A mailer box is a self-locking corrugated box, die-cut from a single sheet, with side wings that fold inward and a front flap that tucks shut so it ships without tape. TBPB prints custom mailer boxes with no minimum order, and the price-beat guarantee applies: bring a written quote for the same specs and we beat it.
The anatomy of a mailer box
There are five parts worth knowing. The base is the floor and sets the box’s footprint. The walls fold up from the base. The side wings (or dust flaps) fold inward along the sides and double the wall thickness, which is where most of the corner strength comes from. The lid hinges off the back wall and closes over the box. The front tuck is the small flap on the lid that slides into a slot on the front wall and locks it. Because everything comes from one sheet, there is no glue joint to fail in a warehouse that gets humid or cold.
Why brands use them
A mailer is a shipping box and a branded box in one. It survives a courier, it prints on the outside and the inside, and the customer opens it like a small gift. Subscription boxes, apparel, beauty sets, supplements, candles and PR kits all use this format for that reason. It also ships flat, so a stack of five hundred takes up a fraction of the floor space of the same number of finished boxes.
Mailer box specs
| Minimum order | None |
| Material | Corrugated board (E-flute is the usual choice; ask us to confirm for your spec) |
| Closure | Front tuck, no tape needed |
| Printing | Outside and inside, your artwork |
| Sizing | Quoted as inside length, width and depth |
| Ships | Flat |
How a mailer differs from similar boxes
A shipping box (RSC) is a plain brown box that needs tape and is not meant to be opened by the customer as a presentation. A rigid box is far more expensive and heavier, and gives a luxury feel but is not designed for transit in a parcel by itself. A folding carton is lighter and suits retail shelves rather than courier abuse. The mailer sits between them: strong enough for a parcel, good-looking enough to keep. If you are weighing it against a rigid, read mailer boxes vs rigid boxes.
Where to go next
Browse mailer boxes, custom corrugated boxes, custom branded boxes or PR boxes, and see the mailer boxes category for every style. Our TBPB mailer boxes page covers sizes and options in more detail. To order, send the product dimensions and the quantity, even one, through the quote form. We return a dieline and a quote, and design help, samples and shipping are free.
Questions buyers ask
What is a mailer box used for?
Shipping and presenting a product in one box. Ecommerce brands, subscription services and PR teams use mailers because they travel well and the customer opens a branded box instead of a plain carton.
Does a mailer box need tape?
Not to stay closed. The front tuck locks the lid, so the box holds shut on its own. Many shippers still add a strip across the lid for transit, or a seal sticker for tamper evidence.
Is a mailer box the same as a shipping box?
No. A shipping box is a plain taped carton. A mailer is die-cut and self-locking, prints inside and out, and is designed to be opened by the customer as part of the experience.
Is there a minimum order for custom mailer boxes?
No. You can order a single box or thousands. Our price-beat guarantee applies at any quantity.