Bubble envelopes are envelopes that are cushioned with air-filled plastic bubbles. These are used to mail fragile items because the air within the bubbles pads the contents of the envelope. They are also sometimes called padded envelopes, although some padded envelopes are padded with fibers rather than bubble wrap.
History
Bubble Wrap was invented in 1957 by Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes while attempting to create a washable wallpaper. Lining mailing envelopes with bubble wrap is a relatively recent invention.
Benefits
Bubble mailers can protect objects you want to mail just as well as boxes and cost less to mail. Objects placed into bubble mailers do not bounce around as they would if placed inside a box. They are also environmentally friendly in the sense that they take up less room on mail trucks, thus allowing for more mail to be placed on each truck.
Types
Bubble mailers are made from thick paper (known as kraft paper) that is not resistant to tearing. Once the paper is torn, the plastic bubble wrap liner must be torn, too, to harm the contents. Bubble mailers can also be made from poly material that is water and tear resistant. Each of these types of mailers claim to be recyclable.
Considerations
Bubble mailers are more expensive when purchased individually. If you need a number of bubble mailers, it is more cost-effective to purchase an entire box of them from a warehouse club or an office supply store.
Size
Bubble mailers are available in sizes from 4 by 8 inches all the way up to 10.5 by 16 inches. Selecting the proper size of bubble mailer for the object you are going to mail is important. There is a simple formula to calculate the size of the bubble mailer you will need based on the size of the object you want to mail. To calculate the width, measure the width of the object plus the thickness then add a half an inch. To calculate the length, measure the length of the object plus the thickness then add two inches.
