Repairing Water Damage on Inventory
October 25, 2024
Globalization has led many manufacturers to ship raw materials and even finished products from overseas. While this decreases the cost of manufacturing, shipping and raw materials, importing brings about many risks, including water damage. Merchandise is especially susceptible to water damage during shipping via sea or storage at the port because of the increased moisture content in these areas.
Inventory impacted by water or moisture may lead to financial losses or reputational damage. However, you can get ahead of it with inventory restoration and recovery— a cost-saving and effective way to return products to their original condition and make them fit for shelves and distribution. Learn more about the causes and types of water damage on imported goods and how you can recover damaged inventory.
Causes of Water Damage During Production and Importation
Shipping products via sea involves using watertight containers that provide safe storage and distribution conditions. Though watertight, vapor and air still find ways to seep into improperly sealed containers. Climate changes as the inventory moves through different sea regions can result in fluctuating moisture levels caused by changing temperatures and weather conditions.
Overseas production locations with heavy monsoon seasons characterized by high humidity, torrential rains and flooding increase the risk of moisture damage to goods. These climate conditions can also cause excessive condensation to build up, leading to moisture or water damage.
Rushed production and poor packaging and handling in overseas factories can increase the susceptibility of imported inventory to moisture damage. Other risk factors at the overseas production points include monsoons, tornadoes and hurricanes. Improper handling during shipping, storage and distribution can cause crushed, punctured or damaged packaging, allowing air to enter products and encourage mold and mildew growth.
In transit, container rain is the most common culprit for water damage. It refers to the condition where moisture vapor is turned into water by cooling temperatures — condensation, in simpler terms. While cargo is on the sea, the sun heats the containers in the daytime, and condensation accumulates as the temperatures cool at night. The moisture accumulates mainly at the top of the shipping container, and when temperatures change, it drips on the products.
Causes of Water Damage During Storage
The risk of water damage extends past the post-production and importation stages to the storage and distribution stage. While goods are in the warehouse, various conditions can increase the risk of moisture damage. Some of the main risk factors for water damage in storage include:
- Tiny cracks on the walls and ceilings can allow water to slip in and settle inside the warehouse.
- Burst pipes during extreme weather can cause extreme structural and merchandise damage.
- A malfunctioning HVAC system may prevent proper airflow in a building, causing buildup on the structure that can drip onto your products.
- Accidental fire sprinkler activation caused by extreme freezing temperatures, corrosion, wear and tear can damage products.
- Natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, storm flooding and heavy snow melts are other risk factors for water damage to inventory.
- Port congestion and strained warehouses leading to uncontrolled outdoor storage conditions can also be problematic.
The Effects of Water Damage on Imported Goods
Moisture impacts different types of imported merchandise in various ways. Some of the common ways water or moisture may impact imported goods include:
- Mold and mildew: The most common effects of moisture on imported goods during shipping or storage are mold and mildew. Damp container surfaces, moisture in the air, container condensation and high humidity encourage mold and mildew growth.
- Odors: Moisture accumulated during transit and storage stimulates the growth of odor-producing fungi and bacteria, leaving your products with unpleasant odors.
- Damaged packaging: Excess moisture causes packaging labels to peel, making it difficult to handle, protect and sort packages and account for the contents of your imported goods.
- Water stains: Excess moisture and condensation can result in brownish stains and spots that can set permanently on clothes, footwear, accessories and other fabrics. Stains can also result from hang tags and wet products leaning on each other.
- Impacted goods: Moisture affects the value, quality and functionality of different types of goods. For example, excessive moisture can cause apparel to shrink or stretch, paper and wood to warp, and metal parts to corrode and rust.
Ways to Recover Inventory Impacted by Water Damage
Moisture-impacted products can be recovered at any point, from when they’re still wet to when mold, mildew and stains have set in. If you send the products to Quality Corrections and Inspection fast enough, when they’re still wet, the products can be laundered, reticketed and repackaged. At Quality Corrections and Inspection, we can help you restore and recover different types of inventory, including clothes, shoes, handbags, accessories and leather consumer products.
Our inventory water damage restoration process typically follows the following steps:
- Assessing: This step involves evaluating inventory for the type and extent of water damage on merchandise and determining the best cleaning and remediation technique. The evaluation also involves quality control inspections to ensure the merchandise meets brand requirements and sorting and grading water-impacted products as needed.
- Cleaning and treatment: Most types of water damage, including mold and mildew, require cleaning the products to restore the original condition of the inventory. We have various tools and techniques to launder, spot clean and perform ozone treatments to remove mold, mildew and any accompanying odors. The treatment approach for each project is determined on a case-by-case basis.
- Repairing: We can also conduct repairs as required to return the products to their original state and make them fit for sale. This may include replacing broken, corroded, or poor-quality component parts to ensure products reach clients in the best shape.
- Repackaging: This step involves replacing tissue paper, polybags, hang tags and tickets, making products perfect for display and distribution. Adding desiccants to package goods also helps to prevent the build up of moisture to levels that may result in water damage.
Work With Quality Corrections and Inspections to Restore Water Impacted Consumer Goods
Quality Corrections and Inspections offers a cost-efficient solution to recovering imported merchandise impacted by water. We provide bulk clothing repair services and restore footwear, apparel, accessories and other consumer goods. We have nearly 40 years of experience working with high-volume importers, retailers and distributors looking to restore soiled and water-impacted products to their ready-for-sale state.
Our team has experience with numerous methods, materials, processes, and production equipment to provide cost-effective solutions. We understand restoring inventory is time-sensitive and offer quick turnaround times. Request a free project analysis, or contact us today to speak to our experts about your water-impacted products.
