Custom Tear Strip Poly Mailers

Film Thickness and Opacity

Poly mailers are made from flexible polythene film in different thicknesses. Thinner film is light and economical for t-shirts and small soft goods. Thicker film resists tearing and punctures, which suits heavier items, sharp-edged packaging or long courier routes.

Opacity matters for privacy and presentation. A grey or black inner layer stops anyone seeing what is inside, which customers appreciate for lingerie, swimwear and gifts. Co-extruded film, with a white or coloured outside and a black inside, gives the brightest print while staying fully opaque.

For very light items, such as socks or hair accessories, a smaller and thinner mailer saves money. For hoodies and jackets, choose a heavier film and a bag with a gusset so the garment does not stretch the seams.

Some brands also tuck a small printed returns card inside the bag, listing the returns address and steps, so the customer has everything in one place when a size does not fit. The films are shown side by side in our film finishes compared guide.

Sizing Custom Tear Strip Poly Mailers

Fold your garment the way your team will pack it, and if you use tissue or a branded card, include those. Measure the folded pack and add space for the bag to close comfortably, usually 30 to 50 mm on width and a little more on length. For returnable mailers, add extra length to allow for the tear strip.

Most fashion brands manage with three or four sizes: small for accessories and underwear, medium for tees and leggings, large for jumpers and dresses and extra large for coats and bundles. Matching mailer sizes to your best-selling products avoids half-empty bags.

Oversized bags are a hidden cost. Couriers charge by size band as well as weight, and a mailer that is much larger than the garment can push a parcel into a more expensive band. Fitting the bag to the product keeps postage predictable. Our measuring a folded garment for a bag covers tissue and seal allowances.

Printing and Branding

A printed mailer turns a plain parcel into a branded delivery. Bold logos and simple graphics work best on poly film, which is printed with flexographic inks in one or more colours. Full coverage designs, with the background colour printed edge to edge, make a strong impression on the doorstep.

Use the back of the mailer for a website, social handle or returns address, and the area near the tear strip for opening instructions. Some brands print a short thank-you line or a hashtag that customers share when they post their order online.

Keep in mind that couriers apply labels to the front, so leave a clear area where the shipping label can go without covering your logo.

Colour choice changes the feel of the parcel. Black and charcoal mailers look sleek for fashion and streetwear, pastels suit lingerie and children's ranges, and bright brand colours make a parcel instantly recognisable on a busy doorstep.

Spot colours give the most consistent results on film, so if your brand uses a specific shade, send us its reference and we will match it as closely as the film allows. Short runs can use plain bags with logo stickers for plain mailers until a printed run is justified.

Who Orders Tear Strip Mailers

Online clothing brands, from small independent labels to larger retailers, are the main buyers. Sportswear, swimwear, lingerie and children's clothing brands all use returnable mailers because their return rates are high. Marketplace sellers use them to look more professional than generic grey bags.

Subscription services for socks, underwear and beauty products use mailers because they are light and fit through many letterboxes, saving the customer a trip to collect a parcel.

Brands that sell both online and at events sometimes use the same printed mailers as carrier bags at a stall, which keeps packaging stock simple.

Gift retailers like them as well, since an opaque bag keeps a present hidden until it is handed over. Items already in a gift box travel better in our small cardboard boxes for boxed items.

Fold a Hoodie and a Tee and Measure Both

Tear strip mailers are sized by the folded garment, so fold your bulkiest item and your flattest one the way your packers do, with tissue if you use it, and measure each: length, width and thickness. Add 30 mm to the width and 50 mm to the length for the seal and the strip, and most brands end up with two sizes. Decide if the mailer needs a second adhesive strip for returns, because that adds length too. Choose the film, co-extruded for an opaque bag, and the thickness by the weight of the garment. Artwork is a logo and a colour, with a clear label zone on the front, sent as vector files, and the free proof shows the print and the strip positions. A custom quote comes by email within one working day, minimums are quoted per job, and mailers are made in 4–7 working days after approval with free tracked UK mainland delivery. Misprints or damage reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. Unprinted stock for plain orders is on our economy poly mailers for plain orders page.