Letter Envelopes

Buy an envelope and send your mail opaque and safe

Envelopes large or small are still indispensable in national and international postal traffic. And this despite the triumph of electronic mail and similar developments in recent decades. In order to facilitate the sorting of billions of letter items each year, certain uniform DIN formats have developed for the envelope. In addition, an envelope makes the mostly confidential contents unrecognizable and opaque. After all, private love letters or business correspondence should not be visible to everyone, even if it is only to the letter carrier. The functions and types of envelopes are many and varied.

Why grammage is an important quality feature in the manufacturing process of envelopes

Postal envelopes or the letter envelope consist primarily of paper. The grammage as the weight per square meter is an important parameter. If the grammage is lower, the paper of the envelope is thinner and softer. Envelopes are available with and without a window. They are primarily used for the secure transport of business and private correspondence, invitation cards or small items of jewelry. They are sealed with a water-soluble adhesive or a self-adhesive seal. A special form are multiple or house mail envelopes for internal use in companies and offices.

The origin of the envelope and how it is made

The envelope was invented in 1820 by S. K. Brewer in Brighton, England. He wanted to save himself the time-consuming folding of the written sheet. It also eliminated the need for a colored seal. In 1835, the London company Dobbs & Comp. began to manufacture envelopes as a mass product. The first treadle folding machine was presented at the 1851 World's Fair in London. Germany's first envelope factory was founded in Jülich in 1849. The pioneer of machine production of envelopes was the Reinhart Schmidt company. It also brought the transparent varnish window into series production soon afterwards. In 1925, the first envelope machine with automatic gumming was launched by Winkler und Dünnebier. The company is still the leader in this field today. Since then, however, the technology has evolved and changed considerably. Flexo printing units and window stations are now standard on every machine. Each press has one internal and two external printing units, as well as a station for adding windows to envelopes. Somewhat later, serial production of envelopes with glassine windows began.

Today, envelopes are produced fully automatically using envelope production machines in roll production. The paper rolls are unwound at the start of the machine and the paper is then printed, punched, cut and glued. Often it is also bleached beforehand, which makes the envelopes white. with standardized dimensions, very large quantities are possible in this way. For small runs, sheet production is a common process. Templates in special sizes are punched out of paper and then processed as in the aforementioned roll production. The desired envelope shape is created from a simple paper roll by cutting, folding and gluing. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, this is all done with the utmost precision and at breakneck speed.

Envelopes should be pressure-sensitive or self-adhesive sealable

Depending on the type of envelope in question, the properties of the respective model differ, sometimes considerably. For example, there are envelopes with and without a viewing window, particularly sturdy and tear-resistant envelopes, those that can be securely sealed and others that are all the easier to open again for this. For example, an envelope can be pressure-sensitive adhesive. Other companies design their envelopes to be self-adhesive. The wet-glue seal is also common for an envelope letter. The focus is always protection and security of the documents transported in the envelope envelope.

How the document envelopes will leave lasting impressions thanks to different designs

In most cases, the envelope is made of paper, often using recycled and environmentally friendly waste paper. The viewing window, a component of many envelopes used for business correspondence, is made of PE film. There are also envelopes made of plastic fibers as well as Papyrolin, a fiber-reinforced material. In addition, there is the gummed or two adhesive strips as a seal. In addition to colorful envelopes, there are also those that are particularly sturdy or have a transparent appearance. Others have a rough surface reminiscent of wood fibers or cork. Especially in a private environment, you are free to use a variety of colors with regard to your envelopes; in business, they should better be white or brown. Some envelopes can be opened with the help of a tear string.

As a marketing tool, envelopes are cheap, but can generate a lot of interest among customers and create closeness to the company

