Custom Bubble Mailers
Custom poly bubble mailers from 100 — a bubble-lined poly envelope in the color you choose, with a peel-and-seal flap, printed on the outside and sized so the product fills it without folding.
A padded envelope that weighs almost nothing
- Film
- Poly film, 2.5–3 mil co-extruded polyethylene, matte, gloss or metallized
- Lining
- 3/16 inch bubble, laminated to the full face
- Sizes
- 4 × 8 to 14.25 × 20; custom cuts
Get a price for Bubble Mailers
Send the size and quantity — we reply the same working day with a price, a dieline and a date. Artwork optional at this stage.
- Free dielineThe flat drawing comes with the quote, before you commit.
- Proof before pressNothing is printed until you have seen it laid on the dieline.
- Die kept for reordersTooling is paid once. Every reorder skips straight to press.
- Quoted in four marketsUS, UK, Canada and Australia, in the delivery currency.
Film, bubble and how they are bonded
The outer layer is a 2.5 to 3 mil polyethylene film, opaque, with a matte or gloss surface or a metallized layer for the mirror finish. The bubble sheet inside is 3/16 inch cells, laminated to the film across the whole face so it cannot bunch into one corner. The side seams are heat-welded, and the film is tear-resistant enough that the mailer is opened by its tear strip, not ripped.
Which finish for which brand
| Matte poly, solid color | Flat, soft look; prints cleanly; the most common choice |
|---|---|
| Gloss poly | Brighter color, shows scuffs more; good for a single bold tone |
| Metallic (foil-look) | Mirror silver, rose gold, holographic; print sits on top as a label would |
| Kraft-look poly | Brown paper appearance on a waterproof film |
Sizing to the product, not to a chart
- Measure the product flat, add 1 inch to the width and 1½ inches to the length for the bubble to close around it.
- Common cuts: 4 × 8 for cosmetics and jewelry, 6 × 10 for phone cases and small apparel, 8.5 × 12 for a folded shirt, 10.5 × 16 for two.
- The usable inside is smaller than the outside dimension; we quote both so the fit is not a surprise.
- An order that always ships two items gets one mailer sized for two, not two mailers.
Flap, seal and tear strip
The flap carries a hot-melt adhesive strip under a release liner; press it once and it will not come back without tearing the film, which is what a customer wants to see. A second strip lets the same mailer be used for a return. A perforated tear strip across the top opens it without scissors. These are the same closures as our printed poly mailers for online orders, on a padded body.
What the bubble protects, and what it does not
A bubble mailer handles scuffs, light knocks and rain. It does not stop crushing: a box of eyeshadow or a framed print needs a carton. It suits apparel, soft accessories, phone cases, books under a pound, packaged cosmetics, supplements and anything that already has its own rigid pack. It is waterproof, so it is also the mailer for products that must arrive dry.
Poly bubble mailers are recyclable with store drop-off film in most of the US; we print the How2Recycle mark on request.
Bubble Mailers — specification
The rows that are specific to this build first, then what applies to every job we run. Anything not listed is a question, not a limit — send the brief.
This build
- Film
- Poly film, 2.5–3 mil co-extruded polyethylene, matte, gloss or metallized
- Lining
- 3/16 inch bubble, laminated to the full face
- Sizes
- 4 × 8 to 14.25 × 20; custom cuts
- Closure
- Peel-and-seal flap, optional second strip for returns, tear strip
- Up to 6 spot colors flexo, or full color; inside print available
- Colors
- Color-matched film, or print on white, black or kraft-look
- Minimum
- 100 mailers per size
On every job
- Print process
- Flexo in up to ten colors on the outer film, or digital for short runs and changing artwork.
- Color
- A white underprint carries normal color on metalized or clear film. Without it, every color takes on what is beneath it.
- Tolerance
- Bag width plus or minus 2 mm, length plus or minus 3 mm. Film stretches, so a barcode is verified on a filled bag.
- Tooling
- Print plates or cylinders per design, kept. There is no cutting die — the bag is formed and sealed rather than cut.
- Food contact
- A food-grade sealing layer against the product, with the inks trapped between layers rather than on the food face.
- Sustainability
- Mono-material PE or PP where the shelf life allows, which recycles as a soft plastic. A foil laminate does not.
- Artwork
- Vector PDF or AI, 3 mm bleed, 4 mm safe area, fonts outlined. We check every file and send a proof before press.
- Dieline
- Supplied free with the quote, before you commit. Yours whether or not you order.
- Sample
- A plain unprinted sample at the finished size on request, for fit and construction.
- Reorders
- Skip the tooling and go straight to press at a lower unit price.
- Lead time
- Quoted with the price against your fill date rather than promised before we have seen the spec.
- Markets
- United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia — priced in the delivery currency, freight included.
Boards and films we build bubble mailers on
A flexible pack is a stack of films laminated together, and the middle layer is the barrier. The structure is chosen from the shelf life you need and what you want to be able to say about recycling.
PET / PE
A printable outer and a sealing inner. Moisture barrier, modest oxygen barrier. The everyday laminate for dry goods sold quickly.
2-ply, 70–110 micronPET / AL / PE
Aluminum foil in the middle: the strongest barrier against light, oxygen and moisture. Coffee, supplements, anything with a long shelf life.
3-ply, 90–130 micronMetalized PET
A vapor-deposited metal layer. Bright, lighter and cheaper than foil, with a weaker barrier. Most silver and gold bags are this.
2–3 plyMono-material PE
Every layer polyethylene, so the bag recycles as a soft plastic. Less barrier and a slightly softer hand; the sustainable choice where shelf life allows.
100–130 micronMono-material PP
Stiffer and clearer than PE, with better heat resistance. Suits a stand-up pouch that has to hold its shape on a shelf.
