How your business ships its products to eagerly awaiting customers matters. What you choose to package your goods with presents another opportunity for your brand to maintain its identity outside of stores while maintaining eco-sensitivity. On the other hand, mailers without branding run the risk of being another boring-looking package that arrives on a doorstep.
When we think about bubble mailers that many popular brands use, two types stand out: kraft vs poly bubble mailers. Each type offers an intrinsic array of advantages for your business.
So, join us as we take a deep dive into the differences, similarities, and unique characteristics as we compare kraft vs poly bubble mailers. Knowing the difference between these materials will help your brand find the perfect packaging solution.
Exploring the Basics: What Are Bubble Mailers?
Before we delve into the kraft vs poly mailers debate, let’s first understand what bubble mailers are. Bubble mailers are a popular packaging choice that combines the protection of bubble wrap with the convenience of an envelope. They are lightweight, compact, and offer a level of padding to delicate products inside. As a result, bubble mailers are an excellent choice for shipping fragile items.
Kraft Bubble Mailers: The Natural Choice
Kraft bubble mailers are made of durable and lightweight kraft paper, giving them a unique, natural, and Earthy aesthetic. They are tear-resistant and have a distinct golden-brown color that immediately catches the eye.
Size and Style
Kraft bubble mailers come in various sizes with custom-size options available. This makes them highly versatile and suitable for a variety of products. The kraft paper gives these mailers a rustic, natural appearance, which lends a distinct brand identity to your packages.
Material and Durability
We know kraft paper for its strength and versatility; making the kraft bubble mailers tear and puncture-resistant. Additionally, the material is somewhat rigid, ensuring additional protection against bending or folding.
Resistance to Elements
Kraft bubble mailers are not water-resistant. However, they do offer resistance to other external elements and help prevent moisture ingress. Moisture resistance and material versatility make the mailers themselves a cost-effective and brandable solution. An excellent option for any business shipping smaller items to their customers.
Closure and Security
Kraft bubble mailers can also come with tamper-evident closures, giving you peace of mind about the security of your products. If someone attempts to open the package prematurely, it will be immediately noticeable. To be environmentally compliant, many brands create their mailers to be reusable. With an additional resealable closure, customers can return their products in the same mailer with ease.
Poly Bubble Mailers: The Flexible Option
Poly bubble mailers are made from heavy-duty polyethylene, making them flexible and adaptable to objects with an odd shape. What’s more, they are resistant to moisture intrusion, which offers some additional protection for your goods while in transit.
Size and Style
Similar to kraft mailers, poly bubble mailers also come in customizable sizes, making it easy for your brand to design a mailer that fits your products. As opposed to brown kraft, unprinted poly mailers have a clean, sleek aesthetic that is perfect for custom printing.
Material and Durability
Made from polyethylene materials, poly mailers are highly durable. The flexible poly material makes the mailers resistant to tearing and puncturing. Additionally, the flexibility allows the mailers to accommodate items of varying shapes and sizes resulting in an ideal choice for e-commerce packaging needs.
Closure and Security
Like kraft bubble mailers, poly bubble mailers also come with tamper-evident closures. This ensures the security of your products, allowing you to identify any broken seals. To continue to be environmentally friendly, poly mailers can also be resealable for customers to reuse.
Recyclability: A Key Consideration
Recycling packaging materials is a crucial detail to consider in our eco-conscious society. When it comes to kraft vs poly bubble mailers, it’s worth noting that each component is potentially recyclable. However, each material poses different challenges. To recycle kraft bubble mailers, it is important to separate paper and plastic. On the other hand, poly bubble mailers have the option for direct recycling, making them a more convenient option.
Impact on Shipping Costs
Both kraft vs poly bubble mailers save you on shipping costs due to their lightweight nature. However, poly bubble mailers, being more flexible and less rigid, allow for greater stacking. Thus more savings due to reduced space requirements.
Customization Potential
When it comes to customization, you can personalize each mailer to your preferences by using custom printing and special treatments. Poly bubble mailers offer a bright white surface, making them an excellent canvas for vibrant and accurate colors. On the other hand, kraft bubble mailers have a golden-brown material that gives a slightly muted effect to the colors, making them an excellent choice if your brand identity leans towards an Earthy and natural look. However, if you prefer kraft mailers, you can add certain treatments like foil hot stamping to give them a more elevated appearance.
Fun Facts About Kraft and Poly Bubble Mailers
Did you know that kraft paper was named after the kraft process? This method of turning wood into wood pulp was invented by Carl F. Dahl in 1879. Or, that polyethylene, the material used in poly bubble mailers is the most common plastic. Over 100 million metric tons are produced annually.
The Verdict: Kraft vs Poly Bubble Mailers
Choosing between kraft vs poly bubble mailers ultimately comes down to your specific business needs and the nature of the products you are shipping. If you prioritize rigidity and natural aesthetics, kraft bubble mailers might be the right choice for you. Conversely, if flexibility, moisture resistance, and vibrant printing are high on your priority list, poly bubble mailers may be the better option.
In Conclusion
Finally, when it comes to kraft vs poly bubble mailers, both options provide excellent packaging solutions that enhance your brand image, protect your products, and potentially save on shipping costs. To make the best decision, it is important to take into account your business requirements and the characteristics of your products.
Remember, the goal isn’t just to find a packaging solution, but to find the perfect packaging solution for your unique business needs. Whether that’s a kraft bubble mailer or a poly one, each offers its own set of benefits that enhance your product delivery process.
Looking for more packaging solutions? Check out more articles on our blog.
