A good impression by design: Envelopes

Lennis
July 2, 2009

The name of the game here is presentation. What you are really designing is packaging. How do you make your envelope stand out in a pile of mail?

Like a letterhead, envelopes say a lot about the company. An envelope’s message is shaped by its color, size, format, type, graphics, seal, contour, paper and texture. They may be minimal or elaborate, simple or sophisticated. How we respond to them is determined by the design. There are many standard sizes. While a printer is capable of producing any size and shape, keep in mind that it’s much more cost effective to use a standard size. Consult your printer to get a list of existing sizes of envelopes that match your paper stock. Envelopes that are already folded and glued will be much less expensive than envelopes that need to be converted. The only draw back of using already converted envelopes is that you must keep printing at least ¼-inch away from the edge. There are a few other considerations. To qualify for standard postage prices your envelope much be a rectangle, it must be at least 3-1/2 inches high by 5 inches long and 0.007 inches thick and no more than 6-1/8 inches high by 11-1/2 inches long and 1/4 inches thick. The last, but certainly not the least design consideration is the area that needs to stay clear for the mailing address, postage and routing codes, consult USPS for exact specifications, based on the size of your envelope. Or take a mock up of your design to the post office before you print it. Of course, your design solutions should maintain continuity with your other corporate identity pieces, but don’t be afraid to give it some flare and push the boundaries.

Anonymous's picture
January 07, 2016 03:21 am #

Presentation is everything for any firm. This is going to convenience your clients about your services and products....A wisely designed envelope is going to play a drastic in your business promotion.

Anonymous's picture
January 07, 2016 03:21 am #

[...] don’t require advanced graphic design skills – free templates are available for download. Choose No. 9 or No. 10 for corporate usage. [...]

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The PsPrint Blog is a resource for graphic designers, freelancers, small business owners and fans of print marketing. You'll find helpful techniques on printing everything there is to print, including business cards, postcards, brochures, stickers, invitations, greeting cards, door hangers, magnets and more. The PsPrint Blog shares creative ways to improve your design and layout skills, and useful tips for marketing your business in any medium. We also like to have a little fun, sharing design inspiration and spotlighting some our favorite customers' printed pieces in our "Hot Off the Press" series.