Custom Mailer Boxes

Custom mailer boxes are one-piece corrugated shipping cartons. They fold flat and self-lock without tape. So e-commerce brands get a strong box and a branded open in one.

Packaging Vista prints mailers inside and out on E-flute or B-flute corrugated. Full CMYK and Pantone-matched color. Finishes include matte and gloss film, soft-touch, foil stamping, and spot UV.

The minimum is 100 boxes. No die, plate, or setup fees. You get free design, a dieline, and a 3D mockup. Orders ship in 8 to 10 business days with free US delivery.

Mailer box styles

The shape sets the closure, the strength, and the open feel. These are the custom mailer box styles we make most often:

Roll end tuck top (RETT) mailer boxes

The classic mailer. The side walls roll over to make double-thick edges. A top lid flap tucks into the front to lock the box without glue or tape. RETT mailers ship flat and pop up in seconds. They are the go-to for branded e-commerce shipping.

Roll end front tuck (REFT) mailer boxes

A close cousin of the RETT. Front flaps lock into the body for a tighter closure. Dust flaps keep dirt out. REFT mailers are a strong fit for heavier or more fragile items that need extra hold in transit.

Mailer boxes with tear strip

A perforated tear strip plus a glue seal lets buyers open the box cleanly. On peel-and-seal builds, they can reseal it for returns. Tear-strip mailers suit subscription and DTC brands that want a tamper-clear, easy open.

Full-flap and literature mailer boxes

Full-flap (literature) mailers are flat, book-style boxes. They ship printed goods, apparel, and slim items. Add a tear strip or inserts to keep contents centered and scuff-free.

Corrugated and double-wall mailer boxes

For heavier or fragile goods, a B-flute or double-wall corrugated mailer adds crush strength. It also holds up under stacking. The outside stays smooth and printable.

Mailer box materials

Most mailers are printed on corrugated stock chosen for your product weight:

• E-flute corrugated - thin and smooth. The top print surface for crisp full-color art on lighter items.
• B-flute corrugated - thicker with more crush strength. Great for heavy items or boxes that ship on their own.
• White vs. kraft - white liner for bright, photo-quality print. Natural kraft for a warm, recyclable look. See our kraft boxes for the unbleached pick.

Custom mailer boxes with your logo

We print mailers to your exact art in full CMYK and Pantone-matched color, inside and out. A free dieline and 3D mockup let you approve print and fit before we print.

Inside print is a top way to add a brand message or pattern that greets the buyer at the open. No die, plate, or setup fees. Your art, your size, from the first 100 boxes.

Mailer boxes by use

Mailers fit almost any product that ships direct to the customer:

Mailer box sizes and dimensions

Mailer boxes are die-cut. So any size fits your product without a tooling fee. The right size guards the product, cuts void fill, and keeps dim weight under carrier billing tiers.

Small mailer boxes

Small mailers (about 6x4x2 to 8x6x3 inches) suit apparel add-ons, cosmetics, small tech, and single-item ecommerce. They fit inside USPS Priority regional zones to keep shipping cheap.

Medium and subscription-box sizes

Medium mailers (9x6x3 to 12x9x4 inches) are the workhorse of subscription boxes, DTC brands, and multi-piece orders. The range balances inside volume with dim-weight cost. It prints well for unboxing videos.

Large mailer boxes

Large mailers (14x10x4 inches and up) hold apparel sets, kits, or multi-SKU orders. At this size, double-wall corrugated (E+B flute) is worth the small upcharge. It stops crush through the carrier network.

Use our box-size calculator to check dim weight before you lock a size. Or see the shipping guide for how mailer sizes map to USPS, UPS, and FedEx pricing tiers.

Pricing, minimums, and turnaround

Mailer price depends on box size, flute and stock, print coverage (one side vs. inside and out), finishes, and quantity. Our full mailer box guide for e-commerce walks through each choice. The per-box cost drops as volume grows.

There are no die, plate, or setup fees. The minimum is 100 boxes. Standard production runs 8 to 10 business days after proof approval, with rush on request. Every order includes a free dieline, 3D mockup, and free US shipping.

Weighing US vs. overseas? See why brands pick a US mailer box maker. Request a free quote with your size and quantity for exact pricing.

Mailer box vs shipper carton vs poly mailer: total-landed-cost trade-offs

Three formats dominate direct-to-consumer shipping and each solves a different problem. A printed mailer box (usually an E-flute corrugated wrap-around style with a tuck-front) is the choice when the unboxing is part of the brand story: apparel, beauty, subscription, gift, and hero DTC products. A plain shipper carton (a standard RSC or RETT shipper) is the choice for utility shipping when the product itself sells the brand: replacement parts, high-frequency reorders, industrial. A poly mailer (a plastic film envelope) is the cheapest per unit, ships flat, and is ideal for soft goods (apparel, textiles, non-fragile accessories) that do not need burst strength.

