Bubble mailers should not be confused with bubble wrap although both are types of product packaging. Bubble mailers are plastic bags which are made up of different layers of plastic. Between each layer, or sometimes there are two layers laid on top of each other to form the sides of the product packaging bag, is a bubble of air that cannot escape because it's sealed within the layers. The air bubble serves as a protective cushion that shields the contents of the product packaging from any sudden impacts or movement that could shock the contents and damage these.

Bubble wrap packaging is different because the air is contained within tiny individual pockets in the product packaging itself instead of one continuous layer of air forming between the layers of the product packaging. Sometimes bubble wrap is one long sheet for wrapping stuff to prevent these things from moving around within the cardboard boxes, especially during shipment or delivery. You may have seen bubble wrap sheets wrapped around large items like vases and framed paintings. The reason bubble wrap packaging is used for such large objects is because these cannot fit within bubble mailers.

For personal use, you can maximize the use of these bubble mailers in protecting your valuables and collectors items, such as old baseball cards. With that in mind, photographs are also important items you can seal using the bubble mailers. You can also seal fragile materials or gadgets especially if you're in the process of moving to another place. Bubble mailers can generally be used to protect items that can fit within the bubble mailer bags.

Like other forms of product packaging, such as poly bags, you can order your bubble mailers directly from the bubble mailers manufacturers based on the size of each bubble mailer and the quantity you want. The rule of the thumb for costing is that the larger the size of the bubble mailers, the greater the opportunity to receive discounts for bulk orders. This simply means that the cost per bubble mailer in the large volume orders could shrink as you buy more, while the cost per bubble mailer in the small volume orders would increase since you would be ordering less.

That is another way that bubble mailers differ from bubble wrap packaging. Usually bubble wrap packaging is bought via length and width in huge rolls of one continuous sheet. The reason bubble wrap packaging is sold this way is that the shipper can simply cut out a certain length from each roll as they need it. Selling bubble wrap packaging per roll is thus more convenient for the end user.

On the other hand, the bubble wrap industry has had issues about the materials recycling capability after the shipment has been received. Bubble mailers can be re-used for other uses like storing items in your drawers at home or in the office. Some bubble wrap simply winds up in the landfills, so instead of allowing this to happen, you have essentially given your bubble mailers a new lease on life.