The International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) pioneered the concept of wooden shipping crate performance testing and certification over 60 years ago and today their test procedures, standards and certification programs are at the forefront of Responsible Transport Packaging.
ISTA
The ISTA is an global organization focused on the specific concerns of transport packaging. ISTA members include:
- Shippers who manufacture and distribute products
- Carriers who provide the distribution means
- Organizations that supply wooden shipping crate materials and services
- Testing laboratories that perform packaged-product performance tests
The ISTA Mission is to develop and deliver standards, tools and educational programs for the economic, social and environmental optimization of wooden shipping crate systems.
Types of ISTA Testing
The ISTA has two types of tests:
- Performance Tests result in a Pass/Fail assessment and are used to determine the viability of a packaged-product to survive normal shipment.
- Development Tests compare relative performance of two or more designs or the same design from different suppliers.
The ISTA has four basic categories of hazards that may occur during distribution:
- Shock
- Vibration
- Compression
- Atmospheric
Each hazard category has a major test category associated with it and there are 13 associated test types.
Guidelines for Test Selection
The Guidelines are intended to provide the user of ISTA® Test Procedures and Projects and other ISTA documents with insight and information on the protocols, and what factors to consider in selection, use, and results interpretation.
Click here to download the Guidelines
Find a testing lab
If your near Valley Box in San Diego you can find a local lab to drop test your package.
Otherwise use the ISTA's helpful "Find a Lab" tool to locate a certified testing facility.
