Apparel and saree shipping: bag vs mailer vs box
Ship soft everyday apparel in tamper-proof courier bags; use wide shallow boxes for sarees and suit sets that must arrive with crisp folds; choose mailers when D2C unboxing matters — and reserve large RSC cubes for manufacturer bulk, not for single e-commerce units.
Updated 11 Sept 2026 · PackWorks By Velun, Karnal
Default: bag for soft goods
T-shirts, kurtis, soft accessories and returns-heavy fashion SKUs belong in poly courier bags. Lowest weight, rain tolerance, marketplace-native. Size the bag to the fold — not to the hanger width.
When a box earns its keep
Sarees, lehengas and premium suit sets crease and shift in floppy bags. Wide shallow cartons (about 13 × 13 × 5 through 18 × 17.5 × 3 inch class) keep the fold. Colour or white mailers help bridal and boutique unboxing. Add tissue; skip heavy bubble that marks silk.
| SKU | Pack | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tee / athleisure FBM | Poly bag | Fee + damage balance |
| Boutique dress D2C | Mailer or shallow shipper | Presentation |
| Saree / suit set | Wide shallow box | Fold integrity |
| Manufacturer bulk to retailer | Large 3/5-ply RSC | Stack count |
Manufacturer vs D2C
Factories shipping dozens of pieces use 12 × 12 × 12 and larger cubes plus big poly bags. That is the wrong unit for a single Shopify order — you will pay volumetric for air. Split the BOM: bulk outbound in cubes, customer outbound in bags/mailers.
Monsoon apparel
Poly bags win in rain. If you must use kraft bags or paper-wrapped sarees, overbag for bike riders. Never store packed silk on a wet floor.