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.

This article walks you step by step through preparing, dismantling, wrapping and crating these items to Canadian customs (CBSA) standards so they arrive intact.

Step 1: Remove moving and sharp parts

Whether it’s a medium-sized model or a larger version, a mini cyclo or rickshaw has parts that bend easily under pressure in an aircraft hold. Before packing, do the following:

• Remove the wheels and handlebars: If they are held on with screws, take off the wheels and handlebars. This makes the parcel smaller and saves on shipping.
• Bag the small parts: Put all screws, washers and small chains in a sealed zip bag and tape it to the frame so nothing gets lost.
• Secure moving parts: For parts that can’t be removed, such as a fabric or plastic canopy or pedals, use cable ties to fasten them tightly to the frame so they can’t move freely in transit.

Step 2: Wrap in PE film and bubble wrap against scratches

The frame is usually powder-coated or lacquered. If it rubs directly against the carton or a wooden crate, the finish will scratch immediately and the decoration will lose its appeal.

• First layer – PE film: Wrap 2–3 layers of PE stretch film around the whole frame, especially the sharp corners and welds. This protects the finish from dust and damp.
• Second layer – bubble wrap: Wrap sensitive parts such as wheel spokes, leather seats and handles thickly in bubble wrap. Tape the edges firmly with wide tape.
• Third layer – corner foam: On the sharp points of the cyclo (such as the mudguard tips or footrests), add thick foam blocks or foam corners so they can’t pierce the carton.

Step 3: Crate it, and the important plant health rules

Because decorative cyclos and rickshaws aren’t box-shaped, an ordinary carton is easily crushed when stacked. The safest option is a wooden crate or a pallet.

However, Canada’s plant health authorities very strictly control imported wood products to keep out foreign pests. Follow these rules:

• Crate materials: Never use raw, untreated natural wood for the crate frame or padding. Use plywood or pressed wood instead. These have been heat- and chemically treated, so they are exempt from quarantine in Canada.
• Treating natural wood: If you must use pine or other natural wood for the crate, it must be fumigated and stamped to ISPM 15 standards (with a clear IPPC mark on the wood). Without this mark, Canadian customs will refuse clearance and require the goods to be destroyed or returned, at great cost.

Step 4: Measure the parcel and calculate the cost

When shipping to Canada by air, the charge is based on the actual weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is greater. The standard international air freight formula is:

Volumetric weight (kg) = (Length x Width x Height) / 5000 (in cm).

Decorative cyclos are usually light but take up a lot of space. Dismantling them neatly in Step 1 greatly reduces the width and height of the crate, saving you anywhere from tens to hundreds of dollars in shipping.

Soleil Transportation offers door-to-door air shipping to Canada from $16/kg (import duties included). Average transit time from Vietnam to Canada is 7–14 business days.

Mistakes to avoid when shipping handmade decorations to Canada

• Not filling the gaps: Many people put the cyclo in a crate without foam around it. When the plane shakes or the crate is handled, the cyclo knocks against the wooden sides and breaks.
• Declaring the wrong value: Declaring a value far below the real value of a handicraft can make customs hold the goods and ask for the actual purchase invoice.
• Missing recipient details: Make sure the recipient’s phone number in Canada works so the driver can contact them for door-to-door delivery.

Before packing, photograph the cyclo with its three dimensions and send them to Soleil Transportation on +1 888-998-5199 or at info@soleiltransportation.com. Our team at the Mississauga warehouse (2446 Cawthra Road, B1U8, Mississauga, Ontario) will advise you on the best way to crate it and give you an accurate all-in quote.