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Picking the Right Mailer

Picking the Right Mailer

Whether you're a small business owner or the Chief Financial Officer of a Fortune 500 company, there are a few essential tips to keep in mind when considering shipping options. Choosing the right mailer for your items can not only save you time and money, but it can also provide peace of mind as well. But picking the right mailer is about more than finding the right fit. With the cost of shipping continuing to rise, it's more important than ever to know what the best option is for your bottom line. This post will break down the different types of poly mailers on the market, the features different products offer, and whether or not envelope thickness matters.


What's in a Name? 

Before we get started, let's review some packing terms! When searching for the best style envelope, you'll likely come across options for padded envelopes, bubble mailers, poly mailers, and poly bubble mailers. But what's the difference between them? 

A padded envelope, also known as a padded manila envelope, is reinforced with paper or foam on the inside. Padded envelopes are stronger than traditional manila envelopes and are perfect for mailing things such as certificates or documents that you want to make sure don't bend before arrival.

Bubble mailers are a step above padded envelopes in terms of cushioning for the items inside. Bubble mailers are paper envelopes padded with bubble wrap. The size of the bubbles inside varies by product. If you are looking for increased protection, look for bigger bubbles. 


Poly mailers are envelopes made from durable, moisture-resistant polyethylene film - also known as plastic - rather than paper. This type of packing envelope is excellent for shipping clothing and softer items that don't have harsh or pointy corners. Not only are they durable and lightweight, but they are also widely customizable. Businesses can choose from brightly colored poly mailer packages such as pink, turquoise, or purple, or a more neutral option like white or gray. Poly mailers made from clear plastic are also available. These are a fantastic option for companies looking to let their colorful or creative internal packaging make the statement while still protecting their item from damage.


Finally, you have poly bubble mailers. These are a combination between a poly mailer and a bubble mailer and are the perfect solution if you're looking for both personality and durability in your shipping choices. Poly bubble mailers are made with a plastic exterior and padded interior, helping to protect the contents of your package while also promoting your business or adding a pop of color to your customer's day. 


Now that you have a better understanding of the different types of mailing envelopes to choose from let's take a closer look at our main focus today: poly mailer packaging! 


Poly Mailer Features

When comparing shipping methods, there are many reasons to choose a poly mailer. Although many companies have traditionally utilized boxes as their shipping container of choice, if you're shipping something that's not fragile, is it really necessary to deal with the bulky nature of larger shipping packages? Maybe you didn't know there were better options out there, or you didn't realize the cost savings associated with poly mailer packages. Either way, we think you'll like what you hear!


Regardless of your company's size, we know it's essential to cut costs, without cutting corners. Poly mailer packages offer an excellent solution for companies who are looking to save on cost without sacrificing reliability. Poly mailer packages are resistant to water, dirt, tears, and punctures. 


Another two awesome perks of working with poly mailer packages instead of shipping boxes are the amount of time saved during assembly and the space-saving nature of using smaller materials. Many poly mailer packages feature a self-adhesive seal strip closure. This feature not only provides security and confidentiality for the items inside, but that also drastically reduces the time it takes to seal the packaging. No more wasted time messing with unreliable tape dispensers! 


In addition, storing boxes - even when they're broken down - takes up quite a bit of space. Whether you're a small business operating out of less than 500 square feet or a large corporation with access to an entire mailroom, saving space can be essential. Think about it for a second: let's say you're getting ready to mail sweatshirts to five different people. If you're using a traditional shipping box, you'll at least need the sweatshirts, the boxes, and tape. If your boxes are broken down, you'll need space to reassemble the boxes; then you'll need to package each sweatshirt for shipping. 


When you start to think about the amount of space that traditional boxes take up, it's easy to see why using poly mailers can be the perfect solution to a ton of your commercial shipping concerns! 

 Four design poly mailers laying together on a table

The Perfect Package

Poly mailer packages come in a variety of sizes, making them perfect for everything from stickers, magazines, or pens to sweatshirts, kitchen utensils, and even yarn. There are two main styles of poly mailer packages to choose from depending on the item or items you want to ship. Poly mailer packages work best for things that are small to medium in size, not too heavy, and not fragile. Think clothing or jewelry, for example. But those two items represent different ends of the spectrum you must consider when shopping for the best poly mailer package. 


For soft items such as clothing that won't bend or puncture the bag, a poly bag is a great option. There are hundreds of color, size, and style options to choose from, and they're both durable and inexpensive. 


But what if you are shipping something more delicate, such as a piece of jewelry, and want additional peace of mind that it will arrive safely? Research shows that small packages are tossed, dropped, and handled 27 times during a one-way shipment. For clothing or soft items, this won't matter much. But for something more fragile, this could cause a big problem. For jewelry, things that are semi-fragile, or objects with harsher corners, bubble mailers add additional padding and security to ensure nothing breaks in transit. 

