Best Packaging for Different Types of Apparel

People in the apparel industry know the importance that packaging plays in sales and branding. They’ll go out of their way to pick the right materials and customize them according to their needs.

If you’re in the same business, you’ll need to know what packaging to use for your products as well.

Let’s look at some of your options.

In this post, you’ll learn what packaging to use depending on the type of business you run and what clothing items you sell.

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Best Packaging Material by Store Type

Those in the business probably have a retail location, an online shop, or both. These are the apparel packaging solutions that you should consider.

Packaging Material for Online Shops

If you have an online shop, you’ll need packaging to help you ship your products to customers. Here are some of your best options.

Mailer Boxes

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Clothing boxes not only look great but they’re practical as well. This should give you enough room to fit at least one shirt depending on how big it is. Just to be sure, you can customize the size of your box to be the exact size you need.

Shipping Boxes

If you need to transport a lot of clothing, you’ll need shipping boxes. This eco-friendly packaging material is perfect for businesses that simultaneously fulfill multiple bulk orders. Or you can use them for larger apparel like coats, sweaters, and hoodies.

Poly Mailers

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Clothing poly mailers are plastic packaging that businesses use to ship individual orders. But they’re also large enough to ship several small items like socks, scarves, and mittens. Because poly mailers are lightweight, they cost less to ship than boxes.

Send products using bubble mailers if you want added protection.

Packaging Material for Retail Stores

If you have a retail location, you’ll need to offer your customers a way to carry around the products they just bought from you. Below are a couple of packaging suggestions.

Gift Bags

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Gift bags look classier than your average shopping bag, especially if you have an amazing design to match. They are available in different sizes and styles. You can even customize the handle colors to match your brand.

Tote Bags

Tote bags are made from cotton — meaning they’re both stylish and reusable. Your customers shouldn’t have to worry about getting their tote bags wet because they dry easily. This is why they make great packaging for swimwear products.

Plastic Bags

If you’d like to stick to something more traditional, you can always opt for plastic bags. What’s great about plastic bags is that they go well with any type of apparel. And they provide adequate protection against rain and dirt.

Paper Bags

Paper bags are an alternative to using plastic bags. While they might not offer the same protection against water, some customers prefer them over plastic packaging because of the eco-friendly implications. 

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Best Packaging Material for Clothing Products

What about the products themselves? What packaging should you use? Here’s a list of packaging for apparel products.

Folding Cartons

Folding cartons make amazing apparel packaging for small products. These come in different shapes and sizes. It’s best to see all of the available options to find out which ones would be a good fit for your business. 

Shoe Boxes

Do you sell shoes? Then you need apparel shoe boxes. That will make it easier for you to store and protect your investment. You can also use shoe boxes for other products like socks, lingerie, tights, and other small clothing items.

Pouches

Use pouches to display clothing items without letting customers touch the products themselves. Think of items like underwear and other clothing accessories of that nature. These come in two variants — lay-flat and stand-up pouches. 

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Best Apparel Packaging Accessories

Some accessories go with your packaging well. These will not only improve your overall presentation but your branding as well.

Labels and Stickers

Labels and stickers are useful for sealing boxes or as giveaways. You can print them in different shapes and adjust the size as needed. A simple label or sticker design will work. Most apparel businesses add their logo or business name for better brand recall.

Tissue Paper

Tissue paper offers a layer of protection against dirt. They also do a fantastic job of reinforcing your branding. Wrap it around your products or use them as filler for your boxes. It makes your apparel packaging feel more premium. 

Packaging Tape

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Branded packaging tape is a fun way to seal clothing packaging. You can add your logo or business name. Alternatively, you can use it to send a personalized message to customers. You can order as low as one roll if you want to try them out first.

Wrapping Paper

You’ll need wrapping paper if you want to go the extra mile for your customers. It not only makes each box you send feel special, but it also keeps its contents safe throughout the journey. You can customize each wrapping paper to look or say whatever you want.

Thank You Cards

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It’d be nice if you could show your appreciation every now and then. Add a thank you card to your boxes, bags, or poly mailers. You can also print handwashing instructions or other information your customers would need to know about.

Hang Tags

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Attach hang tags to your shirts, jeans, jackets, blouses, and other apparel products. Have them show your brand or provide care instructions. While most businesses use flat hang tags, those that have more to say will order folded hang tags instead.

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What to Consider When Choosing Apparel Packaging

Keep the following in mind before you order custom apparel packaging for your business.

Clothing Type

If you’re only sending daily wear like shirts and jeans, you could get by using poly mailers. That should provide sufficient protection during shipping. But luxury clothing like suits and dresses will need sturdier packaging. In that case, you should switch to using boxes. 

Delicate items would be better if they’re stored in pouches so customers know they haven’t been touched by anyone else.

Sustainability

A lot of people only buy from eco-friendly brands. If you think that’s important to your target audience, you’ll need to find sustainable packaging. Most boxes are recyclable. And so are some packaging accessories.

Find packaging suppliers that offer sustainable products. You can call them to confirm if that information is not readily available. For the record, PackM does offer eco-friendly options.

Shipping Costs

The size and weight of your packaging materials will affect shipping costs. As mentioned, poly mailers weigh less than boxes. So if you’re trying to bring down expenses, these could be your best bet.

But if you’re not shipping internationally and you want the peace of mind that comes with shipping products in boxes, you can get away with using those. Shipping costs become less of a problem the closer the destinations are. 

Customization

You’ll want to work with a packaging provider like PackM that gives you a ton of customization options. You’ll want features that will allow you to select sizes that will fit your products snugly. 

You also need the ability to make low-quantity orders, especially if you’re just starting your clothing brand.

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Recap

There are many packaging materials that you can use for different types of apparel. These range from mailer boxes to poly mailers and folding cartons. There are even accessories you can order to improve your packaging presentation.

What’s important is that you take into consideration the types of clothes you sell, the sustainability of your packaging, shipping costs, and customization options before you purchase your packaging materials.

If you want more information about packaging, we have several blog posts you might find interesting:

• How to Ship Apparel Properly
• What Is Clothing Packaging
• How to Measure a Box for Shipping
• A Guide to Sustainable Packaging
• 3 Reasons Why Branding Is Important for Packaging

When you’re ready to make an order, give us a call at +1 (424) 271-0700 or start a live chat conversation. Our customer representatives will be ready to assist you.