The Ultimate Guide to Manila Envelope Sizes, Uses, & Benefits

Manila envelopes are the traditional and standard way to transport important items, such as documents, files, brochures, and other paperwork, to hold governmental and societal legal documents securely and neatly inside envelopes. Manila envelopes offer sturdy, lightweight, and protective shipping, made from durable materials like kraft and wood pulp, which exhibit a rustic brown texture and look iconic.

They come in various sizes and styles; some mailing envelopes feature flaps, while others use string-and-button closures with distinctive adhesive techniques. If you’re also curious about the origin of Manila envelopes—including their pros and cons, applications, and sizes stay with us until the end of this blog.

What is a Manila Envelope?

The durability and sturdiness of Manila envelopes come from strong fibers, making them more suitable for shipping documents rather than regular paper, which can be easily damaged during shipping and handling. When you ship documents and fragile paper in it, you can be assured that these kraft mailers will protect the paper from folding and tearing. Manila envelopes are ideal for businesses, lawyers, and schools seeking professional and potent paper for flawless mailing and storage.

Why We Called It Manila Envelopes?

Let's take you back to the roots of Manila envelopes, when it was first named Manila in the mid-19th century, made from durable Manila hemp (abaca) rope fibers to produce durable and recyclable envelopes. Due to a shortage of cotton and linen rags in the late 18th century, American papermakers utilized strong fibers such as kraft paper, made from wood pulp and recycled materials instead of linen, which gave the envelopes their signature light brown color. 

Practical & Cultural Significance of Manila Envelopes

If you are considering Manila envelopes for various types of paperwork, storage, mailing, or protection, then you should memorize the following benefits that Manila envelopes offer.

Durable & Functional

Manila Envelopes are chosen for their resilience, offering protection to your sensitive documents from light and minor external damage, for which you should choose durable materials and protective sealing.

Cost-Effective Solution

They are a very cost-effective solution for securely mailing your valuable documents to the recipients. After customisation, including your brand logo, images, and colors, these envelopes remain affordable yet effective.

Lightweight

Due to the lightweight paper with a sturdy nature make it ideal for cost-effective shipping. The feather-light paper saves you money in every shipment to the recipient's doorstep.

Versatile Storage

Beyond documents, they are used to store or send items like keys, cash, and photos, available in various sizes such as 6×9, 9×12, and 10×13 inches. They can be customized in various shapes and styles, like an envelope with clasps or adhesives for an impressive outlook & storage.

Paperwork Protection

They are commonly associated with the "paperwork" of bureaucracy and formal administration. The opaque, thick material often acts as a symbol of confidentiality and security for the sensitive contents within.

Eco-Friendly

These boxes are actually made from eco-friendly paper and can be recycled to reduce the carbon footprint of the earth, which makes them ideal for brands to leverage sustainable packaging. 

Manila Envelope Sizes

The sizes of Manila envelopes vary in terms of usage and storage. The appropriate size will help you protect and avoid damage; however, choosing the right size will totally depend on the product. To choose the right size, you must measure the dimensions. The following are the standard sizes of Manila envelopes.

1. A 6 x 9 envelope is a small version that is normally used for mailing letters, invitations, and photos without folding the envelopes.
2. 10 x 14 is used when your document is slightly larger than a standard size. This size is more spacious and ideal for brochures and documents containing several pages.
3. The 9 x 12 size fits best for office files, school papers, and certificationsthat must remain flat under various circumstances.
4. For the larger shipment, the size 12 x 15.5 inches is mostly used.

Legal Size Manila Envelopes

For some documents like the beaurification and legal documents, there is one size that is used to keep your paper unfolded and safe. The standard size is 12 x 15.5 inches for larger files, which can be booklets. Manuscripts and catalogues.

Types of Manila Envelopes

Manila envelopes come in various styles, which are used to entice recipients through a memorable unboxing experience. To create your brand moments everlasting, here are some closures you can add:

1. Manila Metal Clasp Envelopes
2. Open side or Open End Style
3. String and Buttons Manila Envelopes
4. Peel and Seal Manila Envelopes
5. Gusseted Manila Envelopes
6. Custom Printed Manila Envelopes

Application of Manila Envelopes

Aside from keeping important documents safe inside Manila envelopes, there are many applications of Manila envelopes, including at home and outside. 

• You can use Manila envelopes to send reports, contracts, and invitations.
•  In school, you can use them to hold students' papers and results. 
• In banks and hospitals, Manila envelopes are used to keep documents intact.
• At home, we use these envelopes to store birth certificates and bills, etc.
• They are also used to ship various small items like jewelry, accessories, and more.
• Also used for holding financial records, storing collectibles, or as a sturdy mailing option for magazines.

Manila Envelopes Replacements

Even after Manila envelopes are the best option if your target is a cost-effective solution and professional outlook, there are still other options for businesses if Manila envelopes are not available.

1. Padded Mailers
2. Custom Poly Mailers
3. White Mailers 
4. Bubble Mailers

How to Mail Manila Envelopes? Follow These Steps

When mailing manila envelopes, the first thing you need to ensure is high-quality and informative printing. To deliver envelopes to the right recipients, follow these steps.

1. First, print the return address in the top left corner
2. Make space for three lines and print details. For the first line, write the full name, in the second line, write the recipient's address, and for the 3rd line, write the state, city, and zip code.
3. Must ensure that recipients' addresses, full names, and details are written correctly under the return address, so this will ensure that if your mail doesn’t get to the right recipents it will be returned to you.
4. Neatly print the sending address in the same format as the return address.
5. Remember to be accurate and legible to ensure smooth delivery

How to Personalize Manila Envelopes to your Brand?

Custom Manila envelopes are exceptional when mailing, keeping, and storing essential documents and paperwork in various fields. To personalize it to your brand need to ensure the right colors, images, and text that entice customers and make their unboxing experience memorable. We at Custom Boxes Lane offer multiple customization from choosing the fit size to styles, printing, and sealed envelopes. You can get help from our customer service team and designers.