 Yellow and metal recycling bins in an outdoor park

Recycling Your Poly Mailers

For those who are looking for an environmentally friendly option, it's important to note that many poly mailer packages are recyclable! Unfortunately, many polyethylene mailers that are in circulation today will end up in landfills. People are often unaware that their poly mailer is recyclable and they don't know how to recycle them! 


Many cities do not accept poly mailer packages through curbside recycling due to the difficulty that facilities have in sorting them. In response, many retail stores have stepped up to serve as drop-off sites. Want to find the nearest drop-off location for your business? Follow this link and enter your zip code for a detailed list!


Another option when thinking about the reduce, reuse, recycle motto of living a more environmentally friendly life is the opportunity to reuse poly mailer packages. In addition to offering a self-seal option for the envelope's initial sealing, there are also poly mailers that feature an additional strip on the inside.


Branding Opportunities

One of the most significant selling points for businesses looking to take advantage of the versatility of poly mailer packages is the opportunity for customization. Brands can choose to have their poly mailer packages custom printed, select from one of the hundreds of pre-printed design options, or choose a neutral-colored poly mailer and then add a decorative label to create a look that entirely their own. 


If you're looking for a way to save on custom printed poly mailer packages but don't want to give up the creative look of your packaging, clear bag poly mailer packages are a great option. Choosing a clear bag enables you to be creative and colorful with your internal packaging and branding while still taking advantage of the durable, waterproof nature of poly mailers. The only things that clear poly mailers lack are confidentiality and padding. However, if those aren't concerns, then clear poly mailers can be a fantastic choice with incredible potential for creative expression. 


Poly Mailer Cautions

Despite being affordable, space-saving, and lightweight, there are a few things to consider when selecting the best poly mailer for your needs. As we mentioned earlier, the poly mailer package is designed to give businesses the best combination of affordability and security. However, not all poly mailer packages are manufactured the same way. If you select an option that's too good to be true in the pricing department, you may find that it arrives at its destination ripped or torn. Since poly mailer envelopes also come in different thicknesses and sizes, it's also crucial to select the appropriate option for your needs. An underfilled poly mailer can easily become snagged in the post office machinery that is used to sort and route packages. Or the mailer can fold, preventing the shipping label from being scanned correctly, leading to delays, or worse, a package that is lost forever. 


Poly Mailer Size Matters

The size of your product is the first thing to consider when searching for the perfect poly mailer. As we mentioned earlier, it's important to ensure that the poly mailer is slightly larger than what you want to ship, but not too oversized as to get caught or snagged in machinery during the shipping process. 


Another size-related consideration to make when purchasing a poly mailer is concerning the internal padding. The usable space inside a bubble poly mailer can be reduced by as much as an inch compared to the outside measurements, so make sure to consider that when selecting the correct size for your business.  


The More You Know

Now that you have an overview of the various qualities of poly mailer packages, here are a few additional takeaways to consider when selecting the best option for your company:

  • Durability:Corrugated cardboard packages feature a stamp certifying their edge crush test or ECT strength. However, there is no standard for establishing the strength of a poly mailer Instead, the durability of poly mailers depends on the material's thickness, the number of layers applied during the manufacturing process, and the way that the seams are attached. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. It's worth investing a few extra pennies if it's the difference between a damaged or lost product and a happy customer. 
  • Tear strip:A designated perforated strip in the bag makes it easier for the customer to retrieve what's inside without having to poke, rip, or needlessly mangle the poly mailer. It also more easily allows for the bag to be reused again. Tear strips go hand in hand with dual peel and stick packages. If the goal is for your poly mailer to be reused — for the option of mailing back a return, for example — it's a good idea to select a mailer with dual peel and stick tear strips.  
  • Release Liner: The release liner is the small strip that is removed from the adhesive before it's attached to close the bag. As we mentioned earlier, choosing poly mailer packages should make things as smooth and seamless as possible, not cause additional headaches. Avoid release liners filled with static. They'll stick to you, stick to your packages, and stick to the floor, making your packaging experience everything but smooth and seamless. 


Last but Not Least

While it's nice to save a few bucks, we can't stress this enough: don't discount the importance of quality when it comes to selecting your poly mailer packages. Delivering your products safely and effectively to your consumers is of the utmost importance. If you're shipping an item that costs $50 and your debate is between a poly mailer priced at 20 cents each or 25 cents each, that's less than 0.1% of the total price of the item. We believe that you'll be much happier knowing your products arrived safely and securely than you will be by saving a few dollars and gambling with your customer's satisfaction. 


At Shop4Mailers, we offer a wide variety of poly mailers, warning bags, shipping labels, and colored and designed poly mailers to suit the needs of every business. Visit our website to learn more about our products and how we can help you make the most of your shipping budget. 

  • Sep 24, 2019
  • Category: News
  • Comments: 0
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