Poly Mailer Pricing Guide: What You Should Pay Per Unit
Poly mailers are the cheapest way to ship anything soft — apparel, textiles, accessories. That low base price is also why brands stop paying attention to it, and that's exactly where the overspend creeps in: on custom printing and over-specced film. Here's what poly mailers should actually cost in 2026.
What poly mailers cost per unit in 2026
Blank stock mailers are genuinely cheap. The ranges below are for plain (unprinted) poly mailers across North America, by size and order quantity.
| Mailer size | 500–4,999 units | 5,000+ |
|---|---|---|
| Small (≈6×9 in) | $0.06–$0.12 | $0.04–$0.08 |
| Medium (≈10×13 in) | $0.10–$0.17 | $0.07–$0.12 |
| Large (≈14×17 in) | $0.15–$0.25 | $0.10–$0.17 |
The takeaway: even a large mailer should land under $0.25 per unit blank. If you're paying meaningfully more, the premium is coming from print, film upgrades, or margin — not the bag itself.
What drives the price
- Size. More film, higher cost — but the per-unit jumps are small in absolute terms.
- Mil thickness. 2.0–2.5 mil is standard; 3–4 mil for heavier or puncture-prone items. Each step up adds cost, so match thickness to the product rather than defaulting to thick.
- Blank vs custom print. This is the big one. A blank stock mailer is at the ranges above; a one-color logo print is a modest adder; full-color custom artwork on both sides is a real premium.
- Film type. Recycled (PCR) and co-extruded premium films cost more than standard LDPE. Compostable mailers carry the largest premium.
If you're paying $0.40+ per unit for a standard medium mailer at 5,000 pieces, you're paying roughly 3× the blank rate. Unless that's buying full-color custom film, it's a renegotiation conversation.
For context on the resin side, the U.S. Energy Information Administration tracks the petroleum feedstocks that move polyethylene film pricing — useful when a supplier blames "resin costs."
Where DTC brands overpay
The most common pattern: paying full-custom prices for what's effectively a standard mailer, usually because the quote was never benchmarked against the blank base rate. The fix is to separate the two costs in your head — the bag and the branding — and price each.
If you also ship in boxes, compare those against our corrugated box pricing guide, and read how to negotiate with your supplier before your next reorder.
The bottom line
A blank poly mailer in 2026 should cost roughly $0.04–$0.25 per unit depending on size and volume. Custom printing is legitimate spend — but only if you've benchmarked it. Run your exact mailer spec through the free PackPricer benchmark to see where your price lands against the market.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a poly mailer cost per unit?
Blank stock poly mailers are inexpensive: our North American benchmark data puts small mailers at roughly $0.04–$0.12 per unit, medium at $0.07–$0.17, and large at $0.10–$0.25, with the low end at 5,000+ units. Custom printing and premium films (recycled or co-extruded) add a premium on top.
What thickness should a poly mailer be?
2.0–2.5 mil is standard for most apparel and soft goods; 3–4 mil is used for heavier or sharper items that risk puncture. Thicker film costs more, so don't over-spec — 2.5 mil covers the majority of DTC use cases.
Are custom-printed poly mailers worth it?
They lift the unit cost meaningfully versus blank stock, and that premium is where many brands overspend. If branding matters, a one-color print on stock film is the efficient middle ground; full-color custom should be benchmarked before you commit to a large run.