What Are The Standard Envelope Sizes in Australia, and Why Is It Important?
Postal letters come in all sizes. You probably know or call them by names like small, big, not-so-big envelopes, and so on. And to be honest, there is no need for anyone to learn or even understand the standard envelope sizes just for sending the occasional postcard on Christmas.
But for business communication, the standard envelope size matters. Imagine your company executing a bulk direct mail campaign and finding that you ordered the wrong size envelop. You could end up wasting so much money because of a simple mistake.
We understand the severity of this situation more than anyone because, at PostGrid, we deal with all matters related to postal mail communication. Hence, we will help you understand everything you need to know about standard envelope sizes and how to avoid any unnecessary problems.
What Are The Standard Envelopes Sizes Used in Australia?
You can send different sizes of mailers through a postal service like Australia Post. The size of your business mailer will vary depending on what kind of document or marketing material you want to send.
Australia Post offers different standard envelop sizes you can use for sending your business communication. Unlike what some may think, even the envelopes used for sending postal mail come with precision measurements.
You can’t insert your mail into an envelope if both have the exact dimensions. The standard envelope size ensures precise measurements for the envelopes so you can comfortably fit your mail inside them. In other words, the standards size paper fits perfectly inside the standard envelopes.
Categorising Standard Envelope Sizes Australia
Australia Post methodically classifies the sizes of envelopes you can use for sending your business or personal mail into four categories. You can use these four categories of standard envelopes for your business letters.
- C Series Envelopes
- B Series Envelopes
- DL Envelopes
- Other Sizes
These four categories consist of standard envelope sizes within specific dimensions. It is also worth noting that if an envelope’s dimensions exceed 360 x 260mm, Australia Post can classify it as a parcel. In such cases, you may have to pay additional postage for your mailers.
However, another way of categorising the standard envelope sizes exists. And it is much easier to understand. This categorisation also divides the postal mail envelopes into four groups. Here, the categorisation primarily focuses on size. Following are the four groups to which the Australia Post envelopes fall into.
- Wallet Envelope
- Pocket Envelope
- Booklet Envelope
- Banker Envelope
C Series Envelopes
Unlike what some may assume, Australia Post does not define the dimensions of the C series envelopes.
Then who decides the standard envelope sizes?
The ISO 269 International Standard for paper sizes defines the standard size for C-series envelopes.
So if you see the same standard size for envelopes in any other part of the world, it is not coincidental. The C series envelope size falls between the A and B series. In other words, C series envelopes have the ideal dimensions for holding unfolded standard A-series paper.
Standard Envelope Sizes of C Series Envelopes
When it comes to C series envelopes, there is five distinct Australia Post standard envelope size that businesses use. The following table should provide the details about the C series envelopes and their varying size.
| C Series Envelope Size | Length | Width |
| C3 | 458mm | 324mm |
| C4 | 324mm | 229mm |
| C5 | 229mm | 162mm |
| C6 | 162mm | 114mm |
| C7 | 114mm | 81mm |
As you can see from the table, ISO uses the letter C followed by a numerical value to represent the different envelopes sizes. In addition, you can also observe that the range of the C series envelope is between 114 x 81mm to 458 x 324mm.
What Paper Sizes Can Fit Inside C Series Envelopes?
As mentioned above, you can comfortably place an A size or A-series paper within a C-series envelope. You can use the same envelopes for mailing B series papers. So, the first thing you need to do is to check the size of the print material you want to send.
And if the mail you send uses an A or B series paper, you can use a C-series envelope. You can follow a simple rule of thumb when choosing a C series standard envelope size for your business mailer. It is to use A-series papers with the same number.
For example, a healthcare organisation sending medical collection letters usually use A4 size paper for the note. In this case, the best envelope size the organisation can use is the C4 standard envelope size. Similarly, if your printed material uses A5 paper, you can use a C5-sized envelope.
The aspect ratio of C series envelopes is 1:√2. It means you can fold your printed material once or twice, so it fits perfectly into a smaller envelope.
B Series Envelopes
A series or A-size papers are the ones we commonly use for most applications, including office paperwork. Your business may use the B series envelope when the A series is unsuitable in the situation. The same logic applies to the B series standard envelope sizes.
If you thought that the ISO 216 International Standard also defines the B series standard envelope sizes, you are correct. You could also say that the B series offer intermediate paper sizes that fit perfectly between two consecutive A series papers.
For instance, let’s say you want to send a direct marketing mail to your target audience. But, you find that the A4 paper is too big and the A3 paper is too small. In this case, you can choose the B4 size because it fits perfectly between A4 and A3.
Standard Envelope Sizes of B Series Envelopes
There is five different Australia Post standard envelope size that businesses often use. The following table should give you every detail you need about the different B series envelopes sizes.
| B Series Envelope Size | Length | Width |
| B3 | 500mm | 353mm |
| B4 | 353mm | 250mm |
| B5 | 250mm | 176mm |
| B6 | 176mm | 125mm |
| B7 | 125mm | 88mm |
Similar to what we saw in C series envelopes, ISO uses the letter B followed by a numerical value to represent the different envelopes sizes. You can also see that the B series envelope size range is between 125 x 88mm and 500 x 353mm.
What Paper Sizes Can Fit Inside B Series Envelopes?
The B series envelopes are perfect for your business mailers that use larger quantities of A4 paper. Besides this, the B series standard size for envelopes is also ideal for sending bulk items and larger sheets. It is worth noting that C series envelopes can not fit such bulky items neatly inside them.
