Vapor Barrier Bag Shipping

A Must for Fine Art and International Shipping

When it comes to shipping fine art and international shipments, vapor barrier packing — or VCI — is a must.

What Is Vapor Barrier Packaging or VCI?

Vapor barrier packaging, or VCI (Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors), is a layer of protection between your items and corrosive, damaging outside elements like moisture. It's a line of defense for our clients' highly valued items, protecting them from corrosion and rust. There are different types of VCI — some are a heat-sealed bag, a heat-sealed shrink, or a coated paper.

We use vapor barrier bags from 3D Barrier Bags. Their bags meet the requirements of Military Specification MIL-PRF-131K Class 1, a poly foil laminate, water-vapor-proof barrier material. It's used when a moisture-sensitive good needs to be packaged in a moisture-vapor-controlled environment, acting as a barrier between the outside air and the part sealed inside the bag.

Moisture bags shouldn't be confused with air bags, which retard the migration of air. A moisture barrier bag, or vapor bag, blocks the migration of water vapor specifically.

Calculating Desiccant Needs

We have extensive experience calculating how much desiccant is required for the volume being protected inside the bag, using activated clay conforming to the MIL-D-3464 military specification — the U.S. military specification for silica gel and clay desiccants. The term "unit" refers to a quantity of desiccant that will absorb a set percentage of its weight at certain humidity levels; MIL-D-3464E defines a "unit" as the amount of desiccant needed to absorb 3 grams of water at 20% RH, 25°C.

Meeting Military and Government Moving Requirements

Las Vegas Pack and Ship has done extensive work packaging and shipping for federal, state, and local government agencies — including military supplies, medical supplies, and vehicles. We also have extensive on-site crating experience for GovPlanet transportation. Moving items like this comes with strict requirements, and we meet MIL-STD-2073-1, the Standard Practice for Military Packaging.

Why It Matters for Sea Shipping

Electronics and other sensitive items, along with fine art being transported via sea shipping, must have moisture-vapor-proof packaging to ensure safe transportation. Salt water and salt water vapor are highly corrosive to metal and electronic components, as well as original fine art paintings. Placing a humidity indicator card inside the bag provides external monitoring of humidity levels inside containers and packages.

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Vapor Barrier Wrapping in Action

Protect It Before It Ships

Whether it's headed overseas or across the country, we'll get your shipment properly vapor-sealed and protected before it ever leaves our hands.