Shipping with Mailer Bags: Everything You Need To Know

14 Jul.,2025

 

Shipping with Mailer Bags: Everything You Need To Know

As the eCommerce industry grows, there has been an increased focus on keeping costs down. 

Mingyi supply professional and honest service.

Margins have always been tight in retail, and with logistics and shipping, eCommerce is similar. 

The type of packaging used to send items to customers can have a significant cost and significantly impact bottom lines for businesses. 

For eCommerce companies looking to get a positive return on customer acquisition costs, shipping might be the primary way to accomplish that. 

The right packaging needs to balance function with form. 

The packaging should be affordable and protective enough to keep the item from getting damaged while in transit while still providing the customer with a great experience when they receive the product.

It’s not always easy to strike that balance, but many types of packaging options should be considered for this. 

Cardboard boxes have primarily dominated the packaging industry and have been used across different types of products. 

However, cardboard boxes are not always feasible depending on the type of product and may end up incurring more costs in the long run. 

For example, if the box is too big for the item, there is a risk of paying more in shipping costs while not being protective enough. 

Similarly, if the cardboard box is too small, there is a risk of damaging the item. 

However, mailer bags can offer a lot in this context and have become a strong packaging option in eCommerce as an alternative to cardboard boxes. 

Poly mailers are an economical yet protective form of packaging that can prove incredibly cost-efficient for eCommerce.

What are Mailer Bags?

So what exactly are poly mailers? 

Poly mailers are lightweight plastic bags sturdy enough to ship light items. 

Poly mailers are self-sealing and do not require additional packing materials such as tape or stickers. 

This type of packaging is best used for light but not fragile items. Because they take up less space in carriers and cargos compared to other box styles, they are easier to transport and cost less to ship – the lack of bulk works in their favor!

There are four different kinds of poly mailers available:

  • Regular poly mailers: Standard poly mailers with no bubble padding. The most lightweight and flexible option available is best suited for items such as apparel that don’t need lots of protection.
  • Bubble padded poly mailers: These are poly mailers with bubble wrap on the inside to provide extra cushioning to protect the items inside
  • Eco-friendly Paper mailers: Poly mailers are in the midst of evolution with new, eco-friendly options, such as biodegradable or recycled poly mailers.

Quick facts about poly mailers

  • Poly mailers are a very common packaging option and can easily be found in retail stores, post offices, and other stores where you purchase packaging.
  • If you are seeking eco-friendly poly mailers, many suppliers offer sustainable options. You can also approach packaging experts to understand different options and create custom-branded sustainable poly mailers.
  • Poly mailers are available in various custom shapes and sizes to accommodate your products in the most effective way possible. 
  • For items that do not fill up the entire bag and require additional protection, you can use additional paddings such as bubble wrap and packing peanuts. 

Eco-Friendly Mailer Bag Alternatives

As an eCommerce business, you know that packaging is essential to the success of your business. 

But many traditional mailers are made from non-eco-friendly materials like plastic that can take hundreds of years to decompose. 

Thankfully there are alternatives to traditional poly mailers that are both sustainable and cost-effective.

Compostable Mailers 

Compostable mailers are one of the most popular eco friendly alternatives to traditional poly mailers. 

Compostable mailers are made from 100% biodegradable and compostable materials like cornstarch, plant starch, and paper pulp. 

Not only do these materials break down quickly and easily, they also produce fewer emissions during production than traditional plastic materials. 

Additionally, compostable mailers require less energy to produce than their plastic counterparts, making them a more eco-friendly choice for your shipping needs.  

 Kraft Mailer Bags 

If you’re looking for something an eco-friendly yet sturdy mailer option, then kraft mailer bags may be the right option for you. 

Kraft paper bags are made from 100% all-natural kraft paper and provide superior durability compared to regular paper bags or envelopes. 

They’re also lightweight which helps reduce shipping costs as well as environmental impacts since they require less energy to produce than heavier materials like plastic or metal. 

Plus they look great too!  

What Products are best for Mailers?

Many eCommerce brands have successfully switched to poly mailers for shipping their products to customers.

 Ideally, items packed in a poly mailer should be able to withstand rough handling (e.g., being loaded and unloaded on vehicles) and should not be fragile items that can be easily crushed. 

Some of the products that can be packed in a poly mailer include apparel such as shirts and legwear, cases, and bedding such as sheets and blankets. 

In addition, bubbled padded poly mailers can be used for items such as books and sturdy bottled products such as vitamins and supplements.

For more information, please visit Mailing Bags.

Benefits of Mailer Bags

There are many benefits of using poly mailers for a business, and it can significantly impact shipping costs and efficiency. 

Some of the benefits of using poly mailers include:

  1. Affordable: Poly mailers are more cost-effective than other box packaging solutions. Bulk shipping with poly mailers becomes more affordable, bulk costs can be as low as $0.25 per unit, so there is an opportunity to cut down on costs.
  1. Lightweight: Lightweight options such as poly mailers can greatly reduce shipping costs since they are small and easier to store and can improve packing efficiency to save you more time and money in the long run. Businesses of any size can save money using flexible and light packaging options such as poly mailers.
  1. Customizable: Poly mailers can fit the brand experience with easy customization options. Cardboard boxes aren’t the only option available if you are looking for sleek, branded packaging. Poly mailers can be branded and customized to ensure that customers keep your products in positive sentiments. Add logos to your poly mailer, or get them in brand colors and include other branding elements for a complete look. 
  1. Protective: Poly mailers offer a lot of protection for items compared to other packaging options. With features such as bubble padding and reinforced bottoms, poly mailers can be an effective packaging solution that keeps items safe while keeping shipping costs down.

Overall, mailer bags offer businesses a cost-effective solution for packaging and shipping products safely and securely. 

Their light weight makes them easy to store when not in use while their sleek design allows them to stand out among more traditional packaging options like cardboard boxes or paper envelopes. 

Plus, their durability ensures that items remain safe throughout transit while their environmentally friendly alternatives ensure that fewer resources will be wasted with each shipment made.

If you’re looking for a reliable way to package and ship your products without breaking the bank or harming the environment in the process, then mailer bags may just be the perfect solution!

What Is a Poly Mailer? Benefits, Types, and Use Cases - Shopify

Say you’re starting an online jewelry business. After market research and product development, you launch an online store featuring handmade metal bracelets and earrings. Before you know it, you’ve got your first customers. But what’s the best way to get your beautiful pieces to them?

Since weight and size determine shipping costs—and shipping can account for nearly 90% of total order fulfillment prices—you need something small and light to package your jewelry. A small jewelry box weighs four to six ounces empty, but a poly mailer bag weighs less than an ounce—the choice is obvious. As the orders pile in, these small differences add up to big savings you then reinvest in your growing business.

For ecommerce companies selling non-fragile items like clothing products, accessories, and books, poly mailer bags are a great shipping option. Here are some of the products best suited for poly mailers and how different types can help reduce your shipping costs.

What is a poly mailer?

A poly mailer is a lightweight plastic bag used for shipping non-breakable items. Made from polyethylene, the most common plastic family, poly mailers are flexible and designed to protect items from dust, tearing, and water damage. They often feature a tear strip for easy opening and come in various sizes, from six by nine inches to 24 by 36 inches.

Unlike more sturdy packaging options like cardboard boxes or corrugated boxes, poly mailers offer a lightweight packaging option to help reduce shipping costs. However, poly mailers provide less protection than other shipping methods, making them unsuitable if you sell fragile items like glassware or electronics. Since poly mailers are typically plastic, they may not align with your brand values if you’re focused on sustainability.

You can buy poly mailer bags in bulk from retailers like Amazon or Walmart. Prices range from roughly $15 to $55 for a pack of 100, depending on the type. Shipping suppliers like FedEx also offer poly mailers, including bubble wrap-lined options, priced between $1.29 to $3.99 per unit.

