: Choose a shipping service and track your order

Once fully packed, choosing a reliable carrier with insurance options and a transparent route is the last step to shipping with peace of mind.

Soleil Transportation offers professional air shipping from Vietnam to Canada with an average transit time of 7 to 12 business days (7–14 days depending on the delivery province). All-inclusive door-to-door air freight starts at just $16/kg.

After shipping, you’ll receive a tracking number to check online easily. Status updates are also sent by email, SMS or Zalo so you and the recipient in Canada can follow along.

If you aren’t confident packing stone or wooden items yourself, bring the chess set in person or send it by domestic courier to our office, and our staff will reinforce it to flight safety standards. For more advice on size and weight rules and an accurate quote for your chess set, call +1 888-998-5199 or email the details to info@soleiltransportation.com.

Here is a practical 4-step process to prepare, pack and declare your Tet decorations so they reach Canada safely and intact with Soleil Transportation.

Step 1: Sort and prepare items before packing

Tet decorations come in many materials and shapes. Before putting everything in a box, sort them clearly:

• Artificial flowers and apricot or peach blossom branches: These usually have a wire core. Gently bend long branches to make them more compact, so they aren’t bulky and don’t snap at the plastic joints.
• Plastic five-fruit trays and model banh chung or banh tet: These are hollow and dent easily under weight. Stuff newspaper or bubble wrap into any hollow spaces (where possible) to make them stronger.
• Hanging scrolls, lucky envelopes and window decals: These are flat and crease or tear easily. Sandwich them between two pieces of cardboard before boxing.

Step 2: Wrap in bubble wrap and pack the carton against impact

For air shipments to Canada, a good-quality carton is essential. Soleil Transportation includes basic packing in a strong carton. Pack your items following these principles:

• Wrap each item: Wrap fragile details such as plastic petals and artificial fruit in at least 2–3 layers of bubble wrap and tape it firmly.
• Heavy items at the bottom, light items on top: Put model banh chung and heavy plastic fruit trays at the bottom of the box. Place artificial flower branches, light hanging strings and lucky envelopes on top.
• Fill every gap: This is the most important step. Use foam, packing peanuts or scrunched-up newspaper to fill all the space in the box. When you shake it gently and hear nothing moving, it’s done. This stops the box collapsing when stacked in the aircraft hold.

Step 3: Declare the goods to customs in detail

When shipping Tet decorations to Canada, a clear customs declaration helps your order clear quickly instead of being held for a long inspection.

• State the material: Instead of a vague “decorations”, write “Plastic artificial flowers” or “Foam mock banh chung”. Stating plastic, fabric or paper helps CBSA see straight away that the goods aren’t prohibited food or fresh plants.
• Watch out for accessories: Some fruit trays or Tet lanterns come with AA or lithium batteries installed. Remove all batteries before shipping, as lithium batteries are subject to strict flight safety rules.

Step 4: Measure the box and choose a shipping service

Once the box is sealed, measure its three dimensions (length, width, height) to calculate the cost. Tet decorations are usually light but bulky, so the price may be based on the airline’s volumetric weight.

• If you’re only sending a few small gifts, lucky envelopes or small flower branches to family, ePacket from just $8.50 CAD per parcel is a very economical choice.
• If you’re sending a full, heavy, large set of Tet decorations, our dedicated Vietnam–Canada door-to-door air service from $16/kg (import duties included) gives you complete peace of mind, with no duties to pay on delivery.
• Average transit time from Vietnam to Canada is 7–14 days (7–12 business days on average depending on location), so ship at least 3–4 weeks before Tet to have time to decorate for the new year.

For more advice on packing large flower branches compactly or an accurate quote for your Tet decorations, contact Soleil Transportation on +1 888-998-5199 or email info@soleiltransportation.com. Our warehouse staff will check your packing before it ships.

Why ceramics often break on the way to Canada, and how to prevent it

Many people think a few layers of bubble wrap in a carton is enough. In reality, your parcel goes on a long journey from the warehouse in Vietnam, onto the plane, through Canadian customs and then to the door. Along the way, boxes are stacked on top of each other and constantly shaken.

If there is any space inside the box, the ceramics will move, hit the sides or each other, and crack. For maximum protection, the core principle is to eliminate all empty space and hold the item in place with a highly elastic material.

How to pack ceramics with spray foam

For Buddha statues and heavy ceramic altar items, or pieces with many protruding details, packing them in a foam box with spray foam (expanding moulded foam) is the safest method available today.

Step 1: Wrap to protect the surface

• Wrap the statue or ceramic item tightly in 2 to 3 layers of PE plastic film to avoid scratching the glaze.
• For protruding parts such as ears, fingers or teapot spouts, wrap them separately in several layers of soft paper or bubble wrap before wrapping the whole item.

Step 2: Prepare a foam box and a plastic liner

• Choose a foam box at least 10 cm larger than the item on every side.
• Place a large plastic bag inside the foam box.

Step 3: Spray a foam base

• Use a professional spray foam (self-hardening expanding foam) to spray a layer about 5–7 cm thick into the bottom of the bag in the box.
• Wait a few seconds for it to expand, then place the wrapped item on top of this layer. Press gently so the foam moulds to the base of the item.

Step 4: Fill in around the item with foam

• Keep spraying foam into the gaps around and above the item until the expanding foam fills the whole box.
• When dry, the foam becomes moderately firm and hugs the item like a custom mould, preventing any movement at all.

