Factory record · Packing and dispatch

Packing and Shipping Custom Lantern Displays

This European lantern project was prepared for delivery in the factory loading yard. Here is how the team protected projecting details, grouped the modules and reviewed the container layout before dispatch.

This workshop record follows the displays through packing and loading. Receiving, assembly and lighting checks belong in the venue plan that follows.

Star Factory Lantern July 11, 2025 News

Lanterns transportation: wrapped lantern displays beside containers in the factory loading yard — Original project record · Wrapped lantern displays ready in the loading yard

01 / Before the container

Check the structure before packing

A stable form and a finished surface

The internal steel frame and square-tube base hold the shape of each display during handling. The satin-style fabric forms the visible surface. Projecting details and points where modules are lifted or connected need protection as wrapping begins. Surface fabric alone is not a substitute for protective packing or cargo restraint.

Wrapped lantern sculptures prepared for loading near a shipping container — Factory dispatch · Wrapped sculptures beside the shipping container

Keep lighting parts accessible and secure

Check the wiring before the displays travel

During factory preparation, the team routed the wiring and fixed the lamps within the frame using the project’s retaining strips. These checks help identify loose connections before packing. Electrical connections still need to be inspected and tested again after assembly at the destination; dispatch checks do not guarantee that a display will light immediately on arrival.

02 / From wrapping to loading

From wrapping to container loading

The photographs below show one project’s packing sequence. Its irregular lantern forms needed protection at the surface, a clear loading order and a container layout that the packing team could review before departure.

The team worked through four practical stages: wrapping, grouping, separation and final positioning.

Stage 01 / Protective wrapping

Wrap the visible surfaces and projecting details

Bubble film was used around finished surfaces and irregular outlines before loading. For forms with projecting parts, such as a snowman’s branch-like arms or a deer’s antlers, those parts need separate attention because they may rub against neighbouring modules. Wrapping helps reduce surface contact during handling; the final protection method depends on the form and the loading plan.

Protected lantern display wrapped for safe handling before shipping — Original packing reference · A wrapped lantern display

Stage 02 / Container layout

Group modules by shape and size

Before loading, the team grouped the custom lantern modules by size and outline. Similar forms were brought together near the container so the crew could follow the planned order rather than decide where each piece belonged at the door.

Large wrapped lantern sculpture positioned inside a shipping container — Original loading reference · A protected sculpture inside the container

Stage 03 / Separation & cushioning

Protect contact points between modules

Irregular shapes leave gaps and contact points between modules. The team placed protective material between neighbouring surfaces and checked that projecting pieces were not pressed against another lantern. Padding can help protect finishes, but the loaded modules still need a separately reviewed restraint arrangement.

Large green lantern module wrapped for protection before transport — Original protection reference · A wrapped green lantern module

Stage 04 / Final positioning

Review weight, position and securing before dispatch

The loading plan put larger modules with stable bases low in the container and considered smaller, lighter pieces for the remaining spaces. The team positioned wrapped parts as loading progressed and reviewed the container’s available anchoring points. The final securing method must be selected for each module’s weight, approved anchoring points and the intended transport route by the responsible packing and logistics team; fabric wrapping must not be treated as a cargo lashing.

Team arranging wrapped lantern components inside a shipping container — Original container reference · The team positioning wrapped components

03 / Ready for the journey

The journey continues after the container closes

Packing is one part of delivering a custom display. At the venue, the receiving team needs to identify the modules, inspect surfaces and connections, then assemble and test the lighting before opening. The project photographs record the factory stage; the finished night-time scene depends on those checks being carried through on site.

Original workshop video

Watch the factory loading record

The original project video shows the workshop and loading preparations described above. Playback starts when selected.

Watch on YouTube ↗

Lanterns transportation workshop video showing preparation for delivery — Original video · How lanterns travel to their destination

For more factory films, visit the Star Factory Lantern website or our YouTube channel.