What You Should Know About Envelopes

Many organizations have been using envelopes to send their correspondences to their colleagues, clients and prospects. Envelope printing is one of the primary operations that many businesses indulge in, from standard business and letterhead envelopes, to tear-resistant mails and large manila envelopes.

However, with the onset of digital technology, there are many cases that envelope printing is not anymore necessary for sending letters and correspondences. There's the email for that, not to mention that some of the collaterals such as brochures and newsletters can be designed as self-mailers hence, you don't need envelopes for them.

But on the few occasion that you do need envelope printing for your business, here's what you should look for when buying your mail accessory:

- Buy envelopes that can be recycled and re-used. This saves money and reduces environmental waste. Many envelopes can survive the rigors of mailing that they can be used again as return mailers for your recipients.

- Look for post-consumer recycled content. This means buying those that have more chances of the users being able to recycle them. They are mostly the standard white or light-colored envelopes that pass recycling guidelines.

- The Federal government provides for acceptable standards for buying envelopes: they must be 30% post-consumer content for white wove; 10% to 20% for white or colored Kraft and manila envelopes; 10% again for unbleached Kraft; and 25% to 35% total recycled plastic content plus at least 25% post-consumer content for plastic ones.

- Costs between virgin and recycled-content envelopes differ based on the ordered quantity, size and style, as well as the source of the material. If you want to get the most put of your budget, you have to shop around and look for the envelope that would be appropriate to your needs.

- #10 Business size envelopes are cheaper than recycled ones especially if you're going to order in hundreds. They are usually 10% to 20% higher in price. And still some offer bigger discounts for #10 size envelopes made from virgin paper.

- Clasp and catalog recycled content envelopes have the same prices as that of their virgin counterparts. If you want to save on costs, go for the recycled content Kraft envelopes with prices much lower than their virgin counterparts or even the recycled content white or manila envelopes.

- Tear resistant envelopes or plastic recycled content ones are usually competitively priced with that of the virgin plastic envelopes.

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