Custom Envelope Boxes & Envelope Packaging
An envelope box sits somewhere between a carton and an envelope, which is exactly why it has become so popular. It is flat, it posts cheaply, and it opens like a proper piece of packaging rather than a bag that gets torn apart. For anything slim, it is usually the smartest format available. We produce a lot of envelope packaging at ZEE Packaging and this is where it works best.
Flat Beats Boxy For Postage
An envelope box wins on the numbers before anything else.
- It fits letter and large letter postal rates where a box will not
- The saving per parcel compounds fast across a year
- Less board used than a box of equivalent footprint
- Ships and stores flat, so warehouse space stays minimal
- Assembles in seconds with a peel and seal strip
- Rigid enough that contents arrive flat, unlike a poly mailer
Most brands who switch to envelope packaging do it for postage and stay for the presentation.
What It Suits And What It Does Not
Being straight about this saves you a mistake.
- Works well for prints, cards, jewellery, apparel and documents
- Suits anything under about an inch thick
- Good for flat products that must not bend in transit
- Not suitable for anything with real depth or weight
- Fragile items need a box with proper corner protection
- Bulky soft goods usually fit better in a mailer bag
- Peel and seal envelope box the everyday format we run most
- Tuck flap version no adhesive, reusable for returns
- Rigid backed envelope for prints that must stay perfectly flat
- Window envelope box shows a card or a print inside
- Book wrap style folds to the thickness of the contents
- Padded interior version light protection for delicate envelope packaging
Sizes We Print Regular
Every envelope box is built to your product, though these run often:
- 9" x 6" x 0.5" for cards and small prints
- 12" x 9" x 0.75" for A4 documents
- 10" x 8" x 1" for apparel and soft goods
- 6" x 4" x 0.5" for jewellery and small items
- 14" x 11" x 1" for A3 prints
- 8" x 6" x 0.25" for a slim card format
Measure your contents at their thickest point, since even a slight overfill pushes you into the next postal band.
Board And Print
- E flute corrugated for a rigid protective build
- 18pt to 24pt card stock for slimmer formats
- Kraft board, which suits this style particularly well
- White SBS where you want vivid full colour
- One or two colour flexo, the cheapest branded route
- Printed interior, which costs little and gets photographed
Printing the inside of an envelope box is worth doing. It is a flat surface the recipient looks straight at, and it is far cheaper than outer print.
Kinder Material Choices
- Recycled board across most grades we run
- FSC certified stock, certificate available on request
- Soy based ink through the whole run
- Paper based peel and seal adhesive
- No plastic film, so the whole thing recycles kerbside
- Uses less material than a box of the same footprint
How An Order Runs With Us
- 100 unit minimum, so a small brand can test the format
- Free 3D mockup and flat proof before anything prints
- Free dieline drawn by our own designer
- Physical sample on request to check the postal fit
- Urgent turnaround at 5 to 8 business days
- Free shipping worldwide with nothing hidden
Frequently Asked Questions
Will it fit a letter rate?
That depends on your carrier's thickness limit. Send us the rate you are targeting and we build the envelope packaging to stay inside it.
Is it strong enough for prints?
Yes, particularly in E flute or with a rigid backing. Prints arrive flat, which is the main reason people move away from poly mailers.
Can it be used for returns?
A tuck flap version can. Peel and seal is one way only, so tell us if returns matter and we spec accordingly.
What does an envelope box cost?
Rough estimate is $0.20 to $0.60 per unit for a plain kraft format, $0.35 to $0.90 with one colour print and $0.60 to $1.50 for full colour litho at moderate quantity. Size moves it. Shipping is included in our price. This is estimate only, so ask our team for a exact quote.
Do you supply the adhesive strip?
We do, applied in production. Paper based adhesive is available if you want a fully recyclable pack.
Can you add a window?
Yes, with PET or compostable film. It works nicely when a printed card or artwork is the product itself.
What thickness is the limit?
Around an inch is where an envelope box stops making sense. Beyond that a proper carton protects better.
