Disposable hygiene products are bulky, light and moisture-sensitive. That combination makes freight a much larger share of landed cost than buyers expect, and makes the shipping terms a commercial decision rather than an administrative one. This guide covers the terms worth knowing, the loading realities of the product category, and the questions to settle before a quotation is agreed.
The Incoterms that come up most
| Term | Who arranges main carriage | Where risk passes | Practical note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXW | Buyer | At the seller's premises | Cheapest headline price, most work for the buyer, and export clearance becomes the buyer's problem |
| FOB | Buyer | When goods are on board the vessel | The most common basis for containerised export; you control freight and see the real cost |
| CIF | Seller | When goods are on board | Seller pays freight and insurance to the destination port, but risk still passes at loading |
| DAP | Seller | At the named destination, not unloaded | Useful for door delivery; confirm who handles import clearance and duty |
| DDP | Seller | At destination, duties paid | Simplest for the buyer, but you lose visibility of the duty and freight components |
Two habits avoid most disputes. First, always name the exact place alongside the term — "FOB Shenzhen" rather than "FOB". Second, remember that CIF and DDP allocate cost and risk differently: under CIF, risk passes at the port of loading even though the seller has paid the freight, so insurance matters.
Why volume, not weight, drives the cost
Absorbent hygiene products are mostly air. A container fills by volume long before it reaches its weight limit, which means freight cost per unit is governed by how efficiently the product packs, not by how heavy it is. Three levers follow:
- Compression. Packs and cartons can be compressed to increase units per container, but every product has a limit beyond which the pack deforms or the product inside is damaged. Agree the compression level rather than letting it be decided at loading.
- Carton dimensions. A carton sized to fit the container's internal dimensions precisely, and to stack in a stable pattern, can raise utilisation substantially. This is a packaging design decision, not a logistics one, which is why it should be settled with the packaging specification.
- Pallet configuration. Pallet footprint, height and the number of layers interact with the container type. A configuration that is efficient for a 40-foot container may be poor for a 20-foot one.
Ask for the loading plan in writing: cartons per layer, layers per pallet, pallets per container, and the resulting total. A supplier that cannot produce this has not costed your order properly.
Moisture and heat
Tissue, wipes and any product with a moisture-sensitive component are affected by humidity in transit, and containers move through very different climates within a single voyage. Condensation inside a container is a real cause of damaged cartons and degraded product. Practical measures are wrapper specification, inner liners, desiccant where appropriate, and stowage that avoids direct contact with container walls. If you are shipping to a hot market, also consider how heat affects adhesives and elastic: a product that performs in a mild climate may fail after weeks at high temperature, so test after simulated conditions.
Documentation
- Confirm the tariff classification with your customs broker for the finished product as described, since diaper-type and pad-type products can fall under different subheadings and the classification drives duty.
- Agree the commercial invoice and packing list format, and that the declared description matches the product.
- Establish which certificates, declarations or test reports the destination requires and who is responsible for supplying each.
- For regulated markets, confirm the importer of record and who holds the registration or notification obligation.
Questions to settle before signing
- Which term and which named place, exactly?
- Who arranges insurance, at what cover, and against which risks?
- What is the agreed loading plan, and is it a contractual document?
- What are the tolerances on quantity per shipment and per SKU?
- How is damage in transit handled, and whose surveyor determines it?
- What is the shipping schedule, and how much notice is given before cut-off?
Once terms are clear, the remaining comparison is about money rather than logistics: Comparing Quotes on Landed Cost sets out how to normalise quotations so freight and duty are visible instead of buried. For packaging decisions that change freight cost, see Private Label Packaging and Artwork.