Custom Printed Envelopes

Window or Plain Face

Window envelopes let the recipient's address printed on the letter show through, which saves you printing or writing addresses separately. They are the standard choice for invoices, statements and anything produced by accounting software. The window position is standard on DL envelopes, so most letter templates line up without changes, but always do a test fold with your own letterhead.

Plain-faced envelopes look more personal and suit sales letters, thank-you notes and anything that should feel less automated. Addresses can be printed through an office printer, added with labels or handwritten. Many businesses keep both: windowed for routine admin and plain for marketing and client care.

A useful compromise for mixed mailings is a window envelope with a small printed message beside the window, such as a prompt to open promptly or a note about what is inside. It keeps the convenience of the window while adding a little personality. Invoices folded once usually suit C5 window envelopes with the window bottom left.

Paper, Seal and Office Printer Compatibility

We print envelopes on business-weight white wove paper as standard, which feels solid in the hand and takes ink cleanly. Cream, textured laid and coloured papers are available for a more distinctive look. Kraft envelopes suit brands with a natural, hand-made style and are tougher for heavier contents.

Self-seal peel-and-seal flaps are the most popular closure because they are quick and clean, with no licking or moistening. Gummed flaps are cheaper for very large runs that go through a mailing machine. Tell us if you plan to run envelopes through a laser or inkjet printer to add addresses, and we will recommend a paper and ink combination that will not smudge or jam.

If envelopes go through an inserting machine, let us know the machine type. Flap shape and paper weight can matter for automated mailing. Our guide shows paper finishes compared, including which take laser toner.

Laying Out Your Printed Envelopes

Postal rules leave the right-hand side of the front for the address and the top-right corner for the stamp or postage mark, so your branding normally sits in the top-left corner and on the back flap. A logo with a return address underneath, in one or two brand colours, is the classic layout and keeps the envelope clean.

For marketing mail you can be bolder. A full-colour image or a short message on the front encourages people to open the envelope, as long as the address area stays clear and readable. Printing inside the envelope, with a pattern or a brand colour, adds a premium touch for client welcome packs and is surprisingly affordable.

We check that your artwork leaves the address and postage zones clear on the free proof, so the post office handles your envelopes without trouble. You receive a free proof showing the postal layout with the clear zones marked.

Who Orders Branded Envelopes

Accountants, solicitors, estate agents and medical practices send official letters daily and want each one to look trustworthy. Charities use printed envelopes for appeals and donor thank-yous. Schools and clubs use them for letters home and membership packs. Online shops include printed envelopes for returns, invoices or handwritten notes inside parcels, and event companies use them for tickets and confirmations.

Small businesses often start with a single DL window envelope for invoices and add a C5 or C4 later as their mailings grow.

Recruitment firms and membership organisations are another big group. They post offer letters, renewal reminders and welcome packs, and a branded envelope helps those letters get opened ahead of bills and flyers. Property managers and landlords like windowed DL envelopes for rent statements, because they can be printed straight from their software and packed by anyone in the office.

Wedding and event businesses usually want something different again: coloured or lined envelopes for invitations, which we cover separately. For day-to-day business post, a crisp white envelope with a confident logo is still the most reliable choice, and it photocopies and scans cleanly if a client files it.

Do a Test Fold With Your Own Letterhead First

Envelope orders go smoothly when the contents are settled first. Fold your actual letterhead or invoice into thirds and check the address sits where a DL window would be; if it does not, tell us and we move the window rather than you changing your template. Decide which sizes you really post: DL for letters, C5 for A4 folded once, C4 for A4 flat. Keep the address area and the top right corner clear in the artwork, put the logo top left and consider a return address on the flap so undelivered post comes back. If you run envelopes through an office printer, name the printer so we pick a paper and seal that feeds, and order letterheads printed to match in the same job.

Send the sizes, quantities, window or plain, paper and print colours, and a custom quote comes by email within one working day. The free proof shows exactly where the logo and address sit. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval, envelopes arrive by tracked courier to UK mainland addresses, and misprinted or damaged envelopes reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded.