Custom Mailer Box Design Inspiration

If you want your product to be instantly recognizable from every angle, design consistency is key. To make a lasting impression on your customers, you have to consider your product’s design from every angle — from the product’s shape, size, and material to the custom mailer box design. Today’s innovative packaging solutions are vast, giving you a wide range of options no matter your style, budget, or ethos. Not only do mailer boxes and poly mailers protect your products during shipment, but they also serve as blank canvases on which you can showcase your brand’s unique personality. 

Types of Branded Mailers

Custom Mailer Boxes

Custom mailer boxes are a popular choice for product brands due to their availability, versatility, and stability. These boxes are tailor-made to your specifications, allowing for full creative freedom in terms of size, shape, color, and branding elements.

Advantages of Custom Mailer Boxes

1. Branding Opportunity: The entire exterior and interior of the box can be customized with your logo, messaging, and brand colors. Custom mailer boxes convey a professional appearance, enhancing the perceived value of your products.
2. Protection: They provide excellent protection for fragile or valuable items, minimizing the risk of damage during shipping
3. Versatility: Custom boxes come in various sizes and shapes, making them suitable for a wide range of products, from small electronics to clothing to gourmet food items.

Disadvantages of Custom Mailer Boxes

1. Cost: Custom boxes tend to be more expensive than alternatives in terms of material costs, customization fees, and shipping expenses. The cost of boxes will likely start at a few bucks per box, depending on your quantity, print finish, material, and ink.
2. Storage Space: Custom mailer boxes take up more storage space in your warehouse compared to flat-packed or soft mailer options.
   

   Use Cases for Custom Mailer Boxes

   Custom mailer boxes have a wide range of uses, including:

   • Arts and crafts
   • Clothing and apparel
   • Gourmet, non-refrigerated food items
   • Health and beauty products
   • Holiday gifting and promotional items
   • Home and lifestyle products
   • Jewelry
   • Small electronics
   • Subscription boxes
   • Toys and games

Poly Mailers

Poly mailers are a lightweight, flexible, and cost-effective option for shipping non-fragile items. They are typically made from polyethylene plastic and are tear, tamper, and waterproof to secure the safety of non-fragile products. Poly mailers are available in a variety of sizes and can be customized.

Advantages of Poly Mailers

• Affordability: They are more cost-effective than custom boxes. The cost per unit starts easily under $1 per mailer, and their lightweight material keeps shipping costs low.
• Versatility: Poly mailers come in various sizes and are suitable for shipping a wide range of non-fragile items, including clothing, soft goods, and lightweight products.
• Durability: They are water-resistant and tear-resistant, ensuring that your products reach customers in good condition.
• Storage Efficiency: Poly mailers are flat and take up less storage space compared to larger, rigid mailers, which can be especially beneficial for businesses with limited storage capacity.

Disadvantages of Poly Mailers

1. Limited Branding: While you can print your logo and some branding elements on poly mailers, they offer less branding space compared to custom mailer boxes, which may result in a less memorable unboxing experience.
2. Product Protection: Poly mailers may not provide as much protection for fragile or valuable items compared to custom boxes or padded mailers.
3. Environmental Concerns: Although some poly mailers are made from recycled materials, they are typically not as eco-friendly as custom boxes or kraft mailers, which may not align with sustainability goals.

Use Cases for Poly Mailers

Custom poly mailers are ideal for:

• Apparel
• Books and magazines
• Craft supplies
• Electronics accessories
• Educational materials
• Fashion accessories
• Linens and upholstery
• Non-perishable food items
• Photographs and prints
• Small non-fragile home and kitchen items
• Stationery and office supplies
• Textiles and fabric
• Toys and games

Eco-Friendly Kraft Mailers

Kraft mailers, often known as eco-mailers, are an environmentally friendly packaging choice. These mailers are typically made from recycled materials and can be customized with your brand’s logo and messaging. Kraft mailers are a suitable packaging option for various products, particularly those that are lightweight, non-fragile, and do not require extensive protection during shipping.

Advantages of Kraft Mailers

• Eco-Friendly: They align with your brand’s sustainability goals and appeal to environmentally conscious customers.
• Customizable: You can print your branding elements using eco-friendly inks.
• Strength: Despite their eco-friendly nature, kraft mailers are sturdy and durable.