Step 5: Close the lid and put it in an outer carton

• Wait for the foam to dry completely (usually 15–30 minutes), then trim any foam sticking up above the rim of the box.
• Put the lid on the foam box and tape all the edges.
• Place the whole foam box in a sturdy outer carton for extra crush resistance and so the shipping label is easy to apply.

Customs declarations for ceramics shipped to Canada

Ceramics, especially altar items and Buddha statues, need clear declarations so they aren’t held for long inspections at the Canadian border (CBSA).

• Description: On the declaration, write the item’s name in English. For example: “Ceramic Buddha Statue” or “Ceramic Teaset”. Don’t write a vague “gift” or “decorations”.
• Value: Declare the item’s value honestly. Declaring a value far below its real worth can make customs suspicious and ask for the purchase invoice.
• Religious and antique items: For used Buddha statues or altar items, or those of antique value, make sure they are not on Vietnam’s list of antiquities banned from export.

When you ship with Soleil Transportation, our price on the Vietnam–Canada route includes import duties, so you don’t have to worry about annoying tax charges when the goods arrive.

Reliable shipping to Canada with Soleil Transportation

If you don’t have spray foam or are worried about packing it yourself, Soleil Transportation can help. We offer an all-in-one air shipping service from Vietnam to Canada in just 7–14 days (7–12 business days on average).

• Great rates: Two-way Vietnam–Canada air shipping with door delivery from just $16/kg. For small parcels and gifts sent by ePacket, prices start at just $8.50 CAD per parcel.
• Professional packing: Basic packing in a strong carton is included. For fragile ceramics, we can advise on wooden crating or palletising (surcharge applies) for complete safety.
• Tracking: Easily track your order online with your tracking number, with updates by email, SMS or Zalo.

Before shipping precious ceramics to Canada, take photos with the size and weight of the item for the most accurate packing advice. Call us on +1 888-998-5199 or email info@soleiltransportation.com for a quick quote.

Comparing costs and shipping methods for instruments

Depending on the size of the instrument, you can choose the shipping method that keeps costs down. Here is a comparison based on Soleil Transportation’s services:

Average air transit time from Vietnam to Canada is 7–14 days (about 7–12 business days on average). This keeps the instrument’s wood from being exposed to long periods of changing humidity.

How to pack each type of instrument

Traditional Vietnamese instruments are mostly handmade from natural wood and are easily damaged by external forces during airport handling.

How to pack and protect a dan bau

The dan bau has a long box-shaped body, and its most sensitive parts are the neck (made of buffalo horn or bamboo) and the dried gourd (or plastic) resonator.

• Secure the neck: Remove the neck and gourd from the body if the design allows. If they are fixed, wrap the neck tightly in several layers of bubble wrap, then tape it along the body so it can’t snap under downward pressure.
• Protect the tuning peg and string: Loosen the string slightly to reduce tension on the soundboard during the flight, so the top doesn’t crack when the air pressure changes.

How to pack a dan tranh

The dan tranh is large, with many bridges and a complex string system.

• Remove the bridges: Never leave the bridges on the soundboard during shipping. Remove them all, number them or put them together in a small zip bag so none get lost. If left in place, any knock can press them down hard and puncture or scratch the wood.
• Fill the body: Put packing peanuts or soft cotton inside the body (if it has a sound hole) to absorb internal shocks.

Outer packing standards

• Foam box or carton: First, wrap the instrument in 3–4 layers of bubble wrap. Place it in a rigid foam box or a well-fitting carton. Soleil Transportation’s shipping service to Canada includes basic packing in a carton.
• Wooden crate: For expensive, high-value or very bulky instruments such as a 19-string dan tranh, an outer wooden frame (or wooden pallet) around the carton is essential for full impact protection. Note that crating adds a packing surcharge and may increase the parcel’s volumetric weight.

Declaring woods covered by CITES

One of the biggest reasons wooden instruments are held or confiscated at the Canadian border (by CBSA) is a breach of CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

How do you know if your instrument needs a CITES declaration?

Many high-end dan bau and dan tranh are made from rosewood or Dalbergia species, or are inlaid with mother-of-pearl or abalone. These materials are listed in CITES Appendix II.

• If the instrument is made from ordinary wood (jackfruit, cherry): You don’t need a CITES permit, but write the type of wood in English on the customs declaration (for example, Jackfruit wood or Peach wood) to avoid suspicion.
• If the instrument is made from a CITES-listed wood: You must obtain a CITES export permit from Vietnam’s CITES Management Authority before shipping.

How to declare safely

• Describe the item honestly: Write “Traditional Musical Instrument – Dan Bau” or “Dan Tranh” with a detailed list of the materials of each part.
• If you bought the instrument from a reputable workshop, ask for an invoice or a certificate of the wood’s origin to attach to the shipping documents.

Important notes when shipping instruments to Canada

• Cargo insurance: Because instruments are fragile and have high sentimental and material value, and insurance is not usually included in the standard rate, customers should ask to buy extra cargo insurance so they are properly compensated if something goes wrong.
• Tracking: After shipping, check your tracking number online regularly to follow the clearance status in Canada. Soleil Transportation’s system sends automatic route updates by email or Zalo.
• Delivery: Goods are delivered door-to-door in Canada. Our rates include all import duties on the Vietnam to Canada route, so the recipient doesn’t have to pay any extra charges on delivery.

For more advice on box sizes for specific instruments and the most accurate quote based on actual weight, call +1 888-998-5199 or email the details of your instrument to info@soleiltransportation.com.