Vinyl Record Mailers.

It's a folded section of the blank that holds the record's corners clear of the outer walls, so a knock hits the box and not the jacket. Any point where the record touches the outside is a point where damage transfers straight through. The standoff geometry is designed into the die, and it's why a book-fold mailer protects far better than a flat cardboard sleeve.

We check it with a corner drop, since that's the impact that happens most in a parcel network.

Add a stiffener on each face, either a rigid pad or a second layer of corrugated. A lone record in a slim mailer flexes when the parcel gets bent or squeezed in a mailbag, and that flex can set as a permanent warp. The stiffener stops the mailer bending around the disc.

A do-not-bend line printed on both faces helps as well, because it sits right where the people handling the parcel will see it.

It is built against four failures: seam splits, ring wear, warping and corner dings. Seam splits and ring wear come from the record shifting and pressing against its jacket, so a snug fit matters. Warping comes from flex and is handled with stiffeners, while corner dings are what the standoff exists for.

Collectors judge a seller partly on how records arrive, and a dinged corner can take real value off a collectible pressing.

Single-wall E-flute or B-flute with stiffeners covers most single LPs, and double-wall makes sense for box sets and heavy multi-disc releases. A double-wall build adds crush resistance for parcels that end up at the bottom of a stack. It also adds weight, which shows up in postage.

For rare pressings, some sellers use double-wall across the board and treat the extra cost as insurance against a returned order.

Our standard LP mailer is 12.5 × 12.5 in, and the 7-inch single version is 7.5 × 7.5 in. That leaves a small clearance around a jacket in an outer sleeve without letting it slide. Depth depends on the release, so tell us if it's a gatefold, a double LP or a box set.

A 12-inch mailer is far too loose for a 7-inch record, so we'd keep a separate size for singles.

Yes, flexo print on kraft is the usual route for label logos, and full CMYK or a white coated liner is available for more colour. Most labels keep the outside simple and put do-not-bend and fragile marks where handlers will see them. Interior print is an option if you want the opening to carry artwork.

The tape-free locking closure keeps the opening clean, which matters to buyers who don't want a knife anywhere near a sleeve.

A first order can be as small as 500 mailers in one size. Labels and shops shipping both LPs and 7-inch singles usually order the two sizes separately, each at its own minimum. Larger runs go up to 100,000.

Plan stock around release dates, since a new pressing tends to bring a burst of orders all in the same week.

Production is 7 to 10 business days from approval, and 5 to 7 on rush when a release date is close. We can send a sample within 5 to 7 business days so you can drop-test it with a real record inside. Test with your heaviest pressing, as it puts the most load on the corners.

The sample charge comes back as a credit when the mailer run is booked.