The envelope protects the documents or postcards it contains from soiling and tearing. It is also important to avoid creases. A safe dispatch of written products is the main reason for the use of accurately fitting envelopes. Only postcards can do without an envelope, but there is generally nothing to be said against using one. Last but not least, an envelope for a letter helps to keep documents safe. After all, handwritten letters serve as personal gifts or mementos of important moments in life. Invitation and thank you cards for weddings, christenings, anniversaries and other celebrations require a beautifully designed envelope with an outstanding touch. In the case of advertising messages, on the other hand, various opening incentives are even the focus of the envelope.
Above all, the envelope should match the contents of the letter and not evoke empty or even dishonest promises. Every envelope reveals a certain expectation. If this is disappointed or abused, the worst case scenario is a rift between sender and recipient. Unfortunately, fraudsters in particular make use of some tricks to make dishonest letters appear as serious business mail.
The disadvantages of envelopes, on the other hand, fade into the background when they are actually used. They mainly concern their subsequent disposal, which will be discussed in the next section.
Printed envelopes make sending letters particularly easy. Because you then know immediately where the mail is coming from. What's more, they convey a professional impression. They ensure a uniform external appearance for companies and thus create trust. Corporate design has become an integral part of every company's marketing. Artists and freelancers have the opportunity to stand out from the competition with self-designed envelopes. A printed envelope arouses curiosity and builds excitement as soon as the envelope is opened.

How to dispose of envelopes properly and why it has a big impact on the recycling process

An envelope without a window is generally more sustainable than those with a peek-through, as those without a plastic component are completely recyclable. However, that window envelope may also go to waste paper. This is because the windows can be separated from the paper quite easily during recycling and sorted out. Labels and self-adhesive envelopes, on the other hand, pose a much greater problem, as the adhesive is very difficult to separate from the paper of the envelope. Of course, it is also possible to tear off the adhesive part and the label and dispose of them in the residual waste. Wet glue envelopes are definitely more environmentally friendly. Ultimately, the waste paper goes into the blue garbage can. In the end, when buying small and large envelopes, it is important to make sure that as many of them as possible can be recycled again, i.e. that a high recycling rate results. The situation is more complicated with some mailing bags and bubble envelopes. This is because they are a mix of plastic and paper. As a disposable product, they are often difficult to separate from one another and make recycling more costly. Over time, however, the film separates from the paper and you can dispose of both components separately in yellow and blue garbage cans. Otherwise, a bubble envelope is better off in the residual waste. Simple air cushion pads, on the other hand, go directly into the yellow bag. Before that, it makes sense to burst the air chambers.
In any case, it pays off for the environment to use as few envelopes with plastic components as possible and rather rely entirely on those made of recycled paper, which can be fully recycled. Fresh paper for envelopes, on the other hand, is not always the best solution from an environmental perspective, as it requires a lot of wood. Chemical additives in paper production also contribute to this. However, even in times of rapid digitalization, paper cannot be completely avoided. The volume of recovered paper is actually declining significantly throughout Germany, and paper consumption has been falling slightly since 2015. Industrial packaging accounts for a large proportion of this. Despite this, Germany still holds a leading position in global paper consumption.

Everything you need to know about labeling your mail envelopes correctly

Answering the question Where to buy envelopes is step number one. Now it's important to label them correctly. This has to be learned. To do this, the recipient's address should be centered on the right, the sender's address on the top left, and the stamp on the top right. You should also only label the front of the envelope. Adhesive labels or similar imprints have no place on envelopes. International mail requires additional information, such as the destination country in English or the language of the recipient, so that it is clear at first glance where the mail is going.
When buying envelopes, it should be noted that if an envelope has letter content and does not have a viewing window, it usually has to be labeled manually. However, they can also be labeled with some printers. For this, however, the paper quality of the envelope must be good. Labeled envelopes are used more frequently, for example in the advertising industry. Authorities and companies almost invariably use a large envelope with a window for business correspondence. This allows a view of the recipient's name and address. The position and size of the window are standardized, as are the various envelope formats. The contents must be folded correctly. Private letters do not require a window because they are individually designed and often contain a personal touch. In the case of more extensive letter items, large and maxi letters are recommended. However, these are not the subject of this article, but are dealt with together with boxes in a separate article.
The design of an address line follows certain DIN standards. With the same line spacing between name, street and city line, you do without a blank line. In this case, the address is left-justified. In the case of non-manual lettering, the address must have the same font size and font type. A dark font on a light background is preferable. Framing or highlighting should be avoided. The letter spacing should be approximately 15 millimeters from the left, right and bottom edges and at least 40 millimeters from the top edge. If you take all this information into account, your letter envelope will surely reach its destination.

The cost of postage depends on whether the envelope is small or large.

