Custom Mailer Boxes

How a mailer folds from one blank

One flat blank, die cut so the walls roll up and the lid tucks into the front. No glue, no tape.

The shape is called a roll end tuck front, and it is what almost every custom mailer uses. It assembles in seconds and holds itself shut without a sealing step.

Because it comes from a single blank, tooling is one cutting die and the box ships flat, so storage and inbound freight cost far less than a rigid box of the same size.

E-flute or B-flute?

E-flute prints better and costs less. B-flute cushions more. Pick on contents, not on price.

E-flute is around 1.5mm thick, creases cleanly and suits slim, light contents: apparel, cosmetics, books, accessories.

B-flute is closer to 3mm and resists crushing, which matters for heavier or more fragile goods. It also takes more storage space and shows more washboarding under solid ink. Tell us what goes inside and we suggest the flute to match.

• E-flute: about 1.5mm, sharper print, less bulk
• B-flute: about 3mm, better protection, more storage

Why the right size saves twice

An oversized box is paid for twice: once in board, and again on every parcel you ship.

Carriers bill on dimensional weight as well as actual weight. The parcel's volume converts to a billed weight, and whichever figure is higher is the one charged, so empty space costs money on every shipment.

A box sized with 5-10mm of clearance around the product needs less void fill and moves less in transit. Our guide to reducing packaging costs works through the arithmetic.

Mailer box or shipping box?

A mailer is made to be opened by a customer. A shipper is made to survive a warehouse.

Mailers are printed inside and out and sized around one product or order profile. Shipping cartons have flaps that meet in the middle, get taped shut, and are usually plain or one colour.

The shipper is cheaper per unit and better for heavy, mixed or bulk contents. Plenty of brands use both: mailers for customer orders, shippers for wholesale and restocking.

Printing inside and out

Inside print costs less than most people expect, because it happens in the same pass as the outside.

The blank is printed flat, so a single colour or a simple pattern on the inside reads as deliberate without paying for full coverage.

Kraft board changes colours. Inks sit on a brown base, so everything reads darker and less saturated, and pale tones disappear. Where a brand colour has to be exact on kraft, a white underprint is the usual answer, and it has to be specified before proofing.

Mailer box or shipping box?

A mailer is the right pick for light, regular orders. A double-wall shipping box is the right pick once the contents are dense enough to crush a tuck front or burst the corners.

Weight is the honest limit of a single-wall mailer. Anything substantial travels better in a double-wall shipping box with an insert. Send us the weight of your heaviest order and we tell you which of the two it needs.

Mailers are also a poor fit for long, thin products, and for orders whose contents change constantly. A fixed size only saves money while the contents stay roughly the same.