So Many Padded Envelopes, So Little Time!
With so many padded envelopes available in so many different sizes and colors it can be extremely difficult to decide which option is best for your specific purpose. Being able to narrow down your decision often depends on what you intend to mail and to whom it’s being mailed.
Choosing the proper padded envelope is a process of elimination and like most processes of elimination it’s important to begin by asking oneself some questions. First of all what is the size of the item being sent? Is it bulky and heavy? Or is it small light and pliable? You should be able to eliminate a number of options simply by finding the padded envelope most appropriate for the size of the item you are sending.
Next you will want to consider who the intended recipient of the item is. If you are simply sending an item to a friend or family member you most likely do not need to obtain the most expensive envelope with the finest padding. In fact a plain white or manila padded envelope should suffice. If you’d like it’s possible to dress up the envelope with stickers or drawings as long as your artistic expression does not obscure the pertinent information contained on the envelope such as addresses and postage. If the recipient is a business associate you may want to avoid such decoration and keep things simple. It’s recommended to use a professional looking printed label for such parcels and to make sure the recipient is in fact able to receive such packages.
If the item being sent is fragile you can choose a padded envelope with a bit more cushion than what would be standard. You can even augment the envelope’s padding with additional packing material like styrofoam peanuts or torn newsprint. The added weight makes sending the envelope more expensive so keep that in mind when deciding on the appropriate amount of additional packing material if any.
Certain specialty items such as CDs and DVDs can be placed into specialized padded envelopes designed for those types of items specifically. If it’s vitally important for an item to not be damaged in transit it can be a good idea to look for this type of specialty packaging. Receiving a DVD or CD in the mail can be very exciting but not when the media has been smashed into several pieces.
Have you thought about color? You may not realize it but padded envelopes come in a number of unique colors and designs. Stripes zigzags and polka dots are all options in addition to the myriad colors from which one can choose. Keep in mind that these more festive packaging options will probably cost you more money and may not be the best option for some recipients though for some recipients a rainbow-colored padded envelope might be just the thing to keep your submission on the top of the pile!
It’s easy to see how choosing the right packaging can sometimes be overwhelming for the uninitiated but if you ask yourself the right questions and keep in mind who your recipient is selecting the proper padded envelopes can be a very simple process With some practice you may eventually gain the ability to pick the best envelope just by looking at the item to send.