Kraft vs. Poly Mailers: Which Should You Use?
Key takeaways
- Poly mailers are water-resistant, flex around soft goods and weigh less.
- Kraft mailers resist tearing, take print beautifully and suit documents and flat goods.
- Apparel and soft goods: go poly. Premium or paper-forward brands: go kraft.
Kraft and poly mailers cover most of what a growing brand ships — but they're built for different jobs. Here's how to choose.
Protection
Both come flat or padded (bubble-lined). Flat kraft paper mailers resist tearing and give a rigid, professional feel; flat poly mailers are water-resistant and flex around soft goods. For fragile items, choose the bubble-lined version of either.
Weight and postage
Poly mailers are the lighter of the two, which can shave a little off weight-based postage on high-volume orders. Paper mailers weigh slightly more but still ship far lighter than a box.
Materials
Kraft mailers are paper; poly mailers are plastic film. How easily either is disposed of depends on the specific construction and your customers' local programs, so if recyclability matters to your brand, ask for the product's spec sheet before you make claims about it.
Branding and look
Paper mailers take print beautifully and give an elevated, natural unboxing. Poly mailers come in colors and metallic finishes and are great for bold, branded packaging on a budget.
Quick rule of thumb
Shipping apparel and soft goods where cost and water-resistance matter? Go poly. Building a paper-forward or premium brand, or shipping documents and flat goods? Go paper.
Still not sure? Tell us what you ship and we'll recommend the right mailer.
FAQ
Are poly mailers or kraft mailers cheaper to ship? Poly mailers are lighter, which can trim weight-based postage at volume. Kraft mailers weigh slightly more but still ship far lighter than a box.
Are kraft mailers waterproof? No — poly is the water-resistant option. Kraft paper suits flat goods, documents and a more premium unboxing.
Can I get padded versions of both? Yes. Both come flat or bubble-lined; choose the padded version of either for fragile items.
Which is better for shipping clothes, kraft or poly mailers? Poly. It is water-resistant, flexes around soft goods and weighs less, which can trim postage at volume. Choose kraft for documents, flat goods or a premium paper unboxing.
Buying at volume?
Our wholesale line sheet publishes per-unit pricing by pallet tier — no quote request needed to see numbers. Want to touch the product first? The $29 sample kit covers six product lines and is credited in full against your first wholesale order.
See the line sheetOrder the $29 sample kit
Questions? Call (619) 703-0245 — we manufacture our poly & bubble mailers in Tijuana and ship from U.S. inventory.