Packing Clothes for an International Move
What flies, what sails, and how each garment is packed to arrive dry after weeks in a container.
Packing clothes for an international move from Dubai is about keeping them dry for weeks, not just tidy for a day. A sea shipment spends weeks in a sealed steel container where condensation can form, so clothes need to go in clean and completely dry, packed in sealed cartons and wardrobe boxes, and kept off the container walls. Send what you need soon by air or in your luggage, and let the rest travel by sea.
What happens to clothes in a shipping container?
A container leaving Dubai starts out hot. As it crosses cooler seas, warm moist air inside cools against the walls and ceiling, and when it falls below its dew point, condensation forms and can drip onto whatever is below (Transport Information Service, container climate). Fabric absorbs that moisture. Mould is unlikely to grow when relative humidity stays below 60 percent and the air can circulate (Canadian Conservation Institute, mould growth on textiles), but a sealed container gives the air nowhere to go. That is why export packing for clothes is about keeping moisture out and not sealing any in.
Which clothes should go by air and which by sea?
| Clothes | Air or sea | How they are packed |
|---|---|---|
| A week or two of everyday clothes | In your luggage | Suitcase |
| Work clothes and school uniforms you need on arrival | Air shipment | Cartons sealed against moisture |
| Suits, dresses, abayas, kanduras and formal wear | Sea, in the household shipment | Wardrobe boxes, sealed, kept upright |
| Folded everyday clothes and knitwear | Sea | New cartons lined and sealed |
| Winter coats and bulky items | Sea | Wardrobe boxes or vacuum bags for bulk |
| Delicates, silk and beaded pieces | Air, or sea packed with extra care | Acid free tissue, small sealed carton on top of the load |
| Shoes | Sea | Cleaned, stuffed with paper, each pair bagged, own carton |
How should each kind of garment be packed for export?
- Hanging clothes: wardrobe boxes keep them on their hangers. For export, the box is sealed on every seam and kept upright in the container.
- Folded clothes: fold or roll them into new double wall cartons, heaviest at the bottom. Avoid reused boxes from a damp store.
- Delicates: wrap each piece in acid free tissue and lay it flat in a small carton near the top of the load, so nothing heavy rests on it.
- Shoes and bags: clean them first, then stuff and bag them so dirt and polish stay off your clothes.
Label each carton with its contents and number it to match the inventory, so customs can check it without unpacking everything.
How do you keep clothes dry for weeks at sea?
- Wash and dry everything completely before it is packed. Clothes packed damp start the problem inside the box.
- Do not pack clothes on a humid day straight from a balcony or a damp cupboard.
- Use moisture absorbing sachets in cartons of clothes and in wardrobe boxes.
- Keep cartons of clothes off the container floor and away from the walls, where condensation gathers.
- Unpack as soon as the shipment is delivered and let the clothes air.
What clothes should travel in your luggage?
Pack as if you were going away for a few weeks: everyday clothes, work clothes, something for the weather at your destination, and anything you could not replace, such as wedding clothes and family pieces. Your sea shipment will still be in transit while you settle in.
Frequently asked questions
Do wardrobe boxes work for sea freight?
Yes. Sealed on every seam and kept upright, they protect hanging clothes well in a container, and the clothes arrive ready to hang.
Should I vacuum seal clothes for an international move?
Vacuum bags save a lot of space for bulky items such as duvets and winter coats. Make sure everything is completely dry first, because a vacuum bag also seals in any moisture.
Do new clothes in a shipment attract duty abroad?
They can. Many countries relieve used personal belongings from duty but charge on new goods. Check the destination’s rules, starting from our Customs Documents page, and if you are moving to the UK, our guide to moving household goods from Dubai to the UK.
What if clothes smell musty on arrival?
Unpack them straight away, wash or air them in a dry, ventilated room, and check the rest of the shipment for damp cartons.
Moving abroad from Dubai?
Your DXI moving coordinator can export pack your wardrobe with sealed wardrobe boxes and cartons, and plan what goes by air and by sea. Contact us to plan your move.
