How to Ship Items in Envelopes

January 04 2023, by Jo Hilton
3 min reading time

What starts with an ‘e’, ends with an ‘e’ but contains only one letter? It's envelopes, of course.

Not anymore. This old riddle’s a good one, but it’s outdated. Nowadays, it pays to use an envelope to send a whole host of items; it’s far less expensive in terms of postal costs and also, they’re just so easy to pack. And by all means still put letters in them, but don’t forget how good they are for books, magazine subscriptions and even more fragile items such as vinyl. Envelopes have even come into their own in the fashion and beauty industry; they’re perfect for small clothing items, jewellery, make-up and accessories and can be plain (if you’re sending a t-shirt for example) or padded (if your product needs more protection).

If you still need more of an idea as to which items can easily go through the post in an envelope and which might – after consideration – be better in some kind of box, then check out this article by The Packaging Club here.

Ecom envelopes are great for shipping flat items

But, without further ado, here are our top tips for how to ship items in envelopes:

Always choose an envelope that’s just a fraction larger than the item you’re sending.
If you’re dispatching something with an unusual shape, something that’s relatively fragile or has any sharp edges, use a padded envelope (this particular one replaces the traditional bubble mailer with something more environmentally friendly).
And speaking of the environment, whether you’re using a padded envelope or not, make sure your envelopes have been manufactured sustainably – your customers will want to know if they can be reused, recycled, composted or all three.
If an order is made up of more than one item, choose an envelope with expandable capacity creases or a variable height option.
Although the chances of weather damage are low, if you are worried about rain or inclement weather go for an envelope that’s water resistant.
Peel and seal envelopes will make packing a piece of cake and unpacking practically a joy.
Have an item to send that’s flat, but particularly fragile? An envelope made from toughened corrugated cardboard means that the chances of damage in transit are reduced even further – to practically zero.
Give some thought to having your envelopes printed with your company’s logo and message; it’s a really cost-effective, straightforward way both of raising your brand’s profile and enriching your customers’ unpacking experience.

Once you’ve ascertained that the humble envelope is suitable packaging for your product, one further bonus is that it’s letterbox friendly. This makes things even more efficient and convenient.

The envelope’s basic design might not have changed much, but small, significant tweaks have led to their evolution; it’s true, they have one job, but they do the job exceptionally well.

Enable your ecommerce business to push the envelope with the right envelope. Talk to The Packaging Club today about how we can help you fulfil your fulfilment obligations.