How to Order Custom Printed Poly Bubble Mailers: Artwork and Process

Ordering custom printed poly bubble mailers involves a design and approval process that a plain mailer order does not. For sellers commissioning printed production for the first time, that process is usually opaque. This guide walks through every step from quotation to delivery, and the files you will be asked for.

Step 1: Define the Requirement

Three pieces of information are needed for a quote: size (which of the 7 standard dimensions), model (pocket or plain) and quantity. On the printing side, add the number of colours and the base colour (black, silver-metallic or white). Once these five are settled, a price can be issued the same day.

Step 2: Prepare the Artwork

Print quality is directly proportional to the quality of the file you send. Artwork in the following form minimises revision rounds:

• Format: Vector files (AI, EPS, PDF). Pixel-based files such as JPG or PNG degrade when scaled up.
• Typefaces: Fonts must be converted to outlines; otherwise, if we do not have the font, the type will change.
• Colours: Specify CMYK or Pantone references, not RGB. What you see on screen will not match print exactly; a Pantone reference is the safest method.
• Bleed: For designs running to the edge of the mailer, leave 3 mm of bleed on every side.
• Resolution: Any non-vector element must be at least 300 dpi at final size.

Step 3: Proof and Approval

Once your artwork arrives, we produce a digital proof showing its placement on the mailer — logo position, scale and colour layout. No plate is made before you approve it. Changes at the proof stage are free; changes after the plates are made incur additional cost. For that reason we recommend checking the proof carefully.

Step 4: Plate Making and Flexo Printing

After approval, a separate plate is made for each colour. Flexo printing transfers ink from flexible plates onto the polyethylene film and is the industry standard for packaging. One to four colours can be printed. Your plates are stored at our facility; when you reorder the same design, the plate cost is not charged again.

Step 5: Production and Delivery

Printed production takes longer than plain production because plate making, printing and curing are added to the schedule. Since everything is made to order, lead time varies with quantity and colour count; an exact date is confirmed at the quotation stage.

Common Mistakes

• Sending a low-resolution logo: The most frequent problem. A logo downloaded from social media is not suitable for print.
• Setting colour expectations from a screen: A glossy metallic base renders the same ink differently from a white one.
• Cramming in too much information: Address, phone, slogan, QR code and logo all at once means none of them is legible.
• Overlooking the minimum: Below the 50,000-unit threshold, printed production is not economical.

Conclusion

Ordering custom printed poly bubble mailers moves quickly once you have properly prepared vector artwork. The critical step is approving the proof carefully before plates are made. Review the details on our printed poly bubble mailers page and request a quote for your design via our contact page.