Padded Envelopes
Padded envelopes were a godsend to people who like to mail materials requiring extra protection in transit and do not like to spend a large amound of money for more elaborate packaging. They still are. And they are not monolithic by any means. They come in variable sizes and even with variable padding inside, the better to let a sender choose the proper protection for the items in question.
In the beginning, these envelopes were padded strictly with fibrous material not dissimilar to cotton—and not dissimilar in damage potential for some items, if the inner linings of the envelopes should become cut or ruptured. The filling material seeping into the inside of the envelope could damage such items as fragile jewelry, sound recordings (whether old-fashioned vinyl records, compact discs, reel tape, cassette tape, or digital video discs), photographs, or tiny glass pieces.
Today, however, padded envelopes come most frequently with bubble liners—layers of bubble wrap of varying thicknesses secured within the lining of the envelopes. These liners are less likely to cause damage to fragile items if they should be punctured in transit, in large part because their construction stops them from breaking into fragments that can get inside the envelope and make contact with the items.
You can buy bubble-lined envelopes in standard manila with assorted black trim that depicts anything from an address box and return address box to handling instructions. You can also buy these envelopes in eye-catching styles and colours—bubble-lined envelopes have been seen in bright red, green, blue, silver, and purple. In fact, some of these have silvery foil exteriors that make them ideal for sending gifts or promotional materials, which many businesses now do. There is even a line of foil-exterior bubble mailers that comes in seven colours including black and gold and features a recessed design similar to blanket quilting throughout the shiny surfaces. They are sold by the case starting at $74 through shipping supply retailer Uline.com.
Many bubble mailers are somewhat flexible which can cause problems with some items in transit. However, an increasing number of office supply and postal supply manufacturers are producing no-bend mailers or bubble mailers made from polyolefin with eighth-inch bubble lining, mailers considered tear-resistant where standard paper-dominant mailers may not be.
These envelopes can be purchased at post offices and office supply stores, often in bulk. However, you can also buy them for as little as a dollar per package of two or three at discount stores such as Dollar Tree or the 99-cent Store. Most of the time the price of the package you buy will depend on the size of the envelopes, particularly at the post office, but if you know where to shop the price should not be excessive.