US Mailers Report

Report Overview

Paper Mailers are Reshaping Competitive Dynamics

The low cost and wide availability of new paper products with enhanced protection profiles will be major drivers in the coming years as e-commerce shippers intensify recyclability and right-sizing requirements. Polymer mailers will continue to face sustainability headwinds.

Key Themes Covered in this Report:

• Shift toward curbside-recyclable and fiber-based mailers is impacting bubble and poly formats
• Product mix upgrading and price/value tradeoffs are being driven by shipping optimization, damage reduction, and sustainability targets
• Competitive repositioning via portfolio expansion, converter scale, and partnerships are supporting recycled content and paper-based alternatives

Featuring 47 Tables & 36 Figures!

Demand for mailers in the US is forecast to rise at a 6.4% annual rate to $4.5 billion in 2030, with gains supported by increasing unit volume (the result of continued growth in e-commerce and the replacement of corrugated boxes) and a shift toward higher value and more sustainable mailers. A parallel force reshaping demand is the sustained focus on reducing dimensional weight and packaging material use per order shipped.

Paper Mailers Rapidly Gain Market Share Spurred by New Product Development

Paper mailers continue to be the most dynamic segment of the mailers industry. Sustainability and/or cost pressures are rapidly shifting the product mix away from mixed material and plastic mailers with paper’s overall share of the mailers market growing sharply in recent years. Newer curbside recyclable mailers – including padded paper mailers, and more recently, unpadded heavy-duty paper mailers and engineered paper mailers – will continue to post significant gains going forward, reflecting widening adoption by e-commerce retailers and other shippers.

Mixed Material Mailers Decline as Shippers Chase Sustainability

Shipper sustainability programs are increasingly translating into procurement requirements that favor mono-material construction and curbside-recyclability positioning, especially for high-volume e-commerce fulfillment networks. Products like paper bubble mailers, which mix plastic and paper, will see the biggest decline in use going forward due to their inability to be recycled and competition from new recyclable all paper mailer products.

Poly Mailers & All-Plastic Bubble Mailers Maintain Share Despite Competitive Pressure

Despite trends away from plastic, demand for poly mailers and all-plastic bubble mailers will be maintained by their cost or performance benefits, with both expected to post modest gains over the next five years. These products also benefit from their entrenched position in automated bagging systems:

• Poly mailers are the lowest cost mailers and provide good moisture protection, helping them maintain their strength in shipping items like apparel and pharmaceuticals.
• Plastic bubble mailers benefit from their performance, cushioning, and durability but will see increasing pressure as newer protective paper mailers gain economies of scale.

US Mailers Report Details

Leading Companies Driving Trends in the US Mailers Industry

Sustainability Driving Demand for Curbside Recyclable Paper Mailers

Sustainability initiatives have driven the development of both padded and unpadded curbside recyclable paper mailers, with several companies developing new products over the past few years. Heavy-duty unpadded paper mailers have grown significantly in popularity. The negative consumer perception of poly mailers created a growing market for a strong paper alternative with greater water resistance and volume than traditional paperboard mailers. Other recyclable paper-based products are also being developed, including newer engineered formats such as embossed paper, honeycomb, and corrugated paper mailers.

US Mailers Report Scope

This study examines the US market for mailers, including both padded and unpadded plastic, paper, and paperboard mailers. Historical data (2015, 2019, and 2025) and forecasts to 2030 and 2035 are presented for demand for mailer packaging by value in current dollars (including inflation) by material, mailer product type, market, and application. Product data is presented in units (number of mailers). Selected annual data is also presented for 2022 to 2029.

Mailers are a type of container or envelope used for mailing or shipping merchandise or other small items, where they compete primarily with shipping boxes. Key types of mailers include:

• bubble mailers (plastic, paper, and other such as laminated types)
• poly mailers (including standard polyethylene, biodegradable, and compostable types)
• paper mailers (padded paper mailers, unpadded heavy-duty paper, and kraft mailing envelopes)
• paperboard mailers
• insulated mailers

Excluded from the scope of this report are mailing tubes, stationery or letter envelopes, and business envelopes used for mailing paper documents. Also excluded are corrugated and paperboard shipping boxes.

Markets for mailers include:

• e-commerce
  • e-commerce retailers
  • third-party fulfillment and logistics (3PL)
  • other e-commerce markets (e.g., United States Postal Service, online marketplaces)
• other markets, including manufacturing, consumer, and mail order catalog

Mailers can also be segmented by application as follows:

• apparel and accessories
• health and personal care, including prescription and over-the-counter medications
• multimedia and software
• toys, games, and sporting goods
• other applications (e.g., computer parts and electronics, food, tools, home improvement and automotive parts, office supplies, cleaning supplies)