Envelopes to create the right first impression

The envelope is often the first impression a customer gets of your company, so choosing the right one is important

Whatever type of business you have, you can be pretty sure that you need to send out post, among them the most common are invoices, marketing materials, or even products. In most cases this will be sent out in an envelope, but not all envelopes are created equal.

Depending on if you fill these by hand, use an envelope stuffer (also known as a folder inserter), or have odd shaped or fragile goods to sent, the envelope will be important to not only get the contents to their destination safely, but also represent your business to the recipient.

This quick guide runs through the most common types of envelope you might need, all of which can be provided by IMS for delivery. If you need other types of packaging, our team is ready to help, just call or complete the form at the bottom of the page and we'll get back to you.

Envelope size

Everyone knows that paper comes in different sizes, most commonly used being A4, and envelopes are no different. This makes sense, as the paper needs to fit neatly into the envelope, either folded or flat. For every size of paper, there is at least one envelope designed for it.

DL – 110 x 220mm

One of the most common envelopes used. This envelope requires standard 1^st or 2^nd class postage stamps. A sheet of A4 paper folded twice fits neatly inside.

C6 – 114 x 162mm

These envelopes are designed for A4 paper folded into equal quarters. These are also designed for A6 pieces of paper and card, A5 card and paper folded in half.

C5 – 162 x 229mm

This is the largest size envelope that can be used with standard 1^st or 2^nd class postage stamps. You will still need to check the weight of your envelope with its contents to ensure the right postage, which is easily done with a franking machine and scales. A sheet of A4 paper folded once in half, or an unfolded sheet of A5 paper fit in this envelope.

C4 – 324 x 229mm

This size of envelope is known as Large Letter for postage using 1^st and 2^nd class stamps. As always, this will depend on the contents and weight of the package, so check with scales and a postage chart to make sure. An unfolded sheet of A4 will fit in these envelopes – ideal for important business documents.

Envelope weight

This refers to the thickness of the paper, and is measured in grams per square metre. The thickness of the envelope will depend on how much protection the content s need, postage costs, or even just to impress a client with a quality delivery to their offices.

80gsm

A fairly lightweight but reliable envelope, ideal for sending invoices and receipts and everyday mail up to three sheets of A4.

90gsm

A stronger envelope with more opacity, making it more secure for sensitive contents, capable of safely sending up to fifteen sheets of paper.

100 – 110 gsm

These are a thicker envelope, perfect for letterhead correspondence to make a great first impression.

120 – 130gsm

These are strong envelopes, capable of securely holding bulkier contents and brochures through the post.

Envelope colour

While the vast majority of envelopes you send and receive will be white, with a few manilla ones here and there - when you need to stand out a colour envelope is an easy way to get noticed.

In fact, research has shown that they are 9 times more likely to be opened than a white or manilla one. If you want to make sure that your brochures or marketing materials you’ve worked hard to put together get seen, you should consider sending them in a bold colour to stand out from the crowd.

Seal your envelope

There's no point sending your post if you can't be sure it will get there safely sealed inside, and you have a few options here. The three main types of envelope seal are gummed, peel and seal and self-seal.

Gummed

The traditional 'lick and stick' envelope where wetting the gummed flap enables it to stick down securely. These are the type of envelopes you need in a folder inserter machine where the flap is automatically moistened in the machine, rather than your tongue having to lick thousands of envelopes. These envelopes are known as machine compatible.

Peel and Seal

These have a strip of tape to seal the flap. These are labour intensive as they need to be done by hand, so not suitable for large mailouts. They do however have a longer shelf life than machine compatible envelopes.

Self Seal

These are sealed by simply pressing together the flat and the envelope with a pre-gummed side to each. These are great for convenience and are often sent out to customers as return envelopes. The seal can be considered an additional level of security as once sealed, the envelope cannot be opened without tearing the flap.