Mailer Boxes with Inserts

Printing the Mailer Inside and Out

Corrugated mailers can be printed on the outside, inside or both. Outside print turns the box into a branded parcel on the doorstep. Inside print, seen when the lid opens, is where many brands put a welcome message, a pattern or instructions. Printing the insert itself, with labels under each pocket or a short note in the centre, helps customers understand the kit.

White corrugated board gives bright, clear colour. Kraft corrugated suits natural and handmade brands and takes one or two colours well. A matt lamination on printed white board adds a smoother feel and protects against scuffing in transit.

Printing on the inside of the lid is often more effective than printing the outside. Couriers see the outside; the customer reads the inside at the moment they open the box.

Planning the Layout

Lay out your items on a table in the order you want customers to see them. Put the hero product in the centre or at the front, and smaller extras around it. Measure each item and note any odd shapes, such as pumps on bottles or cables on devices. We then design the insert to hold each piece, leaving a finger notch where needed so items lift out easily.

Remember to leave room for a card or leaflet if you include one. A slot in the lid or a flat space under the insert keeps it tidy.

Pocket order matters for unboxing videos. Customers filming the moment usually lift the first item they see, so place the product you most want seen at the front or centre.

Ask for a flat sample of the insert before the full run if the layout is complex. Packing a few real kits by hand quickly shows whether pockets are too tight or a finger notch is in the wrong place. A reveal panel that lifts the products into view is shown on the display mailer boxes with reveal panels page.

Getting the Box Size Right for Postage

Mailer size affects postage costs, so it is worth keeping the box as compact as the products allow. We can design the insert to fit tightly, then size the mailer around it, rather than starting with a stock box and filling the gaps. If you post through a letterbox service, tell us the size limit so the whole package stays under it.

Check the total weight once packed too, as heavier kits may need a stronger flute or a double-wall mailer.

Corrugated board direction matters as well. We set the flute so the box resists crushing in the direction that takes the most load, usually top to bottom when parcels are stacked. Our guide to measuring a product for a box covers courier bands against internal size.

Insert Mailers for Subscription Boxes

Subscription brands send different products each month, which makes fixed inserts tricky. A common solution is a general insert with standard pockets, sized for the most common product shapes, such as small jars, sachets and bars. As long as monthly products fit those shapes, one insert works every time.

Another approach is a partition insert that divides the mailer into cells. The cells hold a mix of items securely while staying flexible, and are quick to pack on a high-volume line.

For special editions, a printed insert card on top of the products, naming the month's theme, keeps the box feeling fresh even if the mailer and insert stay the same throughout the year. Subscribers notice the change and it costs very little. Boxes printed on both faces of the board for a monthly theme are covered under double-sided printed mailer boxes.

Pack Three Real Kits by Hand Before the Full Run

The insert decides whether a kit mailer works, and only a packed box shows it. Ask for a plain sample of the box and insert, pack three real kits exactly as a new member of staff would, and time it. If a pocket is tight, a finger notch is in the wrong place or a jar lid catches the lid of the box, it shows in those three kits and costs nothing to change on the proof. Send the products or their measurements, the number of items per box, the insert type and the print you want.

A custom quote comes by email within one working day, and the free proof shows the mailer print and the insert layout before production. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval, with free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2 to 3 working days; minimums are kept low and quoted job by job, and boxes or inserts that arrive damaged or misprinted are reprinted or refunded if reported within 10 days. Kits that open from the end rather than the top are covered on the end-opening mailer boxes for flat kits page.