Benefits of poly mailers

Ecommerce merchants shipping non-fragile, lightweight items can benefit from using poly mailers because they are: 

  • Cost-effective. Since they’re lighter and smaller than traditional cardboard boxes, poly mailers can reduce shipping costs.

  • Reusable. Poly mailers are typically strong enough for multiple uses, with packing tape easily sealing the tear strip after its initial opening.

  • Customizable. Although it costs more than buying standard poly mailers in bulk, ecommerce companies can create custom poly mailers using branded packaging elements like logos, colors, and slogans.

  • Compact. Since they’re flexible envelopes, poly bags typically take up less space than more traditional packaging materials like boxes.

  • Waterproof. Poly mailers are plastic bags designed to be water-resistant and tear-resistant.

What can you ship in a poly mailer?

  • Clothing items
  • Accessories
  • Cosmetic products
  • Books

If you’re shipping light items not at risk of breaking, poly mailers can potentially improve your shipping operations. Here are some best types of products to ship in poly mailers: 

Clothing items

Poly mailers are a practical choice for small businesses shipping clothing like t-shirts, pants, and sweaters. Use poly bags to prevent your items from tearing or getting wet while saving space. For bulkier items like shoes, sturdy packaging is better, but lightweight poly mailers work perfectly for cotton, wool, or linen apparel.

Accessories

If you’re shipping supplies people use to accessorize—from cases to belts, handbags, and hats—you can use poly mailers as a low-cost shipping method. Poly mailers can also work well for durable items like dog toys, hair ties, and bedding items like duvet or pillow covers.

Cosmetic products

Poly mailers serve as a budget-friendly packaging option for certain cosmetic products. While fragile items like glass bottles or liquid-based products may not be suitable, more durable items like makeup remover pads or wipes can ship well in poly mailers.

Books

Poly mailers offer booksellers a cost-effective way to ship standard paperbacks. For hardcover or vintage books, bubble-wrapped-lined poly mailers offer extra protection.

Types of poly mailers

  • Layflat
  • Bubble-lined
  • Clear-view
  • Recycled
  • Compostable
  • Expansion

There are several types of poly mailers to choose from depending on your shipping needs and product packaging requirements, including:

Layflat

Layflat poly bags, named for their flat shape, are one of the most affordable options for buying in bulk. They come in standard sizes like 7.5 by 10.5, 12 by 15.5, and 14.5 by 19 inches. If you sell midsize items like hats or scarves, layflat poly mailers provide a simple, low-cost shipping solution.

Bubble-lined

Bubble-lined poly mailers feature an inner layer of bubble wrap for extra protection. Bubble mailers work well if you’re shipping items like headphones, jewelry, beauty products, or books. Although they tend to cost more than thinner options like layflat mailers, they provide extra security for more fragile items.

Clear-view 

Clear-view poly mailers include a clear plastic window on one or both sides of the mailer envelope. Designed to show off the contents inside, clear-view poly bags can work well for items that customers may want to show off, like vintage magazines, brochures, or catalogs. You can also use clear-view poly mailers to protect postcards with stamps on the inside—the clear plastic allows the postage on the inside to help mail the entire poly mailer package.

Recycled

Recycled poly mailers are made from materials like recycled polyethylene and paper materials. Kraft mailers, for example, are made from recycled kraft paper and offer an eco-friendly shipping solution. Although they may not be as tear-resistant as traditional poly bags, they’re ideal for smaller, durable items like belts or wallets.

For example, a merchant selling handmade crafts online—like knitted accessories—could use poly mailers made from recycled materials as an inexpensive and sustainable packaging option.

Compostable

Compostable poly mailers are made from organic materials that break down completely into natural compost. For example, Grounded Packaging offers renewable poly mailers made from compostable bioplastics. Using biodegradable poly mailers helps reduce your environmental impact and makes your shipping process more sustainable.

Expansion

These expandable poly mailers are for shipping multiple items or bulkier items—like thick jackets or heavy blankets—that don’t fit in a traditional poly mailer bag. With a side gusset that adds two to four inches of height, expansion poly mailers provide extra space for oversized shipments. 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website custom packaging bag.