Envelope Buying Guide

Areas of Use

It is essential to think about what and to whom you will be sending your mail. This will determine what kind of features you will need. Will your mailings be of high volume or high quality? Will it contain just a single sheet of paper or bulky documents such as catalogues or small items. The below categories show which envelopes are suitable for which needs.

Formats & Sizes

There are several standard envelope sizes designed to accommodate different A-sized sheets. Our range carries a few of the standard formats which, for example, match a full A4 sheet of paper. Below are images that demonstrate which paper size fits in which envelope and whether they need to be folded.

Besides the most popular envelope formats we also offer other sizes and formats that are widely known. Below is a table of exact dimensions for each standard envelope format in millimetres.

Standard Format	Dimensions (h x w)	Fits	Capacity (sheets)
B4	250 x 353 mm	A4 paper unfolded	5-8 sheets
C3	324 x 458 mm	A3 paper unfolded	up to 5 sheets
C4	229 x 324 mm	A4 paper unfolded	up to 5 pages sheets
C5	162 x 229 mm	A4 paper folded twice	up to 5 pages sheets
C6	114 x 162 mm	A4 paper folded into quarters	up to 5 pages sheets
C6/C5 (DL+)	114 x 229 mm	A4 paper folded into thirds	up to 6 pages sheets
DL	110 x 220 mm	A4 paper folded into thirds	up to 3 pages sheets

Sealing & Closure Types

There are different sealing types used for various types of different applications. Viking carries the most common sealing types or, occasionally known as art of locks. There are three main closures.

Envelope Styles

Envelopes are offered in either a wallet or pocket style. A wallet style conveys the opening is on the long edge of the envelope whereas pocket envelopes have their openings on the short side.

Windows

In our range you will find both envelopes with windows and plain envelopes (without window). Windows in envelopes are mainly used to display name and address of the recipient on the form that is inside the envelope. If you are planning to buy an envelope with window the specifications can be quite confusing. In order to choose the correct sized window envelope note that the measurements are always taken with the flap at the top. The first dimension taken is height followed by width (AxB). Then measure the distance from left hand side (C) and then up from the base (D).

Paper Envelope Weight

At Viking, we carry a wide range of envelope weights which refer to the paper thickness. The most common standard weight is 80 or 90 gsm. This is a typical weight for all of your standard mailings. The paper weight of an envelope is measured in gram per square metres (g/m ² or gsm) and can be seen as a measurement of paper density, and thus an indicator of quality. This means, the lower the gsm, the thinner and lighter the envelope. If you want to post single-sheeted papers with low costs and a high volume, you could decide to go for a paper weight lower than 80 gsm. These are often brown or manila envelopes and are a more environmentally-friendly option due to the reduced amount of paper use per envelope. If you are planning to buy a more deluxe envelope then our standard envelope range of 100/110/120 gsm is more suitable for your needs. For very important documents which need more protection, anything above 130 gsm would be ideal, these are classified as either board backed or gusset envelopes.

Paper weight	Application	Example
‹ 80 gsm	Used for single sheet low cost & high volume mailings
80-90 gsm	Used for everyday standard & high volume mailings
100-120 gsm	Used for high quality & luxury mailings
› 120gsm gsm	Used for adding protection and security mailings

Colour

Using the right colour for your mailings can make all the difference. Our range consists of envelopes in various colours and tints so you can determine what connotations are attached to your mail. White is the most popular colour in envelopes. It is offered in many different shades and formats to specifically meet your personal needs. It is ideal for sending business letters as it is the most neutral, simple, yet professional option to give your receiver the appropriate message. Brown manila envelopes are also quite popular in our range. It is a darker colour and commonly used for either low cost mailings or filing and document keeping because of its less-transparent quality. Coloured envelopes are used for less frequent usage such as marketing purposes, birthdays and invitations. Red, pink, green, orange, and blue are just a few of the many shades available.

Sustainability

Not only are our recycled envelopes the sole sustainable solution. Most of the envelopes in our assortment have at least one environmental claim. Below is a short description to give you a better understanding of what each of these entail.

Fun Facts

• 65% of people give printed mail their full attention, compared with only 35% that said the same regarding emails
• 70% of people state receiving mail creates a better impression of the company in comparison to receiving email
• 70% of people feel more valued when receiving postal mail
• People value something 24% more when they can touch and feel it rather than just see it
• 7 out of 10 people prefer to receive legal or banking information in the form of a letter
• Almost 50% of people prefer to receive sales information via a letter or brochure, closely followed by email, cited by 42.8%. Less than 7% like to receive sales information face-to-face
• A majority (57%) say that receiving mail makes them feel more valued; only 17% feel the same about email
• Almost two thirds (63%) of consumers take mail more seriously than email
• Direct marketing campaigns that include mail are 27% more likely to deliver top-ranking sales performance, and 40% more likely to deliver top-ranking customer acquisition levels than campaigns without mail
• An average of 23% of all mail is shared between people in a household. 21% of promotions and special offers are shared
• Mail is kept in a household for an average of 17 days for advertising mail, 38 days for door drops and 45 days for bills and statements
• Printed mail grabs attention, is considered and informative, makes recipient feel valued and gives a better impression
• Compared with other media, mail recipients experiences higher levels of emotional engagement and remembered more
• Picking up a pen and paper can be therapeutic
• Consumers are more likely to deal with direct mail immediately compared to email