Polythene Mailing Bags

What is a polythene mailing bag?

A polythene mailing bag is a lightweight, opaque despatch bag with a self-adhesive strip along the flap. You drop the item in, peel the liner off the strip and press the flap down, and the bag is sealed for good. Because the seal is permanent, an attempt to open the bag in transit leaves visible damage to the film.

Mailing bags suit soft, non-fragile goods such as clothing, textiles, printed matter and small accessories. They weigh far less than a box, take up almost no space in a stockroom until they are filled, and need no void fill. We extrude the film and convert the bags at our Blackburn factory in gauges from 55 to 90 micron.

What gauge do I need for mailing bags?

Gauge on a mailing bag balances the weight of the item against the handling the parcel will take. Film around the 55 micron end suits a single garment, printed matter or a small soft item going through a standard postal network. Film towards 90 micron suits multi-item orders, bulkier clothing and anything travelling through a courier network where parcels get thrown and stacked.

If you are not sure, tell us what goes in the bag, roughly what it weighs and which carrier you use, and we will recommend a gauge. We manufacture mailing bags across the 55 to 90 micron range, so moving up or down a step on a repeat order is straightforward if the first specification is not quite right.

Can mailing bags be printed with my branding?

Yes. Mailing bags are printed to your artwork as part of the manufacturing run, so the ink sits on the film rather than on a label stuck to it and cannot lift or peel in a sorting office. A logo, return address block, recycling message, handling instruction or batch panel can all go on the bag face. Send your artwork with your enquiry and we will confirm how it lays out on the bag size you have chosen.

Mailing bags can also be supplied in a plain coloured film with no print at all, which is a cheaper way of getting a consistent look across your despatches. Grey and white are the common choices, and we extrude to a specific colour if you need one to match your brand.

How are mailing bags supplied?

Mailing bags are supplied flat, boxed or on pallets, counted and packed so a packing bench can be restocked quickly. Tell us how your packing area works when you order and we will pack to counts that suit it rather than to an arbitrary box quantity.

Standard specifications are quicker to get hold of. Bespoke sizes, colours and printed runs are typically 2 to 3 weeks, and quicker again on a repeat of a specification we have already made for you. Minimum order quantity depends on the size and gauge, because the film is extruded before it is converted into bags, and we will confirm the minimum for your specification when we quote.

Common applications for mailing bags

• Online clothing and fashion retail
• Book, print and stationery despatch
• Subscription boxes and soft goods
• Returns and exchange packaging
• Third party logistics and fulfilment houses
• Charity and mail order despatch
• Textiles and homeware

Questions

Mailing bags FAQs

Are polythene mailing bags tamper evident?

Yes. The peel and seal strip forms a permanent bond, so the flap cannot be lifted and re-closed without leaving visible damage to the film. That gives the recipient a clear sign if a parcel has been interfered with on its way to them. It also means the bag is single use, so tell us at the enquiry stage if you need to handle returns and we will talk through the options.

What is the difference between a mailing bag and a polythene bag?

A mailing bag is a despatch bag: opaque so the contents cannot be seen, fitted with a permanent adhesive strip along the flap, and made in gauges from 55 to 90 micron to survive a postal or courier network. A general polythene bag is usually clear, open topped, and made for storing, lining or packing an item rather than posting it on its own. If the bag is travelling through the post with nothing around it, you want a mailing bag.

Will a mailing bag protect my product without a box?

For soft, non-fragile goods, yes. Clothing, textiles and printed matter travel well in a mailing bag because there is nothing rigid to crack and the film flexes rather than splitting. Anything with sharp corners, hard edges or fragile parts is better in a heavier gauge bag or a box with a liner. Tell us what you are sending and we will recommend a gauge, or say if a mailing bag is the wrong format for it.

Can you print a return address and recycling message on the bag?

Yes. Anything supplied as artwork can be printed on the bag face during manufacture, including a return address block, recycling instructions, handling notes, warning text and your logo. Print on the film is more durable than a stuck-on label because it cannot peel away in transit. Send us your artwork with your enquiry and we will confirm what fits on your chosen bag size.