Prohibited Items of Interest in Canada

On the penultimate day of the working week we look at some of the more bizarre prohibited items in Canada. Many people relocate to Canada as a result of its stunning scenery, imposing mountainous regions, extraordinary wildlife and exciting winter sports.

images (2)

For this reason, many people tend to post abroad to Canada from the UK so it’s essential that they are aware of what could be intercepted by customs. Whilst there are some expected items on the prohibited list there are also a few surprises.

If you’ve got any reprints that are copyrighted to Canada in the UK, it’s not advisable to use these as gifts. This could be any kind of publication or image that was originally made in Canada. If you’ve travelled to and from the country in the past, this could be you.

Other interesting postal restrictions in Canada include second-hand bee supplies. Whilst it’s unlikely that you’re friend or relative in Canada is a beekeeper, a jar of honey or anything along those lines would be prohibited.

Other unique items on Canada’s prohibition list include smoke-making devices, parcels with caution labels on them and commercial tags of metal.

If you need to send a gift to Canada, why not make the most of RAND’s international shipping service to Canada? 

Prohibited Items of Interest in the UK

It’s the third day that we focus on peculiar items found on postal restriction lists and we’re today we’re concentrating on the UK. Many people who live abroad may not expect to find some of the following items on the UK’s postal restrictions list, so it’s important that any friends or family living abroad are aware of what items or gifts could be stopped in their tracks.

Walkie-talkies are often regarded as an excellent gift for a child so they are often bought for Christmas or birthdays. However, any device that is capable of transmitting frequencies cannot be posted to the UK, so keep this in mind before sending a gift along these lines.

Any item that was made in a foreign prison cannot be shipped into the UK, whilst comics or magazines associated with horror genre are also prohibited. Other items you may not expect include batteries, pesticides and matches.

RAND Logistics provide a collection and delivery service throughout the UK and internationally, so get your quote and make the most of our unrivalled services today.

Prohibited Items of Interest in China

We continue our week of interesting items on postal prohibition lists across the world with China today. There are some rather unusual items present on China’s list of prohibited items, including items you might not expect to be too much of an issue.

As ever, it’s important you’re aware of what you can and can’t send to any country as you risk losing the item to customs.

If you’ve got someone you know in China a smart looking wrist-watch, think twice before posting it to him/her. Watches are on China’s prohibited list so keep this in mind when sending a sold item or gift to China.

There are plenty of other electronic devices that can’t be sent either including cameras, sewing machines, televisions, radios and much more. Electronics are commonplace on many public shopping sites such as eBay, so make sure your item being sent to China is not on their prohibition list.

Finally, don’t try and send anything that could potentially harm the cultural, political or economical damage to China. This includes any kind of document, film or photograph so choose what you ship carefully.

If you’re interested in sending a parcel to China but want to learn more about what can’t be sent there, check out our prohibited items section for China here.

Prohibited Items of Interest in Italy

There are some particularly interesting items on the postal restrictions list of many countries across the world, with some more bizarre than others. This week we take a look at some of the prohibited items you might not to expect in preparation for your trips abroad.

_italy__lauris_kaplinski_01

Losing an item to customs can be a real bother, so it’s important to know what you can and can’t take to certain countries. Today we’re focusing on Italy, a hugely popular holiday destination.

There are some notable items present on Italy’s postal restrictions list, whilst some are both puzzling and intriguing. Clocks and any clock supplies cannot be posted to Italy, so be careful when sending an antique clock to Italy as a gift.

There are many other unusual products included, such as any kind of footwear, musical instruments, leather goods and even toys that aren’t completely made from wood. If you’re planning on sending pictures, photographs or albums of images to a relative in Italy, don’t do it by post! All of those items are prohibited and won’t be allowed into the country.

If you are concerned about what can and can’t be sent to Italy, take a look at our shipping restrictions page for Italy to learn more about their restrictions.

The History of the UK Postal Stamp – Day 3

The perforation of stamps during the Victorian age was often a subject of experimentation. Cutting stamps from imperforated sheets using scissors was time consuming and costly, so many different methods of perforation were used as a ways of saving time and money. Trials with the Archer Roulette and then with surface printing in 1855 were undergone, then tests were made with perforation, which quickly became one of the most popular methods and is still commonly used today.

pennylilacEmbossed postage stamps were also used, in a variety of octagonal designs. The age of the Penny Red came to an end in 1880 along with the start of the new surface printed stamps. The Penny Lilac was issued subsequently in 1881 and lasted until the end of Victoria’s reign in 1901. The Penny Lilac was also the first stamp issued that was valid as both a postal stamp and a revenue stamp; used to collect taxes or fees on documents.

In 1883 and 1884, the postal service experimented with fugitive inks that faded quickly and washed out to prevent the stamps being reused, but these were short lived and not liked by the public. Because the reign of Victoria was coming to an end, a new set of stamps needed to be issued.

For all your package and parcel needs, use RAND Logistics for a safe, reliable service. At RAND we offer an excellent service from parcels from Ghana to Greece and everywhere in between.

 

Interesting Italian Postal Restrictions

For such a laid back country, you might not expect Italy to have so many restrictions on the items you can send to it. However, on top of the usual items which we hope you wouldn’t dream of sending internationally (illegal substances, weaponry etc.), there are lots of other surprising products on the list that will not be allowed into the country through its postal system.

If you have relatives or friends in Italy and you’re thinking about sending Christmas presents to Italy, you might need to get a bit creative, especially where children are involved. You can’t send toys unless they are made entirely of wood, and you can’t send any type of footwear, along with a wide range of haberdashery and sewn articles. The golden rule, as always, is when it doubt, leave it out.

Perfumed goods apart from soap are also not allowed, and while we’re on the topic of scented items, nutmeg, vanilla and saffron should also be left out of your package. You can’t send clocks or clock parts, artificial flowers, leather goods, playing cards or, bizarrely, ribbons for typewriters. There are many other prohibited items for Italy, so make sure you check an official Italian postal service source before you send anything.

Lesotho National Sports Day

In Lesotho, a small country found in Africa, the first Monday of October (this year 7th October) celebrates National Sports Day in the country. Communities come together to play and discuss sports. There are several sports Lesotho is at least somewhat known for on the world platform, including football, netball, tennis and athletics. Four athletes from Lesotho made it to the team in the 2012 London Olympics, though the country has as yet never won a medal. Sports equipment is often bulky or heavy if you are intending to send some to celebrate the day, but if you are going to send something like a tennis racquet or a cricket bat as a gift, remember that you can get the best rates on international large parcel delivery with RAND.

Thinking of Keeping Touch with Students in China?

China operates a lot of great programmes for students at its fantastic universities, and many British students may choose to spend their year abroad studying in China. If this is the case, it is completely normal to want to let them know you’re thinking of them. If you’re planning on sending them a parcel, why not do it with RAND?

Our courier service will process your parcel efficiently and we can be relied upon to make sure your parcel makes it to China in great condition and as quickly as possible, helping you stay connected to your student son or daughter from overseas.