Custom Stationery Shipping Boxes

Sizing for Paper Formats

Most stationery follows standard paper sizes, which makes sizing simpler. An A5 notebook is 148 x 210 mm, an A4 notebook is 210 x 297 mm and an A6 pocket notebook is 105 x 148 mm. Covers usually add a few millimetres, especially on hardbacks or notebooks with an elastic closure. Measure the actual product, including any band, ribbon or pen loop, then add 2 to 3 mm on length and width.

Depth is where many mailers go wrong. A mailer that is deeper than the notebook lets it slide and lets the corners hit the walls. If you send different thicknesses, a few depths in the same footprint, or a card insert to take up space, keeps everything still.

Pens, washi tape and other small accessories are best kept apart from notebook covers. A small pouch or a separate compartment stops a pen clip or the edge of a tape roll pressing into a soft cover, which can leave a mark that is visible as soon as the notebook comes out of the box. Our guide on how to measure a notebook with its band explains where the extra millimetres go.

Protecting Corners and Covers

A snug fit is the most important protection. Beyond that, a few small additions help. A sheet of tissue or a paper sleeve around the notebook stops the cover rubbing against the board. A thin card insert on top prevents a soft cover from bending if the box is pressed. For greeting card sets and art prints, a stiff backing card inside the mailer keeps them flat.

Avoid loose fill such as shredded paper for flat stationery. It shifts in transit and can leave marks on soft covers. A fitted mailer with a single layer of tissue usually performs better.

Heavier orders need a little more thought. A stack of three or four hardback notebooks weighs more than many people expect, and the extra weight increases the force on the corners if the parcel is dropped. For these orders, a B-flute mailer or a slightly thicker board adds stiffness without changing the look of the box very much.

Printing That Suits Stationery Brands

Stationery brands often have a distinctive illustrated or minimal style, and the mailer is a natural place to show it. Kraft board with a single colour line drawing feels crafted and calm. White board with a full colour pattern suits bright, playful brands. A printed inside, such as a repeating pattern or a short thank-you, gives customers something to photograph when they open the parcel.

Keep the address area clear on the lid. If you print the outside fully, leave a plain panel for the label so it does not cover the design. Small touches such as a printed sticker to seal the tissue add to the experience without much cost.

A small printed card slipped inside with care tips for fountain pen paper, a discount code for the next order or a note about how the notebooks are made adds personality at very little cost. It is also a good place to invite customers to share their set-ups and tag your shop. You can see uncoated board and foil compared in our finish guide.

Shops and Makers Using These Mailers

Independent stationery shops, planner and journal brands, greeting card designers, sticker and washi tape makers, pen and ink sellers, and stationery subscription services all use custom stationery shipping boxes. Artists selling prints and zines use them too, often with a stiff backing card. Schools and education suppliers use plain printed mailers to post workbooks and resources.

Many of these businesses pack from a small studio or a spare room, so flat-packed mailers that take little space and fold quickly are a real benefit.

Craft fairs and stationery markets are another place these boxes earn their keep, as a branded carrier for larger purchases.

Order a Depth for Each Notebook Thickness, Not One Box for All

Stationery mailers protect corners by fitting closely, so a thin notebook in a box made for a thick one slides and bends. Measure each product you post with its band, pen loop or ribbon, and ask for the same footprint in two or three depths rather than one roomy box. Keep only 2 to 3 mm of clearance, add a stiff backing card for prints and card sets, and decide whether the mailer must fit a letterbox, which caps the outside depth. A tuck-front mailer closes without tape, so a seal sticker finishes it, and inside print gives customers something to photograph. Shops posting a single pen or small item often add a slim postal box for small items alongside the notebook sizes.

Tell us which products you post, their sizes, the mailer style and your monthly volume, and a custom quote comes by email within one working day. The free proof shows the mailer flat with the print and label area marked. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval, mailers arrive flat by tracked courier to UK mainland addresses, and misprinted or damaged mailers reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded.