Mailing bags: custom printed poly mailers for e-commerce
Mailing bags are opaque, tear-resistant plastic envelopes used to ship products by post or courier. They are made from co-extruded film with a black inner layer, seal with a permanent hot-melt adhesive strip and protect the contents from moisture and rough handling in transit.
VLM Poliplast converts and prints mailing bags in-house in Romania, with options such as a documents pouch, a carry handle, barcode or QR serialisation, a double seal for returns and a recycled-content film.
These are poly mailers for shipping products, not padded paper envelopes, bubble mailers or cardboard boxes. Every order ships with a technical data sheet, and the minimum quantity is confirmed at quotation.
The short answer: a plain white mailer ships most orders; go printed to turn every parcel into branding, add a documents pouch for the paperwork, a handle for bulky packs, a double seal when customers return items, and grey recycled-content film when sustainability targets come first.
What makes a good mailing bag
- Co-extruded film: stretch and impact resistance for machine sorting and courier handling
- Opaque black inner layer: hides the contents and shields them from UV light
- Waterproof film: polyethylene does not absorb water, so rain and splashes stay out
- Permanent hot-melt seal: closes once, opens only by tearing, so tampering shows
Specification snapshot
| Property | Typical specification |
| Material | Co-extruded polyethylene film with an opaque black inner layer |
| Closure | Permanent hot-melt adhesive strip; double strip with perforation for returns |
| Partial or full surface, up to 8 colours, on the film colour you choose | |
| Film colours | White, coloured or dark grey recycled-content film |
| Options | Documents pouch, carry handle, barcode or QR serialisation |
| Sizes and gauge | From stock or made to order, set to the parcel weight and handling; confirmed at quotation |
| Documentation | Technical data sheet per order; recycled content documented per structure |
Types of mailing bags we make
Printed poly mailers
Partial or full-surface print, one colour or multi-colour, on the film colour you choose. Every parcel carries your brand from the warehouse to the doorstep.
Double-seal returnable mailers
Two adhesive strips with a perforated flap between them: the first strip seals the outbound parcel, and after opening on the perforation the second strip seals the return.
Mailers with carry handle
For bulky parcels such as shoes, garments and homeware: sealed at the base, with a reinforced handle that makes the parcel easy to carry.
Serialised mailers, barcode or QR
Bags numbered with distinct, consecutive serials or scannable QR codes, for parcel traceability and higher security in the courier chain.
Recycled-content mailers
Dark grey mailers made from recycled-content film, produced to order in a range of sizes, with the content documented per structure, supporting PPWR (EU) 2025/40 readiness.
Self-adhesive documents pouches
Clear C5 pouches, adhesive on one full side, that stick to bags and boxes and hold the shipping label, invoice or delivery note, scannable without opening the parcel.
Mailing bags, bubble mailers or boxes?
| Mailing bags | Bubble mailers | Cardboard boxes | |
| Weight added to the parcel | Minimal: a light film envelope | Low, with the padded lining | The highest of the three |
| Storage in the warehouse | Flat, in very little space | Bulkier, padding takes space | Flat but heavy, needs assembly |
| Weather resistance | Waterproof polyethylene film | Paper versions absorb moisture | Cardboard absorbs moisture |
| Protection profile | Tear-resistant, for non-fragile goods | Cushioning for small fragile items | Rigid protection for fragile or heavy goods |
| Branding surface | Full-surface print, up to 8 colours | Usually limited print areas | Printable, on the box or a label |
| Typically ships | Apparel, textiles, books, accessories | Small electronics, media, jewellery | Rigid, heavy or crushable products |
Sizes: from stock and made to order
Standard sizes run from small apparel mailers to extra-large bags for boxes and homeware, available from stock at manufacturer prices. Custom sizes, film colours and prints are made to order, with the size and gauge set to the weight and handling the parcel has to take. Send the parcel dimensions and monthly volume, and we confirm the right specification at quotation.
Which products ship in mailing bags
Fashion and apparel brands ship clothing and soft accessories in printed mailers; footwear and homeware move in handle mailers that carry like a bag; books, media and stationery travel in standard white mailers; cosmetics and personal-care brands use printed mailers for the unboxing moment; and fulfilment centres and marketplace sellers run serialised mailers for traceability across couriers. If the product is rigid or fragile, a box protects it better: mailing bags earn their place on everything that bends, folds or already sits in its own retail packaging.
How to choose a mailing bag
- Weight and dimensions of the parcel: they set the bag size and film gauge, confirmed at quotation on your specification
- Share of returns: if customers send items back, the double-seal returnable mailer saves a second bag on every return
- Branding: a plain mailer ships the order; a printed one turns every parcel into advertising space
- Sustainability targets: recycled-content film, dark grey, with the content documented per structure, supports reporting under PPWR (EU) 2025/40
Why buy mailing bags from VLM Poliplast
- EU production, no middlemen: you buy directly from the factory, inside the EU, with full documentation per order
- Made to specification: size, gauge, film colour and print set per order, to your parcels and volumes
- Smaller runs accepted: suited to growing e-commerce brands, not only high-volume shippers
- Samples before you commit: physical samples from current production, for validation before an order
- Certified production: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000 and ISO 45001, with a technical data sheet per order
Frequently asked questions
What are mailing bags made of?
Most mailing bags are co-extruded polyethylene film, typically white or coloured outside with an opaque black layer inside. The co-extrusion gives stretch and impact resistance, and the black layer hides the contents and blocks UV light.
Are mailing bags waterproof?
Yes, for rain, splashes and damp handling in normal transit: polyethylene film does not absorb water and the hot-melt strip seals the bag shut. They are shipping bags, not bags designed for submersion.
Can mailing bags be printed with our logo?
Yes. Mailing bags are printed partially or across the full surface, in one colour or multi-colour, on the film colour you choose, in custom sizes. The minimum order depends on the size and the print and is confirmed at quotation.
Do you make returnable mailing bags?
Yes. Double-seal mailers carry two adhesive strips with a perforated flap between them: the first strip seals the outbound parcel, and after opening on the perforation the second strip seals the return in the same bag.
Are recycled mailing bags available?
Yes. On request we produce mailers from recycled-content film, dark grey, in a range of sizes, with the recycled content documented per structure.
Request your custom quote
Send your sizes, monthly volume and the options you need (documents pouch, print, handle, double seal) and receive a quote on your specification and, on request, a sample for validation.
Printed to your brand · Samples for validation · Technical advice · ISO certified
Related resources
Poly bags
The parent range: self-seal, printed polythene, LDPE, HDPE and laminated bags for packing and grouping.
Packaging bags
The top of the range: pouches for shelf, poly bags for packing and shipping, and how ordering works.
Custom pouches
Stand-up, quad-seal, zipper and vacuum pouches, when the pack needs to sell the product on shelf.
Buying from Romania
How sourcing flexible packaging from Romania compares with Turkey, Poland and Serbia, for EU and UK buyers.
Shipping hundreds of parcels a week?
Send us your parcel sizes and monthly volume: we document the right size, gauge and closure for your flow, and prepare a sample for validation before you commit.