Padded Mailing Envelopes

Padded envelopes are lightweight and tough mailers that can protect your documents, breakables, and even CDs or DVDs during shipping. These envelopes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors to meet any of your shipping needs. Padded mailing envelopes are basically bubbled mailers that are lined with bubble wrap on the interior and durable material on the exterior.

Padded Mailing Envelope Uses

Padded envelopes are perfect for shipping just about anything, but their primary goal is to protect its contents. Normally you do not need to mail documents in these types of envelopes, but you can if you wish to ensure they arrive without any bends or folds. Padded envelopes can be used to mail CDs and DVDs whether they are in cases or sleeves. Your DVDs and CDs will arrive without a scratch and be ready for playing. When it comes to shipping books, you may want to send them in a padded envelope. This way you can ensure your book will arrive without any bends or scratches and ready for your recipient to read.

Padded envelopes will range anywhere from as small as four inches and up to 18 inches in length. Depending on what you plan to ship, that should determine the size of padded envelope you will require. Padded envelopes are a little bulkier, so if you are shipping an item that measures nine inches in length, be sure to ship it in an envelope that is at least ten inches to ensure there is enough room for the padded envelopes interior. Most people will ship delicate and even glass items in a padded envelope. They protect picture frames and have a tough padding that cannot be punctured no matter how much weight is applied.

Padded Mailing Envelope Size Chart:

TYPE SIZE Suggested Enclosure (varies according to insert thickness)
6 1/4 3.5" x 6" 3.25" x 5.75"
6 3/4 3.625" x 6.5" 3.5" x 6.25"
8 5/8 3.625" x 8.625" 3.5" x 8.375"
7 3.75" x 6.75" 3.5" x 6.5"
Monarch (7 3/4) 3.875" x 7.5" 3.75" x 7.25"
9 3.875" x 8.875" 3.75" x 8.625"
9 (policy) 4" x 9" 3.75" x 8.5"
10 4.125" x 9.5" 4" x 9.25"
DL 4.313" x 8.625" 4.125" x 8.375"
11 4.5" x 10.375" 4.25" x 10.125"
12 4.75" x 11" 4.5" x 10.75"
14 5" x 11.5" 4.75" x 11.25"
16 6" x 12"  
You can find padded mailing envelopes in both non and self-sealing varieties. The self-sealing envelopes are much more convenient than having to search for packing tape and taping shut your mailing items. Though they are more expensive than your traditional envelope, the self-sealing padded envelopes are a perfect addition to make to your shipping stock.

Colored Padded Mailing Envelopes

Many of us assumed that padded envelopes are white or the standard light brown shipping color, but this is not true. You can actually find colored padded mailing envelopes that range from just about any vibrant or pastel shade to even a metallic color. Some companies will offer padded mailing envelopes with pictures and patterns as well. If you are looking for a garden scene on your envelopes, you can certainly find them. When purchasing colored padded envelopes for your business, try purchasing ones that suit your business’s personality or just your own. Make a statement about what you are shipping to the people receiving them.

Bubble Wrap Bags

An alternative to purchasing padded mailing envelopes is the use of bubble wrap bags. These specialty bags are created from fused bubble wrap and can be as small as two inches in diameter and as large as two feet. You can place your wrapped items in boxes, envelopes, or even use them to protect gems for invitations. Bubble wrap bags are perfect for wrapping multiple items that will be shipped in the same bag or container to ensure they do not break during transport. Bubble wrap bags are not meant to be shipped on their own and will require exterior packaging materials prior to shipment. Most bubble wrap bags can be punctured; therefore you will want to ensure you correctly wrap your delicates prior to sending off to the post office.