Disadvantages of Kraft Mailers

1. Limited Protection: Kraft mailers are generally not as protective as other packaging options like custom boxes or bubble mailers. They lack built-in cushioning or padding, which may leave the contents vulnerable to damage during transit, especially for fragile items.
2. Size and Shape Constraints: Kraft mailers are typically available in standard sizes and shapes. This can be limiting if you need custom packaging to accommodate specific product dimensions, leading to less efficient packaging for oddly shaped or larger items.
3. Branding Space: While you can print your branding elements on kraft mailers, they offer less branding space and customization compared to custom mailer boxes. This limitation may result in a less visually striking unboxing experience, which can impact brand recognition. If you have intricate or colorful branding designs, the limited printing capabilities of kraft mailers might not meet your needs.
4. Moisture Susceptibility: Kraft mailers are susceptible to moisture and water damage, which can affect the contents if exposed to rain or high humidity during transit. This is especially important to consider if you’re shipping products that can be easily damaged by water.
5. Cost: Kraft mailers may be more expensive than standard poly mailers, which could impact your packaging budget. The use of eco-friendly materials and printing methods can add to the production costs.
6. Not Ideal for Heavy Items: Kraft mailers are best suited for lightweight or moderately weighted items. Shipping heavy or dense products in kraft mailers may result in structural integrity issues and potential damage during transit.

Use Cases for Kraft Mailers

• Apparel
• Books and magazines
• Craft supplies
• Electronics accessories
• Educational materials
• Fashion accessories
• Linens and upholstery
• Non-perishable food items
• Photographs and prints
• Small non-fragile home and kitchen items
• Stationery and office supplies
• Textiles and fabric
• Toys and games

Rigid Mailers

Rigid mailers, also known as rigid envelope mailers or document mailers, are perfect for shipping flat, delicate items like prints, photographs, or documents. These mailers are made from thick, rigid paperboard, which provides protection against bending or damage.

Advantages of Rigid Mailers

• Flat Items: Ideal for shipping flat items that need extra protection.
• Professional Appearance: Gives off a professional, sleek appearance.
• Customizable: You can customize the exterior with your branding.

Disadvantages of Rigid Mailers

• Limited size and thickness: Rigid mailers come in specific sizes and thicknesses. If your item is too thick or large to fit within the dimensions of the mailer, you may need to consider alternative packaging solutions. The inflexible, fixed closer mechanism also makes them unsuitable for bulky or three-dimentional items. 
• Limited Cushioning: Rigid mailers provide protection against bending and creasing, but they typically do not offer the same level of cushioning and shock absorption as padded mailers or boxes with internal padding. This can be a disadvantage for fragile items.
• Limited Customization: Rigid mailers typically offer limited customization options compared to custom packaging solutions like branded boxes. This can limit your ability to showcase your branding or promotional materials.

Use Cases for Rigid Mailers

Rigid mailers are ideal for shipping items that require protection from bending, folding, or creasing during transit, such as:

• Art prints and posters
• Calendars
• CDs & DVDs
• Collectible cards
• Documents and certificates
• Educational materials
• Game boards and puzzles
• Labels and stickers
• Maps
• Photographs
• Spare parts and small electronic components
• Thin books and magazines
• Thin textile samples
• Vinyl records

Bubble Mailers

Bubble mailers are similar to poly mailers but have an added layer of bubble wrap inside for extra cushioning. They are perfect for shipping delicate items that require protection from shock and vibrations.

Use Cases for Bubble Mailers

• Beauty and personal care products
• Books and magazines
• Clothing and apparel
• Collectibles
• Educational materials
• Media storage devices
• Office and school supplies
• Small electronics accessories
• Textile and fabric
• Toys and small gifts

Advantages of Bubble Mailers

• Protection: The built-in bubble wrap provides excellent protection for fragile items.
• Lightweight: They are lightweight, which helps keep shipping costs low.
• Variety: Bubble mailers come in various sizes to accommodate different products.

Disadvantages of Bubble Mailers

1. Limited Protection for Fragile Items: While bubble mailers provide cushioning and protection against minor impacts, they may not offer sufficient protection for extremely fragile or delicate items, such as glassware or ceramics. For such items, additional padding or a sturdier packaging option may be necessary.
2. Size Constraints: Bubble mailers come in various sizes, but they have limits in terms of dimensions and capacity. Shipping very large or bulky items in bubble mailers may not be feasible.
3. Less Eco-Friendly: Many bubble mailers contain a combination of materials, including plastic bubble wrap and paper. This makes them less eco-friendly compared to fully paper-based or fully recyclable packaging options.
4. Not Suitable for Heavy Items: Bubble mailers are primarily designed for lightweight to moderately weighted items. Using them for heavy products can lead to damage and potential tearing during transit.