There are many applications for polywrapping, but this article details the most common use which is to provide an alternative to paper envelopes when mailing brochures or magazines.

Polywrapping is the enclosing of magazines or brochures within a sealed usually see-through polythene wrap. Generally this is achieved by the use of a polywrapping machine (a ‘polywrapper’).

Polywrapping can also be referred to as to as polyloping or polybagging – although polybagging is technically different process and more accurately refers to the manual insertion of magazines/brochures into a pre-made ‘polybag’.

A common misunderstanding is to compare polywrapping with shrink wrapping. Whilst shrink wrapping also encloses products within a plastic wrap, shrink wrapping is typically used for the bulk packaging of products. The plastic used is a much stronger material.   The shrink wrapping process heats the plastic which shrinks the plastic to provide a much tighter seal around the product. Because of this heating process, shrink wrapping is more time consuming and the end results less aesthetically appealing than polywrapping. It is therefore not a suitable solution for high volume direct mail.