Like with A series paper, you can fold a B series paper into half to make it smaller. For example, suppose you fold a B4 paper in half. In that case, the resulting dimension of the form will be equivalent to a B3 paper. Hence, you can use smaller standard envelope sizes for your mailers.
The aspect ratio of B series envelopes is the same as C series envelopes, which is 1:√2. Compared to A-series paper, the B-series paper is not so popular in an office setting. Some common uses of B series paper include printing posters, books, and some unique marketing materials.
DL Envelopes
The simplest way to describe the DL envelopes is that they are the envelopes that can fit DL-size paper inside them. Of course, the DL size paper and envelope are not the same size because otherwise, you can’t fit the document inside the standard size envelope.
Since the DL envelopes are the most common standard envelope size for personal mail, you have probably already come across them. You can even use a print and mail service like PostGrid to print customised envelopes that convey your brand’s identity to the target audience.
Printing your company logo or brand colours is a great way to make your direct mail stand out. Healthcare organisations, including hospitals, use this method to ensure that their patients do not miss crucial test results and other documents.
Apart from the DL standard envelope size, businesses can also use the DLX envelope. A DLX envelope can hold a DL envelope inside it. Hence, you can use the DLX envelope when sending your customers DL reply paid envelopes.
Standard Envelope Sizes Of DL Envelopes
There is five different Australia Post standard envelope size that businesses often use. The following table should give you every detail you need about the different B series envelopes sizes.
| DL Envelope Size | Length | Width |
| DL | 220mm | 110mm |
| DLX | 235mm | 120mm |
Similar to what we saw in DL envelopes. The ISO uses the letter DL to denote this paper size. There is no numerical value to represent the different Australian envelope sizes. You can also see that the size range of the DL envelope is between 220 x 110mm to 235 x 120mm.
What Paper Sizes Can Fit Inside DL Envelopes?
As we mentioned above, a DL envelope can comfortably fit a DL paper inside it. So if you plan on using DL size papers for marketing or communication purposes, the DL standard envelope size will suit you fine. However, the DL envelope can also hold other documents.
For example, you can easily send printed A4 sheet marketing materials as long as you fold them twice. Doing so will make your marketing mailer one-third its original size, and it can comfortably fit inside the DL standard envelope size.
In addition, the DL envelopes also come with a press seal closure system which is ideal for sending direct mail.
Other Sizes
Apart from the standard envelope sizes discussed above, there are some other, or additional standard envelope sizes your business can use. The table below shows the dimensional measurements of the other standard envelopes for sending your printed marketing materials.
| Other Envelope Size | Length | Width |
| 350mm | 255mm | |
| 405mm | 305mm |
Wallet Envelopes
The wallet envelopes are generally small in size. Even the most extensive wallet envelope uses a DLX standard envelope size, which is only 120 x 235mm. The envelope sizes that belong to the wallet envelope group are as follows.
| Envelope Type | Length | Width |
| 11B | 90mm | 140mm |
| C6 | 114mm | 162mm |
| DL | 110mm | 220mm |
| DLE | 114mm | 225mm |
| DLX | 120mm | 235mm |
Pocket Envelopes
The pocket envelopes are slightly bigger than wallet envelopes. The standard envelope sizes of pocket envelopes are as follows.
| Envelope Type | Length | Width |
| DL | 110mm | 220mm |
| DLX | 120mm | 235mm |
| C5 | 176mm | 250mm |
| C4 | 229mm | 324mm |
| B4 | 250mm | 353mm |
Booklet Envelopes
When it comes to booklet envelopes, the standard size increases even more. The standard envelope sizes you can find in booklet envelopes are as on the table below.
| Envelope Type | Length | Width |
| C5 | 162mm | 229mm |
| C4 | 229mm | 324mm |
Banker Envelopes
The envelope size of this group of envelopes is more diverse. You can find the dimensional details of the banker envelopes in the table below.
| Envelope Type | Length | Width |
| 11B | 90mm | 145mm |
| C6 | 114mm | 162mm |
| DL | 110mm | 220mm |
| DLE | 114mm | 225mm |
| DLX | 120mm | 235mm |
Why Your Business Needs PostGrid's Print & Mail System
Even picking a standard envelope size for your business, direct mail marketing, and communication is more complicated than you might think. Proper envelopes ensure your mailer can race through the Australia Post sorting system.
Hence, using the proper or standard envelope size can help you speed up your delivery of direct mail. PostGrid uses a fully automated print and mail API system that gives you complete control over your direct mail campaigns.
You can even personalise your postal mail envelopes using PostGrid. It allows your recipients to identify your mailer quickly. Business organisations in healthcare, finance, insurance, etc., can use printed envelopes to ensure that their customers don’t miss any critical mail.
Conclusion
Understanding and using the standard envelope sizes for business marketing and communication is challenging. Even a tiny mistake could lead to big problems, especially if you run bulk mail campaigns for your business.
Hence, it is always good to be on the safe side and use an automated solution like PostGrid to take care of your direct mail envelopes. PostGrid’s print and mail solution ensure neat and perfect packing of your direct mail with the appropriate standard envelope size.
If that’s not enough, PostGrid allows you to personalise your direct mail, including branding your mail envelopes. Hence, if you want to ensure a smooth mailing process for your business and not worry about the Australian envelope sizes, you must use an advanced solution like PostGrid.
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The post Standard Envelope Sizes Australia appeared first on PostGrid.
source https://www.postgrid.com.au/standard-envelope-sizes/
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