Custom apparel packaging: which box, mailer, bag and tissue to order
For apparel shipped direct to customers, the strongest default is a low-profile E-flute mailer box with printed tissue inside; Tria makes the apparel mailer from 200 units in 10 to 14 business days after proof, and tissue from 200 sheets. Use a poly mailer when the garment is low cost and the volume is high, a rigid box when the box is part of what the customer pays for, and a merch bag or euro tote when the garment is handed over in person.
Match the package to how the garment leaves you
| Situation | Package | Tria minimum | Lead time after proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online orders, tees and knits | Apparel mailer box or t-shirt packaging | 200 units | 10 to 14 business days |
| High-volume basics | Poly mailer, 2.5 or 3 mil | 200 units | 10 to 12 business days |
| Garments shipped on the hanger | Garment bag | 250 units | 8 to 10 business days |
| Gifting and premium pieces | Magnetic closure or collapsible rigid box | 200 units | 12 to 14 or 10 to 14 business days |
| Shoes, hats, ties | Shoe box, hat box, tie box | 200, 200 and 300 units | 12 to 14, 12 to 14 and 10 to 12 business days |
| In-store and events | Merch bag or laminated euro tote | 200 units | 10 to 12 or 10 to 14 business days |
The mailer box: size it to the folded garment
An apparel mailer box is usually 2 to 3 inches deep. A men's medium tee folded in thirds is about 11 by 8 inches and half an inch thick, so a 12 by 9 by 2 inch box takes one tee with tissue, or two stacked. A hoodie folds to about 12 by 9 by 2.5 and needs 13 by 10 by 3. Past 4 inches deep the box stops being low profile and a standard mailer is a better shape. For a single thin shirt, our t-shirt packaging is the flattest format.
A low box is stiffer than a tall one because its walls are short, and E-flute at 32 ECT carries a garment easily. White prints color accurately; kraft reads workwear or vintage and hides scuffs. Both take one color flexo or full color digital at the same lead time.
Poly mailers: when they are the right answer
A poly mailer keeps water out and hides what is inside, and that is all it does. For basics that ship by the thousand and that nobody films opening, it is the sensible choice: light, cheap to ship and stored in a drawer. Add a second peel strip if you offer exchanges, so the customer can reuse the bag. Recycled-content film is available on request with documentation supplied with the quote. Polyethylene film can usually go to store drop-off, not curbside.
Rigid boxes for premium pieces
A magnetic closure box on 1000 to 1500 gsm board is the box people keep, and it suits knitwear, scarves, accessories and anything sold as a gift. It arrives built, so storage space is the hidden cost; a collapsible rigid box ships flat and takes about a tenth of the space. For gift boxes that travel by carrier, ship them inside an outer shipper.
The presentation layer
Printed tissue is the one add-on we suggest for nearly every apparel box, because it is the first thing seen when the lid lifts: 17 gsm, one or two colors, closed with a sticker. A 350 gsm thank you card and a hang tag finish it. Tissue, cards and belly bands ship flat with the boxes.
Planning for a range of sizes
Do not make a box for every product. Lay out your range by folded size and cover it with two or three box sizes, sharing one artwork. Whether several artworks can share one minimum is confirmed on the quote, so ask before you split a run.
Claims on apparel packaging
An uncoated kraft mailer recycles as mixed paper; a soft-touch laminated one does not. A poly mailer needs a store drop-off qualifier rather than a recycling symbol. Before printing any environmental line, read our eco packaging claims guide.
This is packaging guidance, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
What size box fits a folded t-shirt?
A men's medium tee folded in thirds is about 11 by 8 inches and half an inch thick. A 12 by 9 by 2 inch box takes one tee with tissue, or two stacked. A hoodie needs about 13 by 10 by 3 inches. Send us the garment and we measure it folded.
Poly mailer or mailer box for apparel?
Use a poly mailer for low-cost, high-volume basics where the opening is not part of the brand. Use a mailer box when the garment must arrive without creases or the unboxing matters, since a bag gives no structure. Both start at 200 units with us.
Can tissue, stickers and cards come in the same order as the boxes?
Yes. Printed 17 gsm tissue, stickers, a 350 gsm thank you card and belly bands can be quoted with the boxes and ship flat alongside them. Each has its own minimum, mostly 200, and its own lead time.
Do rigid boxes ship flat?
Standard rigid boxes such as the magnetic closure box arrive built, so plan for storage space. The collapsible rigid box ships flat and snaps up into a magnetic closure box at your bench, taking about a tenth of the storage.
Which guide covers mailer choice in more detail?
Read poly vs bubble vs rigid mailers to choose between soft mailers, and white vs kraft mailer box to choose the board color. This guide is the overview for apparel brands.