Design notes
Export Week
A practical note on export week for teams preparing wall art files for outside-SA orders and specs.
Large wall-art orders going out of town need better packing notes, clearer artwork labels and proper counts for each carton or crate. Export Week is our note on preparing prints and framed decor for longer-distance dispatch.
Export Week is where file prep meets dispatch prep for wall art leaving South Africa. We note carton counts, frame protection, print orientation and destination markings so the studio, packing bench and courier paperwork match.
Checks before export packing
- Destination and carrier method noted
- One image of packed sample or finished piece attached
- Artwork folder route copied from production system
- Receiver, buyer or warehouse details written clearly
How Export Week works in an actual production week
Export Week deals with the file and spec checks needed when wall art orders are prepared for delivery outside South Africa.
Check print scale, border treatment and frame depth before any crate labels are printed. Orders headed beyond SA often need firmer corner protection, moisture barriers and clearer piece counts per box. Teams in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town also need to flag fragile glazing, rolled prints and split shipments before collection is booked.
Keep the first packing photo with the job record. A quick image of labels, wrap method and carton numbering helps when a buyer asks which piece sat in which box. That reference is useful when matching a reprint to an earlier export batch.
What the team records
The outcome is a dispatch note that names each artwork correctly and ties it to size, finish and packed quantity. Export Week also captures whether work leaves flat, rolled or framed. Fewer loose descriptions at this stage mean fewer mistakes when stock is scanned or unpacked at the far end.
Pair Export Week with the matching Substrates note and one Design notes entry before adding more items to the shipment. Then verify artwork names, outer labels and packed totals one last time before handover. Share a photo of the space and the print finish you like, and the studio will plan the piece.
- Wall art grouped by destination and order code
- First packed unit photographed with label visible
- Direct updates by email from the team
Dispatch conditions in South Africa
Export jobs often move through OR Tambo freight channels or Gauteng collection points before leaving the country. That means carton labelling, dimension checks and document copies must be ready ahead of pickup windows. Where a décor rollout is partly complete, list urgent replacement prints separately from the main export consignment.
Coastal humidity can affect wrapped frames, paper goods and certain protective tapes during staging. Inland dust shows up quickly on acrylic faces and dark mounts, so cleaning instructions should be set before sealing cartons. Load-shedding can interrupt print finishing, which is why file approval and packing notes should be closed off early.
Operated by Astros Marketing (Pty) Ltd from 2 Makro Place, Sunnyrock 1401.
Notes to file during Export Week
A practical note on export week for teams preparing wall art files for outside-SA orders and specs.
Capture this note while the artwork list, buyer approval and dispatch counts are still easy to verify. Add it to the job brief with frame specs, print references and carton totals. When sign-off is requested, the team can then check one record instead of chasing details across separate messages.