Poly Mailers

Poly mailers, also called mailing bags or shipping bags, are the most affordable way to ship durable and soft goods such as apparel, blankets, toys, purses, and more. These plastic packaging envelopes are constructed from thin yet sturdy polyethylene film that is tear, tamper, and moisture-resistant. Their self-sealing adhesive closure means no shipping tape is required to secure these bags, and because they do not take up as much space or weight as traditional shipping boxes, they are very cost-effective to ship and store. Ensure your soft and durable products are protected in transit to your customer’s doorstep with poly mailers.

Algae Ink™ is a very unique innovation - black, water-based ink whose pigment is derived from algae cells rather than petroleum sources. Outside of algae ink, most of the world's most sustainable inks today still have pigments that are made by burning fossil fuels. Algae ink is carbon negative, meaning that it sequesters more carbon than is released in its production and manufacturing. That means - the more algae ink you use, the less carbon your company emits!

We have made algae ink available for custom shipping boxes and other paper-based packaging since 2018. In early 2022, we launched this technology for poly mailer bags. If you're interested in using algae ink for your next poly mailer print with black ink, please contact us at hello@ecoenclose.com.

Poly mailer bags are perfect for apparel and other fabric-based goods, as well as yarns and patterns. They also work well for shoes and certain types of hats. We’ve seen them work well for boxed products that need to be shipped in another, outside layer (i.e. a shoebox, a small toy or a jewelry box). Ask yourself two questions. Is your product fragile? If no, then ask yourself, can the product fill out your mailer? If yes - then a poly mailer can work well for you. If your item is fragile, you might consider a shipping box instead.

If your products can’t fill a poly mailer bag out (think small jewelry item or a watch), then you might consider a box or a stiffer mailer such as our 100% Recycled Padded Mailer or 100% Recycled Rigid Mailer.

In general, poly mailer bags are the cheapest way to ship. The actual packaging is less expensive than shipping boxes and paper mailers. The cost of transporting the packaging to your facility and storing them is low because of the thinness of the material. They add almost no weight to your outbound shipment.

If you are trying to choose the most eco-friendly option that is also very cost-efficient, we highly recommend our 100% recycled poly mailers - as long as these mailers work well for the products you are shipping.

EcoEnclose has the only poly mailers on the market that are made with 100% recycled content, with over 50% post-consumer waste.

We love this because it means we’re giving new life to and creating a strong market for previously used plastic bags and milk jugs that would otherwise be landfill bound.

Additionally, our mailers are also reusable and recyclable. For most households, these would be recycled at a standard grocery bag drop off location. To learn more about EcoEnclose's approach to eco friendly packaging, and the standards we have set for our product line, check out our sustainable packaging framework.

Mailers with only one adhesive strip and that don't feature a tear strip typically need to be destroyed in order to be opened.

Our poly mailer bags feature two seal strips and an easy to use tear strip, allowing your customers to neatly open their recycled mailers when they receive their order from you, and then use their mailer again (with the second seal strip) for any returns, for another shipment, or to send poly film back to EcoEnclose for recycling.

Note that our 50% Recycled Bubble Mailers and our 100% Recycled Poly Mailers have two adhesive strips. Not only is the reusable mailer more sustainable, it can also help you build a seamless return experience for your customer. While we all hate returns, we also know that customers are far more likely to shop with your brand again if you've made their returns process as convenient as possible.

If you're interested in a more durable, reusable mailer, we have you covered. Check out our ReEnclose Mailer, designed to be used 50 or more times, a great solution for apparel subscription companies and other brands who have baked a return shipment into their business model.

Like most sustainable packaging experts, we do not recommend compostable poly mailers for eCommerce if biodegradability is your goal. We recommend choosing a paper mailer instead. Learn about finding the best compostable poly mailer option here.

The only difference between our ivory and gray is the color of the mailer and the available sizes. They share the same recycled content and other eco-features and technical specs.

All poly mailers are made with functional resin (this makes up the vast majority of the material), a small percentage of additives that aid in the manufacturing process, and colorants to ensure the mailer is opaque and provide its final color. Additionally, these mailers include self-sealing adhesive and release liners to protect that seal. The functional resin in EcoEnclose poly mailers are made with 100% recycled content, of which at least 50% is post-consumer waste. The colorants, additives, release liners and adhesives are not made with recycled content. This is true for our mailers as well as all other mailers available today. We see these as important opportunities for improvement.