Custom mailer packaging boxes are exactly what their name sounds like. These boxes are often meant for packaging small items or a selection of retail products.

When we talk about smaller retail items, think about subscription boxes to give yourself a clear picture.

Fortunately, custom mailer boxes can be made in all sizes. This is also a reason for why they’re so much in vogue! These boxes are sized to suit dimensions of products you want to send to customers by road or via shipping.

With the rise of e-commerce industry since COVID-19, mailer boxes have become the go-to packaging for delivery and shipment. Today, mailer boxes prevail as the sole unboxing experience tool for most online customers.

Looking at this trend from a marketing standpoint, e-commerce ready mailer packaging provides retail brands with huge ROIs. By designing these boxes the right way, brands create meaningful unboxing experiences. It’s because brands, especially in e-commerce, understand the value of mailer packaging for their long-term success. The only touchpoint between any online brand and its customers is its mailer packaging box. So, from the shape and feel of these boxes, to how artistically they’re printed and present the product matters!

Customers subconsciously notice the whole unboxing experience, and share with friends and family if they love it. They always remember amazing unboxing experiences – which is vital for building brand likeability.

The amazing thing about these boxes which makes them so much in demand among subscription and ecommerce brands is customization. From variety of styles and sizes to hi-tech imprinting – this packaging turns into a unique mouth-piece for any brand.

In this article, we shall discuss the most popular types of custom mailer packaging boxes and design ideas. Any version you choose depends on what look and feel you want and how it fits your brand and products.

Here are different versions of mailer packaging boxes and their custom variations for functionality and presentation:

Types of Mailer Boxes

Standard Mailer Boxes:

This type of mailer packaging is widely used by most brands. It’ styled as a closing flap with wings on both sides.

Standard mailer boxes are made from either cardboard or kraft, which makes them very light-weight. Moreover, the functional structure makes these boxes very user-friendly. Another benefit is that this packaging is easy to carry and shift from one place to another.

Speaking about shipment costs, you get to save a lot. The light weight of these boxes decreases costs which is not possible with other material options.

These boxes are used in almost all industries. They’re used as subscription boxes a lot.

Mailer Boxes without Wings:

These boxes are basically a variation of regular mailer boxes. As the name suggests, these boxes do not have wings. Because of this, the closing flap looks like a hinged lid. This hinged flap tucks inside the box to close.

Mailer boxes without wings are considered a little less protective. It’s because these boxes do not fasten the products as tightly as the former type of mailer boxes.

This type of packaging is ideal for sending apparels and literature. In fact, any products that’s not fragile, can be packed in mailer boxes without wings. However, to make the packaging to fasten products properly, brands use sealing tapes with their branding on top.

Other benefits of these boxes are the same as standard mailer boxes.

The novelty of design is what gets other brands to use this packaging for sending products and impressing their audience.

Mailer Boxes with Adhesive & Tear Strip:

These boxes are a sort of added protection. These are basically the same as standard mailer boxes with interlocking flaps for closure.

The added feature is an adhesive strip attached to the area where interlocking flap touches the front panel of the packaging. With just a little push, this strip gets fastened, and can be teared off by customers upon delivery.

This tear strip mechanism has two benefits.

First is that it provides extra protection to heavier products so they don’t pop out.

Second is that it makes mailer boxes tamper resistant. Meaning the tear strip will show that the packaging was tampered with before reaching the customer. This way, the customers cannot blame the product brand for sending a spoiled product. And the brand can consider replacing it because there would be clear evidence of tempering.

CD/DVD Mailer Boxes:

Another rarely used, yet interesting type of mailer packaging used for safely sending DVDs, radio jockey discs and gramophone discs.

These boxes have precise creases for easy folding. So basically, this packaging is entirely folded to assemble and close after you’ve placed discs in the center. It has a tongue lock as a closing mechanism.

Normally, thin corrugated cardboard material is used for creating folding DVD mailer boxes.

Books Folder Mailer Boxes:

As the name suggests, these boxes are ideal for sending books, literature work, and magazines. Publications and news magazines use these a lot to send to their subscriber on a monthly, quarterly or bi-annual basis.

They’re always made from corrugated cardboard to make sure the paper is not damaged. Libraries and authors also use the mailer styled book folder boxes.

For the lock mechanism, the closing flap has one or two tongue locks on top.

Two Piece Mailer Boxes:

This category of packaging boxes more popular among brand that sell luxury accessories, decoration, or other high-end products.

These boxes come in two styles.

One is the sleeve and tray style. This two-piece mailer packaging style has a tray in which the product is encased and covered by a sleeve on-top.

Second is shoulder style which consists of a base and a detachable top lid – forming two pieces.

Often the material used to structure these boxes is rigid. Whereas, the sleeve styled mailers are also made with cardboard.

Some Functional Ideas to Consider

Kraft mailer boxes:

Kraft material is a popular option for creating mailers because it even simplistic printing look amazing on its coarse texture. Kraft is also environmentally friendly because it’s least processed with chemicals and kraft mailers are 100% recyclable.

In addition to being safe for the ecosystem, they are durable and strong enough to protect and transport products that are inside them.

Custom mailer inserts:

Custom add-ons such as inserts perfectly holding a product in place and raises the entire packaging’s protectiveness and appeal.

Mostly fragile and delicate products need such a packaging for added protection. Custom are custom sized according to the product’s dimensions, as well as the box. Custom inserts are made from foam, plastic or cardboard.

Custom Printed Sticker Mailer boxes:

An amazing opportunity to add a branded touch is to personalize mailer by adding stickers. This is done either in the form of a seal or as an informational label on the surface of the box.