Target Audience: DTC brands with independent websites targeting North American and European markets (primarily e-commerce shipping, with Amazon channels as a secondary focus)
Core Needs: Replace traditional poly mailers/cheap cartons, enhance unboxing experience, reduce logistics damage, achieve unified brand visuals.
1.Project Background
We connected with a U.S.-based DTC brand in the home goods category. They had been running their independent website for over two years and had built a loyal following on Instagram and TikTok. Their products mainly included scented candles, bath salts, and dried flower bouquets—lifestyle-oriented items with an average order value (AOV) between 50and80.
When the brand approached us, they were debating one thing: whether to switch from their usual poly mailers to mailer boxes. Honestly, this hesitation is completely normal. They had been using standard PE poly mailers—lightweight and convenient. But the problems lay right there:
First, the brand image was too weak. Customers received a flimsy plastic bag with a few candles stuffed inside—zero sense of ritual in the unboxing process. Searching their brand name on TikTok, you’d hardly find any unboxing videos. It wasn’t that they were hard to film; people simply didn’t want to.
Second, the transportation damage rate was relatively high. Scented candles are bottled in glass. The poly mailers only had a thin layer of bubble wrap inside, so a slightly rough sortation would easily break the bottles. In the customer service backend, “damaged” and “leaking” made up a significant portion of return reasons. During peak sales events, the after-sales team often worked overtime to handle them.
Third, poly mailers aren’t eco-friendly. Consumers in Europe and North America are highly sensitive to environmental issues, especially in the European market. Using single-use plastic bags as outer packaging while writing “We care about the Earth” on the brand’s website makes consumers feel it’s just empty talk.
2.Hanlong’s Solution
Hanlong didn’t push products right away. Instead, we asked the client to film their current shipping process and send it over. After reviewing it, we did a simple analysis: the high return rate for this category wasn’t due to product quality, but rather “choosing the wrong packaging.”
Based on this assessment, we designed a packaging upgrade solution centered around corrugated mailer boxes for the client.
One of the biggest advantages of mailer boxes is the self-locking bottom design: the bottom locks automatically without tape, and the lid features a double-tab tuck structure, making the sealing process much more efficient than traditional RSC cartons. For DTC brands with high shipping volumes, this means packers press the tape cutter hundreds fewer times each day, leading to significant labor cost savings over time. Based on the client’s main SKUs (scented candle + bath salt sets), we customized three sizes of mailer boxes, perfectly matching over 80% of their orders. The boxes fold flat to a thin profile, saving warehouse space.
Not all products require 5-ply corrugated. We helped the client establish a simple classification:
Single scented candle (light goods): Use a 3-ply E-flute mailer box. The bursting strength is sufficient for daily shipping, keeping costs within a reasonable range.
Candle + bath salt set (heavy goods): Upgrade to 5-ply BC-flute. The Edge Crush Test (ECT) is calculated for stacking up to 3 layers, ensuring the bottom boxes won’t collapse.
Bulk replenishment to overseas warehouses: Use heavy-duty RSC cartons, clearly dividing responsibilities with mailer boxes, each managing its own scenario.
The surface area of a mailer box is much larger than a poly mailer, making it a natural “mobile billboard.” We helped the client with spot color printing, placing the brand’s primary color and logo on the front of the box, and a short brand story with a social media QR code on the back. The surface was treated with matte lamination—smooth to the touch and water-resistant. This is crucial; if a scented candle leaks, it won’t make a mess of the box.
All mailer boxes use FSC-certified paper and soy-based ink printing, fully recyclable and biodegradable. We printed a small recycling logo and a message inside the box: “This box has a second life—please recycle.” It may seem like a small detail, but for consumers in Europe and North America, this kind of “environmental sincerity” adds real value.
3.Delivery Results
4.Hanlong Process Parameters Snapshot
| Item | Specifications |
| Box Type | Corrugated Mailer Box / Self-locking Bottom Structure |
| Base Material | 3-ply E-flute / 5-ply BC-flute (selected based on product weight) |
| Paper | FSC-certified White Cardboard / Kraft Paper |
| Printing | Spot Color Printing / Soy-based Ink / Matte Lamination |
| Surface Finish | Matte / Soft-touch Lamination / Foil Stamping (optional) |
| Structural Design | Self-locking Bottom / Double-tab Tuck Cover / Custom Sizes |
| Function | Leak-proof Liner / Recycling Logo Printing / FBA Compatible |
| Compliance | FSC / FDA (Food Contact Grade, optional) |
5.Hanlong Engineer’s Tip
Many e-commerce brands have a habit: after buying mailer boxes, they find the size is slightly off, so they just stuff in some fillers to make do. As a result, a box that’s too large looks “empty,” and the products rattle around inside, easily getting damaged during shipping. If the box is too small, you have to force items in, and when unboxing, customers end up wrestling with the box. Hanlong’s approach is: measure the product first, then decide on the box. We provide the most suitable box type recommendation based on the product’s actual dimensions (L x W x H), achieving a “snug fit without being a struggle.”
Additionally, many brands choose between 3-ply and 5-ply corrugated based on gut feeling. Actually, there’s a simple rule of thumb: for single products under 1 kg, 3-ply E-flute is generally sufficient; for items over 1 kg, or sets containing multiple fragile items, 5-ply BC-flute is recommended. Of course, the most reliable method is to have the packaging manufacturer conduct a drop test—drop the box with the product inside from a height of over one meter and see if anything happens.
Ready to give your e-commerce shipments a mailer box packaging that delivers an “unboxing surprise”?
