Big, bulky boxes are becoming a thing of the past for e-commerce and retail sellers. Poly mailers have become the popular and reliable choice for sellers across the globe because they’re lightweight, inexpensive, store flat, and can be customized to align with your brand. But creating custom poly bags for shipping is easier said than done. It can be finicky to print on polyethylene so you should work with PolyPak’s experts to ensure that your poly mailers look professional and reflect your brand. Depending on specific needs of your company, you may choose one of the following printing options for your custom printed mailers.
Inkjet Printing
Inkjet printing recreates digital images by propelling drops of ink onto plastic or paper. Since polyethylene is a type of plastic, it requires a solvent-based ink to guarantee that the ink is smudge-proof, water-proof, and your image will stay. Opt for inkjet printing if you print in small quantities and frequently change the design of your custom poly bags for shipping. Be aware that inkjet printing can result in images that lack detail and it’s not ideal for printing in large quantities.
Screen Printing
This method involves building a “screen” out of a frame and mesh, applying ink, and then transferring it to the polyethylene. It’s a great option because it can be applied to any size or thickness of custom mailer bags and the screens can be reused. Yet, this technique is time consuming because you can only print one custom printed mailer at a time and it’s not ideal for printing more than two colours. Choose this option if all your mailers have the same artwork and you always want the logo and images to remain the same size.
Flexographic Printing
This is a popular choice for printing on plastics, like poly mailers. Similar to letterpress printing, a relief carving design is used to print the pattern and its hot rollers can also be used to seal the custom poly bags for shipping. It’s known to create durable images but plate-making and mounting can be costly and labour intensive, and it’s not ideal for printing multiple colours. This should be used if your custom mailer bags require a large expanse of solid colour.
Offset Printing
One of the most popular techniques, modern offset printing, uses a computer-to-plate system, which creates accurate, high-definition images. This is a great and economical option for high-volume jobs where you can compromise on image quality.
Rotogravure Printing
This involves a rotary printing press where the image has been engraved on a cylinder and then printed to your custom mailer bags. It can print on a variety of sizes, the cylinders can withstand extensive usage, and it’s a low-cost option for high volume printing, although it requires a costly set-up. Use this method if you need high-quality prints for bulk orders.
Learn about how our custom poly mailers can fulfill your shipping needs.
