Poly Mailer Alternatives | Sustainable Packaging (2024)

FAQs

Poly Mailer Alternatives | Sustainable Packaging? ›

We strongly recommend our flat paper mailers: Kraft Mailers, EcoX Mailers, and Apparel Mailers. All are made with 100% recycled paper and are curbside recyclable. Read our in-depth review of these mailer alternatives.

We strongly recommend our flat paper mailers: Kraft Mailers, EcoX Mailers, and Apparel Mailers. All are made with 100% recycled paper and are curbside recyclable. Read our in-depth review of these mailer alternatives.

1. Cost-Efficiency. Poly mailers are incredibly cost-effective when compared to cardboard boxes.

If the lowest carbon footprint is critical or you need plastic's functional benefits, choose a 100% Recycled Poly Mailer.

Poly mailers are lightweight, sturdy plastic bags that are designed to ship light and less fragile items. They are a great alternative to standard packaging.

Parcels over ¾-inch thick (or exceed other dimensions required to qualify as a large envelope/flat) but still relatively thin could be packaged in expandable paper envelopes, poly mailers/plastic bags, paper bags or wrap, or even cloth.

How do you get free shipping supplies like boxes & mailers? You can get free shipping supplies from carriers like USPS, UPS and FedEx by ordering through their website. Then, you can have them delivered or pick them up at the nearest office.

Small, light items packed into padded mailers are cheapest when shipped by USPS. Small, heavy items are cheapest when shipped using USPS flat-rate pricing. Large, light items are cheapest when shipped with USPS Priority Mail.

For shipments traveling shorter distances, Zones 1-4, and weighing less than 20 lbs, using your own packaging for weight-based rates may be a better value. Across all zones, though, shipments weighing over 25 lbs will ship for less in a Flat Rate Large Box.

What is the greenest packaging? ›

Sustainable packaging is made from materials like recyclable PET or HDPE plastics, cardboard, and paper, which can be reprocessed into new items. It also includes compostable materials such as PLA (starch-based) and cellulose, which biodegrade in compost, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics.

Consumers across global regions ranked plastic as the least sustainable packaging material, and their self-reported habits reflect this. Global consumers consider plastic the least sustainable packaging material.

Many poly mailers bill themselves as sustainable just because they are recyclable.

So now that you know what a Poly Mailer is, a Bubble-Mailer is just that but with an extra layer of padded protection inside the envelope! Bubble Mailers have all the great characteristics of a Poly-Mailer, but with an added bonus of bubble wrap protection.

Common sustainable packing materials include newspapers, magazines, old clothes, junk mail, office paper waste and resealable sandwich bags. Some creative, environmentally friendly options for package filling are yarn, used plastic bags and even popcorn, providing cushioning and reducing waste.

First-Class Mail is the most economical option for mailing a bubble mailer. The cost for a First-Class Mail bubble mailer will depend on the weight and size of the mailer, as well as the distance it needs to travel. For a standard bubble mailer weighing less than one ounce, the cost to mail it will be around $. 55.