Make a Padded Envelope

Padded envelopes protect your shipments. To give your mail extra flair, you can customize your own at home. Recycling paper grocery bags into envelopes saves on waste, but you can also make colorful envelopes out of patterned paper from a craft store. Cut the sides of the envelope out of your paper. Layer two sheets of bubble wrap between the paper, then glue it all together to create a your envelope.

Steps

Assembling an Envelope out of Cardstock and Paper

1. Trim the cardstock. The cardstock will be the size of your finished envelope. The envelope can be made in any size you desire. For a standard vertical envelope, try making the cardstock 7.5 by 10.5 inches (19.05 by 26.67 cm). You may also make a horizontal one using a measurement such as 9.5 by 10 inches (24.13 by 25.4 cm).
   • These measurements are meant to include a one inch (2.54 cm) flap at the top.
   • Cardstock, along with all other supplies, can be found at craft stores.
2. Cut the paper. Patterned paper is thicker than printer paper and looks better, but you can still use printer paper or junk mail. Hold the cardstock against the paper. On three sides, cut the paper slightly longer than the cardstock.
   • The fourth side should be the one that matches up with the cardstock flap.
3. Trim bubble wrap. The bubble wrap needs to fit inside the envelope. For the 7.5 by 10.5 inch envelope, cut the bubble wrap down to 6 by 9 inches (15.24 by 22.86 cm). By making the bubble wrap shorter, you can glue the ends of the cardstock together to prevent the envelope from opening.
   • Instead of bubble wrap, you may also use packing foam sheets. Cut out a piece, fold it in half, tape up the sides, and glue it between the cardstock and paper.
4. Spread glue on the paper. Lay the paper facedown. Spread glue around the outside edge of the paper, forming a border. Any glue can be used to fasten the parts of the envelope, but a stronger adhesive, such as rubber cement, works best.
5. Lay bubble wrap over the paper. Choose one piece of bubble wrap and line it up with the top edge of the paper. Keep the bubble side facedown and set it in the glue.
6. Glue the bottom of the cardstock. Lay the cardstock flat, leaving the side you will use as a flap at the top. Spread an inch or two (about seven cm) of glue across the bottom edge. Next, apply glue about an inch below the top edge of the cardstock. Spread a line of glue from side to side, taking care not to put glue on the part above that will serve as the flap.
7. Attach bubble wrap to the cardstock. Line up the top edge of the second bubble wrap sheet and the top strip of glue on the cardstock. Again, keep the bubble side facedown as you secure the wrap to the cardstock.
8. Cut slits on the cardstock. Look at the bottom edge of the cardstock. Aim about ¼ of an inch (6/10 cm) from the left and right sides. Using scissors, cut diagonally upwards to the edge of the bubble wrap. Do this on both sides.
9. Layer the bubble wrap. Lay the cardstock flat with the bubble wrap facing upwards. Pick up the paper with the attached bubble wrap. Align the corners of the bubble wrap over one another.
10. Fasten the envelope’s edges. Work one edge at a time. While holding the envelope still with your palms, press two fingers on the center of the left or right edge. Move your fingers towards the corners. Repeat this with the opposite edge and then the bottom edge.
    • Run a rounded object such as a pen over the edges to make sure they stay attached.
11. Trim the envelope. Use scissors to cut off excess paper hanging off the edges. On the flap, you can make diagonal cuts to take off the corners. Then, try using a scoring tool or empty pen to create a folding line on the bottom of the flap.

Making an Envelope out of a Grocery Bag

1. Trace around an envelope. Choose an envelope that is the same size you wish to make your padded envelope. Hold the envelope against a paper grocery bag. Trace the envelope’s outline on the bag, including the flap. On the other side of the bag, trace the envelope’s outline without the flap. Add about one inch (2.54 cm) to the left, right, and bottom side of each outline.
   • If you don’t have an old envelope, try tracing around an envelope-sized object, such as a book.
   • Another, albeit rougher, way to make an envelope is to wrap the paper bag around the object you’re sending. You can stuff the inside with plastic bags or bubble wrap.
2. Cut out the envelope shapes. Trim out the shape of the envelope, including the extra inch added to the initial outline. You’ll end up with the two sides of your envelope.
3. Cut the bubble wrap. Find the grocery bag section without the flap. Hold it against bubble wrap. Use it as an outline to cut out two pieces of bubble wrap.
4. Glue the bubble wrap to the grocery bag. Lay the grocery bag cuttings flat on the table. Cover them with an adhesive such as rubber cement. Do not put glue on the flap of the bigger cutting. Lay a piece of bubble wrap on each cutting and allow the glue to dry.
5. Stitch the cardboard shut. A sewing machine makes this easier. Lay the envelope pieces on top of one another. On the three sides without the flap, apply a straight stitch to bind them. Afterwards, try going back over the sides with a zigzag stitch to give the binding strength.
   • If you don’t want to stitch, you can try cutting the grocery bag longer or the bubble wrap shorter. Use the rubber cement to glue the ends of the grocery bag together.

Things You’ll Need

Cardstock and Paper Envelope

• Cardstock
• Paper
• Bubble wrap
• Scissors
• Rubber cement or other glue
• Scoring tool or empty pen

Grocery Bag Envelope

• An old envelope
• Paper grocery bag
• Scissors
• Bubble wrap
• Rubber cement or other glue
• Sewing machine

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make an Envelope
• Make a Greeting Card Envelope
• Make a Note into an Envelope
• Fold an Origami Envelope