Total-landed-cost tells you which format wins for a specific SKU. Mailer boxes cost $0.40-$1.50 per unit at typical DTC volumes and add 40-100 grams to shipping weight. Shipper cartons run $0.30-$0.80 per unit at similar weights. Poly mailers cost $0.08-$0.25 per unit and add almost no shipping weight, so freight savings amortize the format difference on high-volume soft-goods brands. For fragile or hero-brand products, the unboxing lift usually justifies the mailer-box premium.

DTC unboxing: photo shots, tissue paper, and social share moments

A DTC mailer box has to do more than get the product there; it has to look right on camera. Print the inside of the lid because that is the first thing a shopper sees when they open the box (a brand color, a thank-you note, or a bold graphic). Add a tissue paper or crinkle-paper inner layer that looks intentional in an unboxing video. Land the product with a small branded card, a QR code to a “how to use” video, or a sample of a related SKU that turns a first purchase into a second.

Social sharing is where the unboxing pays back the format premium. Shoppers who record an unboxing tag the brand in the video, driving discovery at zero paid-media cost. Design for the vertical video frame that Instagram and TikTok use: the box should look complete on camera without the shopper having to reposition it. A hero print element that reads at any angle (a monogram, a repeating pattern, or a big centered logo) photographs better than fine detail that a phone camera would flatten.

Frequently Asked Questions

What style of mailer box do you make, and is it sturdy enough for shipping?

We make roll end tuck top (RETT) and roll end front tuck (REFT) mailers. The side walls fold over into double-thick edges. A front flap tucks in to lock the box without tape. That self-locking corrugated build holds up well in transit and guards products through the mail stream.

Can you print on the inside of the mailer box, not just the outside?

Yes. Inside print is one of the top mailer picks for a branded open. We can run full-color art or a brand message on the inside panels. We will show both the outside and inside in your free 3D mockup before we print.

What material and flute do you recommend for e-commerce mailers?

Most e-commerce mailers are printed on E-flute or B-flute corrugated. E-flute is thin and smooth. It suits crisp graphics on lighter items. B-flute and double-wall add crush strength for heavy or fragile goods. We will suggest a flute based on your product weight and whether the box ships on its own.

Can I add a tear strip or peel-and-seal closure?

Yes. We can add a perforated tear strip for a clean open. A peel-and-seal glue strip lets buyers reseal the box for returns. Both are popular on subscription and DTC mailers. They are built into your dieline before we print.

How much do custom mailer boxes cost?

Cost depends on box size, flute and stock, print coverage (outside only vs. inside and out), finishes, and quantity. It falls as volume grows. Every job is custom, so we quote per project, not a flat price. There are never die, plate, or setup fees. The minimum is just 100 boxes. Send your size and quantity for an exact, no-strings quote.

What sizes and dimensions can I get for a mailer box?

Any size. Mailers are made to your product size (length x width x depth). Not sure? Send a sample or product specs. We will size the box and supply a free dieline and 3D mockup to lock in the fit before we print.

What is the lead time and minimum order on mailer boxes?

The minimum is 100 mailer boxes with no die, plate, or setup fees. So it is easy to launch a custom size and design. Plan for the standard 8 to 10 business-day turnaround after proof approval. Rush is on the table if your launch date is tight.

What is the difference between a mailer box and a shipper carton?

A mailer box is a self-contained corrugated wrap-around box with a printed exterior, made for direct customer delivery where the box IS the product presentation. A shipper carton is a standard corrugated shipping box (RSC or RETT) built for utility, usually with plain kraft or single-color print. Both ship product, but the mailer box carries the brand experience while the shipper does not.

How much does a printed mailer box reduce damages vs a plain shipper?

Damages typically drop 15-30 percent when moving from a loose product in a plain shipper to a sized mailer box that holds the product snug. The mailer's tighter fit reduces in-transit movement, which is the biggest cause of dent and abrasion damage. On fragile SKUs the improvement can be larger; on rugged utility SKUs the difference is smaller because damage was not the primary risk to begin with.

Can you add a return-shipping tear-strip or double-adhesive strip to a mailer?

Yes. A pre-applied tear-strip lets the shopper open the box in one clean motion; a second adhesive strip inside lets them reseal the box for a return without needing tape. This is common on apparel, footwear, and any category with a high return rate. The tear-and-reseal build adds a few cents per box but reduces the friction of a return and improves the reverse-logistics experience.