90–120 micronKraft-paper laminate
A paper outer over a film barrier. The natural look with a real barrier behind it; the paper takes only a matte, flat print.
Paper 60–80gsm + filmCompostable film
PLA and cellulose structures certified for industrial compost. Lower barrier, higher cost, and no home-compost claim unless the certificate says so.
60–90 micronLDPE mailer film
Co-extruded opaque film for shipping bags: tear- and puncture-resistant, weatherproof, and recyclable where soft plastics are collected.
60–80 micronNot sure which? Say what goes in it and where it is sold — the material follows from that. Our notes on recycled, recyclable and compostable cover which claims each stock can honestly carry.
- 01
Send what you have
A dimension, a photograph beside a ruler, or the product itself. No technical drawing needed — that part is ours.
- 02
We quote and draw
A price, a dieline and a date come back together. If a different build would suit the product better, that is in the reply too.
- 03
Approve the dieline
The flat drawing is yours to check: which panel is the front, where the folds fall, how deep the cavity really is.
- 04
Artwork on the dieline
You place your design on the flat we sent, or we place it for you, and you see a proof before anything goes to press.
- 05
A sample if you want one
A plain unprinted sample at the finished size shows fit and construction — the things a drawing cannot.
- 06
Cut, printed, shipped
The die is cut once and kept, so every reorder skips the tooling and goes straight to press at a lower unit price.
Format
Vector PDF or AI where possible. Raster artwork at 300dpi at final size, in CMYK.
Bleed
3 mm past every trim line, so a fraction of drift on the cutter never leaves a white edge.
Safe area
Keep type and anything important 4 mm inside the cut and away from every fold.
Color
Convert to CMYK before sending. Uncoated stock prints lighter; a spot color is the only exact match.
Fonts
Outline them or supply the files. A missing font substitutes silently and the proof will not match.
Barcodes
On a light, matte, unvarnished patch with the quiet zone clear — a code on gloss fails the scanner.
Not set up that way? Send it anyway — fixing a file is a short conversation, and we check every one before press. Our guide to preparing print files covers each point.
Film is finished in the lacquer and the ink, not with a laminate.
Matte lacquer
A soft, non-reflective face. Hides handling marks and the most-used finish on a premium pouch.
Gloss lacquer
Wet-looking color. Reads cheaper on some categories and exactly right on confectionery.
Spot matte on gloss
A matte shape on a gloss field, or the reverse. The film equivalent of spot UV.
Metalized effects
Print over the metal layer so a color picks up the shimmer, or lay white under it for a normal color.
Registered emboss
A raised texture pressed into the film. Rare, expensive, and unmistakable in the hand.
Kraft-paper face
A paper outer laminated to the barrier. Matte and flat by nature; no varnish needed.
Not sure which suits the shelf it sells from? Say where the product is sold and we suggest one — our notes on specialty finishes show them on real boxes.
Sizing a pouch by what goes in it, not by a bag size: bubble mailers
Film packs are specified by fill, not by dimensions. Two products of the same weight can need very different bags, because density decides volume — whole coffee beans take far more room than the same weight of powder.
- Fill weight and density
- Give us both, or send the product. We size from the volume it actually occupies, settled.
- Lay-flat width
- Half the circumference of the finished bag. It is the number a converter works to, and we calculate it from your product.
- Headspace
- Enough film above the fill to seal cleanly and for the bag to stand. Too little and the seal traps product; too much and the pack looks underfilled.
- Gusset
- Bottom gusset depth sets how the bag stands; side gussets add volume without width. Both are chosen from the shelf, not the fill.
- Seal width
- 5–8 mm. Wider on liquids and creams, which contaminate a seal, and on anything that will be posted.
- Sample fill
- A plain bag at the finished size, filled from your line, is the only reliable check before print.
Not sure your numbers are right? Send the product dimensions rather than the box dimensions and we work the box out — the full method is in our guide to measuring for a box.
Interactive · five steps · no sign-up
Spec your Bubble Mailers
Pick a shape, type a size, choose a film and a finish. The preview on the left redraws as you go, and the spec lands with us exactly as you set it.
Frequently asked questions
Got a question about bubble mailers? The answers below cover what we get asked most. If yours is not here, send it with a brief, message us on WhatsApp, or call +1 503-461-4788 — we reply the same working day.
What size bubble mailer fits a phone case or a small gift box?
A 6 by 10 inch mailer for most cases; measure the box and add an inch to the width and an inch and a half to the length.
Are custom bubble mailers waterproof?
Yes. The poly film is waterproof and the seams are heat-welded, so the contents stay dry in rain.
Can a bubble mailer be made in our brand color?
Yes. We color-match the film itself for solid tones, and print logos or patterns on top of it.
Do bubble mailers protect against crushing?
No. The bubble absorbs scuffs and knocks but a heavy weight on top will still flatten the contents; use a carton for fragile goods.
Can a bubble mailer have a second adhesive strip for returns?
Yes. Two strips on the flap let the customer reseal the same mailer for a return.
What is the difference between a poly bubble mailer and a paper padded mailer?
The poly version is lighter and waterproof; the paper version is curbside recyclable but tears when wet.
Can bubble mailers be metallic or holographic?
Yes: silver, rose gold and holographic films are stock; print sits on the surface in one or two colors.
How thick is the bubble in a bubble mailer?
Three-sixteenths of an inch, laminated across the whole inside face so it cannot bunch.
Can a bubble mailer be printed inside as well as outside?
Yes, on the inner film before lamination, usually a message or pattern seen when the mailer is opened.
Are poly bubble mailers recyclable?
With store drop-off film recycling in most of the US. We print the How2Recycle mark if you want to say so.
How many custom bubble mailers can we order per size?
From 100 per size. Mixed sizes in one order are fine.
Same range
