As a working rule, order enough printed envelopes to cover six to twelve months of posting. That range sits between the two most common mistakes: ordering so few that the one-off set-up cost swamps your unit price, and ordering so many that pallets of stock sit in a cupboard until your branding changes. This guide explains how printed envelopes are sold, how to work out the right number, and when to break the rule.
Why order quantity matters more than the headline price
Printed envelopes are not plain stationery off a shelf. Every order carries a fixed element of cost that does not change whether you print 250 envelopes or 25,000: setting up the artwork, preparing the press, running a printed sample for approval and getting the colour right on the first sheets. Spread that over a small run and the price per envelope looks high. Spread it over a sensible run and it almost disappears. So the useful question is never "what does one envelope cost?" but "what will each envelope cost me at the quantity I actually need?"
How printed envelopes are sold
Different products are supplied in different ways, and knowing which is which makes planning much easier.
- Boxed quantities. Paper envelopes such as self seal envelopes and gummed envelopes are normally supplied in sealed boxes. A box of 500 is common for C4 and C5, while DL is often boxed in larger counts. You buy whole boxes rather than loose units.
- Per-unit pricing. Protective products such as cardboard envelopes, padded envelopes and pillow envelopes are usually priced per envelope, with the rate falling as the quantity climbs.
- Mixed sizes. Most businesses need two or three sizes. Each size is a separate print run with its own quantity decision.
If you are still deciding which size to commit to, our guide to C4, C5, C6 and DL envelope sizes is the right place to start, because size affects both your unit price and your postage.
What actually changes your cost per envelope
Quantity
This is the big one. Moving from a few hundred envelopes to a few thousand typically produces the single largest fall in unit price you will see, because the fixed set-up is being shared across far more items. Beyond that point the curve flattens, so doubling an already large order rarely halves the price again.
How many sides you print
Our products let you choose the print area: front side only, rear side only, or front and rear sides. Printing both sides costs more per envelope, because it is a second pass through the press. If your design is a logo, return address and a short strapline, front only is plenty. Keep the second side for where it earns its place, such as return instructions on an e-commerce mailer.
Low volume set-up
Very small runs are still possible, but they carry a one-time low volume set-up fee to cover the fixed work described above. This is worth knowing before you order, because it often means that a slightly larger order costs barely more in total while dropping your cost per envelope considerably. If you are close to the threshold, it is nearly always worth stepping up.
Material and size
A DL paper envelope and a 278mm x 400mm solid board envelope are not comparable on price. Choose the smallest product that protects the contents properly, then check where it sits in the postal bands. Royal Mail treats anything up to 353mm x 250mm x 25mm and 750g as a Large Letter, and going over pushes an item into parcel pricing, as set out in the Royal Mail size and weight guide. Our article on how envelope size affects Royal Mail postage covers this in detail.
A simple way to work out your quantity
You do not need a spreadsheet model. Four numbers will do it.
- Your weekly volume. Count how many items you post in a typical week, by size. If your volume is seasonal, take an average across a full year rather than your busiest month.
- Your reorder lead time. Printed envelopes are made to order, so build in the production and delivery window shown on our delivery and production times page, plus a buffer.
- How stable your branding is. If a rebrand or address change is on the horizon, shorten your horizon accordingly.
- Your storage space. Boxes take up more room than people expect, particularly padded and board products.
Multiply your weekly volume by the number of weeks you want to cover, then round up to the nearest whole box or price break. For most small and medium UK businesses that lands between 1,000 and 5,000 envelopes per size, comfortably past the point where set-up cost dominates.
When to break the rule
Order fewer
A smaller run makes sense if you are testing a new design, if the campaign is finite such as a seasonal mailing or event invitation, or if any detail on the envelope might change soon. A printed envelope with an old address is scrap rather than stock. You pay more per envelope, which is often worth it to avoid writing off thousands of unusable items.
Order more
Go larger when your posting volume is steady, the design is settled and you have somewhere dry to keep the stock. Larger orders also cut the administrative drag of reordering every few weeks, which has a real cost even if it never appears on an invoice. If you reorder regularly, our Reorder Club is built for that pattern.
Store the stock properly
Buying twelve months of stock only pays off if the envelopes are still usable in month twelve. Keep boxes flat, off the floor and away from radiators, sunlight and damp. Humidity is the main enemy: it affects gummed and self seal adhesives and can make paper cockle. Rotate stock so the oldest boxes are used first.
Order a sample before you commit
The cheapest way to avoid an expensive mistake is to hold the product in your hand first. Order a sample pack to compare materials and sizes, or a printed sample of your own artwork to see exactly how your design reproduces on the stock you have chosen.
This matters because of how the printing works. We print full colour digitally onto pre-made envelopes, within a defined print area kept clear of the seal and the edges. There is no white ink, so anything white in your artwork shows as the bare material colour, and large solid blocks of colour are best avoided because they can print unevenly on stock. Our guide to preparing print-ready artwork covers this before you place a large order.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order quantity for printed envelopes?
It depends on the product. Boxed paper envelopes such as self seal and gummed are ordered in whole boxes, commonly 500 for C4 and C5. Protective products such as cardboard, padded and pillow envelopes are priced per unit with lower entry quantities. Very small runs are accepted but attract a one-time low volume set-up fee, so check the product page for the current minimum.
Is it cheaper to order printed envelopes in bulk?
Yes, per envelope. The fixed set-up cost is shared across the whole run, so unit price falls as quantity rises. The saving is steepest between a few hundred and a few thousand envelopes, then flattens out. Bulk only saves money overall if you will actually use the stock, so match the quantity to real posting volume rather than to the headline rate.
How many printed envelopes should a small business order?
Most small UK businesses are best served by covering six to twelve months of posting, which typically means 1,000 to 5,000 envelopes per size. Count your weekly outbound post, multiply by the number of weeks you want to cover, then round up to the nearest box or price break.
How long do printed envelopes last in storage?
Kept flat, dry and out of direct sunlight, printed envelopes stay usable for years. The practical limit is not the paper but the information printed on it, since an address, telephone number or logo change makes remaining stock obsolete. That is why we suggest planning around six to twelve months rather than several years.
Do I have to print on both sides?
No. You can choose front side only, rear side only, or front and rear sides. Front only is the most common choice and the most economical, since printing a second side means a second pass and a higher unit price.
Ready to work out your quantity?
If you know roughly how much post you send each week, you already have everything you need. Browse the full range of custom printed envelopes to compare sizes and prices at your quantity, or start at the Fast Printed Envelopes homepage to see the whole range of printed envelopes, mailers and packaging. Not sure yet? Order a sample first, check it in your own hands, and then order with confidence.