Poly mailer
Poly film200 minimum · 10 to 12 business daysA poly mailer is a flexible, water resistant shipping bag made from 2.5 or 3 mil polyethylene film with a permanent peel and seal strip. Recycled-content film is available on request, with documentation supplied with the quote, and they print up to three colors flexo. We produce them from 200 units in 10 to 12 business days after proof. The most common sizes are 10 by 13 and 12 by 15.5 inches.
When to choose it, and when not to
Choose a poly mailer for anything soft and light that ships often: apparel, prints in a tube, small accessories, a subscription refill. It weighs almost nothing, so it stays inside the lowest carrier weight band, and it shrugs off rain on a doorstep. A one color logo on matte black or white is enough to look intentional. The returns strip is worth adding for any apparel brand that offers free exchanges.
Choose a compostable mailer when your customers care about plastic and you can back the claim with the right disposal path. Choose an apparel mailer box when the item needs to arrive without creases or when the unboxing is part of the brand, because a bag gives no structure.
Specifications
| Film | 2.5 or 3 mil polyethylene; recycled-content film available on request, documentation supplied with the quote |
|---|---|
| One to three color flexo, outside only | |
| Finish | Matte white, matte black or natural gray film |
| Closure | Permanent peel and seal strip, 1.5 inch lip |
| Insert | Optional second peel strip for returns |
| Tear strip | Optional perforated tear strip across the top |
| Minimum | 200 units |
| Lead time | 10 to 12 business days after proof |
| Ships | Flat, in packs of 100 |
| Sizes we run | 6 x 9 in 10 x 13 in 12 x 15.5 in 14.5 x 19 in 19 x 24 in any size from 6 x 9 to 24 x 36 in |
Materials that suit it
Questions people ask
2.5 mil or 3 mil?
2.5 mil is the standard and covers a tee, a scarf or a folded hoodie without trouble. 3 mil is for anything with an edge that might punch through, such as a hardback book, a boxed candle or a bag with hardware. The 3 mil film is about 20 percent heavier, which matters only on very large sizes.
Can I print on both sides?
Yes. Flexo prints each face separately, so a logo on the front and a pattern or a returns message on the back is one plate per color per face. We print outside only. Coverage beyond about 60 percent of a face on dark film is where cost climbs, so keep large fills to one side.
What is a returns strip?
A second peel and seal strip below the first, so the customer can reuse the same bag to send an exchange back. It adds a little to the lip length and nothing to the lead time. If you offer free exchanges on apparel, it saves you buying a separate return mailer.
Is the film recycled?
Recycled-content film is available on request, and the documentation for the exact film, including its recycled share, is supplied with the quote. Polyethylene film can usually go to store drop-off film recycling. It is not curbside recyclable in most areas. We print a store drop-off mark on request and will not print a wider recycling claim without checking your program.
Will a poly mailer protect the contents?
It keeps water out and hides what is inside, and that is all. It gives no crush protection. For soft goods that is fine. For anything rigid or fragile, put it in a carton or a padded sleeve first, or use a mailer box, and the poly mailer becomes the outer wet-weather layer.
How is a poly mailer different from a printed poly bag?
A poly mailer is the shipping bag: opaque 2.5 or 3 mil polyethylene, a permanent peel and seal strip, an optional second strip for returns, and up to three colors of flexo outside. It goes through a carrier on its own. A printed poly bag is the thinner 1.5 to 2 mil LDPE bag, clear or frosted, with a self-seal strip or zip, used to protect folded apparel or small goods inside a box or on a shelf. The mailer starts at 200 units in 10 to 12 business days after proof; the poly bag at 500 units in 8 to 10 business days. Many apparel brands use both, the bag inside the mailer.
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Ready to price your poly mailer?
Send the size and quantity for a quote and a dieline, usually within one business day. Your digital proof follows, usually within one business day of your artwork. Design help and the Swatch Book of materials are free.