There are at least six important dimensions of envelopes that follow the DIN standard. This results in different amounts of postage to be paid, which is €0.85 for the two sizes DIN long and DIN C6, and €1.60 for the other four DIN formats. A subcategory of DIN long is DIN long compact with slightly larger dimensions, but also €0.85 postage. A further distinction must be made between classic envelopes and mailing bags. While the sealing flap of envelopes is on the long side, mailing pockets have an open flap on their shorter side. The following envelope formats are commonly used in postal traffic:

First, probably the most widely used format DIN long (220x110mm) up to 20 g 0.85 € for private occasions and business mail. No matter when and where buy envelopes in the format DIN LANG is always worthwhile. The envelope letter is available with and without window in white. An inside print is available. The envelopes are self-adhesive. They are usually sold in packs of 100. They are envelopes for all occasions. If the envelopes contain letters, it depends on the intended use whether a colored envelope is worthwhile. There are virtually no limits to the colors that can be selected.

The letter envelope format DIN C6 (162x114mm) to 20 g 0.85 € is the standard postcard format. This is the classic envelope in postcard size with the dimensions 114x162 mm. It can hold cards of A6 size or a sheet of A5 folded once. There is a wide range of colors and designs. From postcards, flyers and invitation cards to business cards and election ballots, they can hold a wide variety of documents. Actually, you can do almost nothing wrong with these envelopes.

Should you buy an envelope with size DIN C5 (229x162mm) to 500 g 1.60 € you can use it for a whole A5 sheet or a folded A4 sheet. This envelope is ideal for holding DIN C5 envelopes. DIN A4 also fits comfortably in this envelope by folding it once. It is often used for wedding cards and business invitations. Flower stores often use it for cards enclosed with the bouquet. White is the common color.

For DIN A4 sheets, a letter envelope DIN C4 (324x229 mm) up to 500 g 1,60 € is one of the most common formats in private and business traffic. With these envelopes there is a particularly large selection.

For folded DIN A4 papers, you should buy Post envelopes that have the DIN B5 (250x176 mm) format up to 500 g 1.60 € and offer sufficient space and scope in relation to your letters or goods. Furthermore, it is especially suitable for catalogs. Especially thicker documents like deeds, contracts and certificates can be sent in it without any problems.

A DIN A4 sheet fits into an envelope of standard size DIN B4 (353x250mm) up to 500 g 1.60 € unfolded. The format is deliberately kept larger than the classic A4 format and is therefore ideally suited for multi-page documents, booklets and photographs. The dimensions correspond to those of a Großbrief or Maxibrief.

So there is a corresponding envelope for every standardized paper size. Neat folding of writing papers is of course allowed, but the DIN standards mean that even this step can be omitted in many cases. Of course, many pieces of writing fit into several of the formats listed above.

The envelope for correspondence is available in white, brown and many other colors and special shapes

A special form of the envelope are mailing bags. Mailing envelopes are used for convenient mailing of compact and heavier letter items. This can be a book or a folder with business documents. There are various types of envelopes. Although the envelope resembles a letter envelope, it can be easily distinguished by its flap on the short side. Most envelopes also do not have a window. Instead of just paper, they are made of sturdier materials, because they have to be tear-resistant. Inside, for example, batting or a bubble wrap protects the documents inside. Bubble envelopes in particular are very popular. As a rule, these shipping bags are available in white and brown with side or center gluing. Other types of closure include pressure-sensitive and adhesive.

Envelope bags also represent a separate envelope type. These envelopes are suitable for machine inserting. They have a special cut shape and a rubberized flap for wet gluing. The triangular shape of the flap is particularly striking. For machine gluing, these envelopes must be 15 millimeters wider and eight millimeters higher than their contents. Envelopes are also available with and without a viewing window.

We have the answer to the question "Where can you order envelopes cheaply?"

Without envelopes and mailing bags, virtually nothing would work in national and international correspondence. As shown, envelopes perform various functions and offer a number of advantages. Since their invention, envelopes have undergone constant development and are now available in a wide range of designs. The issue of sustainability and proper disposal is becoming increasingly urgent. If you are looking for suitable envelopes and no one knows a suitable answer to your question Where can I buy envelopes in the vicinity, we offer you a solution with our large assortment of different letter envelopes. With us you can order the right envelope for every shipping request.