Sending clothing across Australia as large letter - is it okay to be floppy?

[transport-posters]

Do people send clothes being floppy like this?  Maybe it could jam AP sorting machines?  I don't know.. just looking for some advice, please?

Or is it best to make it stay erect with some thin cardboard?  Might exceed the 2cm limit if it's too big because of keeping it erect?

[harley_babes_hoard · Accepted solution]

I send small baby items and some shirts in tough bags for $1.40. I use a a ziplock bag, place the item in it laying as flat and neat as possible then squeeze all the air out of it, seal it and bobs your uncle. It stays quite firm in the tough bags, I wouldn't send it all floppy though.

[dotm2004 · Accepted solution]

I sell small children's clothes and almost always use letter post.  I fold them very flat, but make sure they don't exceed the 20cm limit.

I find the tough bags are good to have on hand also (cost about $1.50 ... but you can buy them on line much cheaper .... and I mean MUCH cheaper)  .... neither of these cost nearly as much as using satchels, and I try to keep my postal prices low.

Some people DO use thin cardboard to keep the items flat.

[transport-posters]

Thank you to both of you, that has solved the dilemma!

[pennyforum14]

I always used to use shurtuff mailers and sandwich the item between two sheets of cardboard, however I recently found a great packaging supplier here who sells mailing boxes designed to go as large letters.  I buy them in two sizes, in lots of 50 or more and they work out around 50c each and are much easier than trying to make sure the pacakge is thin enough.  I use the half A4 size one for small baby things like tees and cotton rompers, and the larger A4 size for larger items, it will even take lightweight ladies tops and sundresses.  They come packed flat and you assemble them with just a couple of folds and as long as you don't cram them so full they bulge, they go as a large letter every time.

[englishrosegardens]

I had a discussion on this with my local PO last week.  He said all post offices are required to sort their outgoing letters into two groups - one for normal letters and a second one for 'bulky' letters.  The bulky letters don't go through the sorting machines, only the flat ones.

If my large letters are too floppy I run some wide sticky tape across the middle and down the middle (all the way round the envelope) and it seems to stiffen them up a bit.  If the envelope does get torn, the tape should stop the address part of the envelope being separated from the contents.

[beautbots01]

Easiest way to solve floppy parcels is to vacuum pack.  Safe, secure, rigid.  Easy peasy

[saarzi]

I send all my clothes in tough bags as large letters ($1.40, $2.10 and $3.50 depending on weight, as long as the package is no thicker than 2cm). I dont use cardboard.

They are not floppy at all, and Ive never had a problem.

[thecatspjs]

Like another poster - I prefer to use cardboard mailers to send smallish clothing items, particularly delicate silk.

Works out reasonably cheap - if you buy in bulk, signficantly cheaper again.  I think the last lot I got of 100 or so worked out at around 50c each.   You can get different sizes. 

[lane-ends]

They dont go through sorting machines, only normal letters do that. Flattening them is mainly so they stay within thickness limits.

though they often inflat post packing