A cushioned wafer container system for transporting large-diameter wafers, the system comprising: a wafer container enclosure configured to contain a plurality of semiconductor wafers, each wafer including a wafer periphery defining a first, second, third, and fourth quadrant, the wafer container defining a front opening and comprising a rear wall, and a plurality of wafer supports defining a plurality of slots for receiving edge portions of a plurality of wafers, the wafer supports supporting a first portion of a first quadrant periphery of the wafer and a first portion of a fourth quadrant periphery of the wafer; a front door configured to be attached to the wafer enclosure at the front opening and defining a front side and a rear side, the rear side presenting itself to an interior of the wafer enclosure; a primary wafer cushion (88, 90) coupled to a rear side of the front door at a central portion of the front door, the primary wafer cushion (88, 90) defining a plurality of wafer grooves configured to receive and support a second portion of the first quadrant periphery of the wafer and a second portion of the fourth quadrant periphery of the wafer, each of the grooves of the primary wafer cushion (88, 90) aligned with a slot of the wafer supports; characterized by the fact that the system comprises removable shipping cushions; a first removable shipping cushion attachable to the rear side of the front door adjacent a first side of the primary wafer cushion (88, 90), the first removable shipping cushion defining a plurality of wafer-receiving grooves in alignment with the grooves of the primary wafer cushions (88, 90) and the wafer support slots, the first removable shipping cushion configured to support a third portion of the first quadrant periphery of the wafer; and a second removable shipping cushion attachable to the rear side of the front door adjacent a second side of the primary wafer cushion (88, 90), the second removable shipping cushion defining a plurality of wafer-receiving grooves in alignment with the grooves of the primary wafer cushions and the wafer support slots, the second removable shipping cushion configured to support a third portion of the fourth quadrant periphery of the wafer, whereby the wafer container is adapted for both being used with the first removable shipping cushion and second removable shipping cushion not present and for being used with the first removable shipping cushion and second removable shipping cushion attached when the wafer container with wafers therein will be shipped. a wafer container enclosure configured to contain a plurality of semiconductor wafers, each wafer including a wafer periphery defining a first, second, third, and fourth quadrant, the wafer container defining a front opening and comprising a rear wall, and a plurality of wafer supports defining a plurality of slots for receiving edge portions of a plurality of wafers, the wafer supports supporting a first portion of a first quadrant periphery of the wafer and a first portion of a fourth quadrant periphery of the wafer; a front door configured to be attached to the wafer enclosure at the front opening and defining a front side and a rear side, the rear side presenting itself to an interior of the wafer enclosure; a primary wafer cushion (88, 90) coupled to a rear side of the front door at a central portion of the front door, the primary wafer cushion (88, 90) defining a plurality of wafer grooves configured to receive and support a second portion of the first quadrant periphery of the wafer and a second portion of the fourth quadrant periphery of the wafer, each of the grooves of the primary wafer cushion (88, 90) aligned with a slot of the wafer supports; characterized by the fact that the system comprises removable shipping cushions; a first removable shipping cushion attachable to the rear side of the front door adjacent a first side of the primary wafer cushion (88, 90), the first removable shipping cushion defining a plurality of wafer-receiving grooves in alignment with the grooves of the primary wafer cushions (88, 90) and the wafer support slots, the first removable shipping cushion configured to support a third portion of the first quadrant periphery of the wafer; and a second removable shipping cushion attachable to the rear side of the front door adjacent a second side of the primary wafer cushion (88, 90), the second removable shipping cushion defining a plurality of wafer-receiving grooves in alignment with the grooves of the primary wafer cushions and the wafer support slots, the second removable shipping cushion configured to support a third portion of the fourth quadrant periphery of the wafer, whereby the wafer container is adapted for both being used with the first removable shipping cushion and second removable shipping cushion not present and for being used with the first removable shipping cushion and second removable shipping cushion attached when the wafer container with wafers therein will be shipped.