Bubble wrap bags are ready-made bags of bubble wrap with one open end, and the trade name for them is bubble pouches. You slide a single item in, fold or tape the open end, and put the wrapped item inside a box, mailing bag or envelope. They save you cutting and taping bubble wrap by hand, which matters once you pack the same kind of product many times a day.
This guide lists the seven sizes we stock, BP1 to BP7, with the size in millimetres and the sort of items each one takes. It then compares a bubble pouch with a bubble wrap roll and a padded envelope, shows how to close and pack one, and finishes with how many to buy.
In This Guide
- Quick picks for bubble wrap bags and what to use with them
- What are bubble wrap bags and what are they used for?
- Which bubble pouch size do you need, BP1 to BP7?
- Should you buy small bubble wrap bags or large bubble wrap bags?
- Bubble pouch, bubble wrap roll or padded envelope: which should you use?
- How do you close a bubble pouch and pack it in a box or mailing bag?
- How many bubble pouches should you buy, and what do they cost?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick picks for bubble wrap bags and what to use with them
A bubble pouch protects the item, and it still needs an outer to travel in, so these three cover most orders.
Best for packing the same item again and again
Bubble Pouches
Open-ended bags made from bubble wrap, so there is no roll to cut and no edges to tape.
- 7 sizes, BP1 (100 x 135mm) to BP7 (380 x 425mm)
- Boxes of 100 to 750 pouches
- Minimum order is one box
From £30.00 ex VAT (£36.00 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for odd shapes and mixed orders
Small Bubble Wrap
A 100m roll with 10mm bubbles that you cut to whatever length the item needs.
- 10mm bubbles
- 300mm or 500mm wide
- Sold one roll at a time
From £9.00 ex VAT (£10.80 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best outer for a pouched fragile item
Single Wall Cardboard Boxes
Lightweight corrugated boxes, supplied flat, to put the pouched item in.
- From 5 x 5 x 5" (127 x 127 x 127mm)
- Sizes are internal, L x W x H
- Minimum of 5 boxes per size
From £0.35 ex VAT (£0.42 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productWhat are bubble wrap bags and what are they used for?
Bubble wrap bags are flat bags made from bubble wrap, closed on three sides and open at one end, used to cushion one item inside a parcel. Bubble pouches, bubble bags and bubble wrap pouches are all names for the same thing. Sellers use them as bubble bags for packaging small, repeat products such as cosmetics, glassware, phone accessories and ornaments. Our bubble pouches come in seven sizes and are sold by the box, from £30.00 ex VAT (£36.00 inc VAT).
A pouch is inner packaging. A bubble pouch is open ended and has no outer skin or address panel, so it cannot be posted by itself. It always goes inside a box, a mailing bag or an envelope.
Our bubble wrap guide to small and large rolls covers bubble sizes and when to use each kind of wrap.
Which bubble pouch size do you need, BP1 to BP7?
Choose the bubble pouch one step larger than the item, so it slides in easily and the open end has room to fold over. The seven sizes run from BP1 at 100 x 135mm to BP7 at 380 x 425mm. Sizes are width x length, measured flat.
| Code | Size (width x length) | Pouches per box | Example items |
|---|---|---|---|
| BP1 | 100 x 135mm | 750 | Ring and earring boxes, lipsticks, memory cards, small ornaments |
| BP2 | 130 x 180mm | 500 | Phone accessories, watches, small jars, nail polish sets |
| BP3 | 180 x 230mm | 300 | Small bottles, glass candles, small electronics, an A5 sheet (148 x 210mm) laid flat |
| BP4 | 230 x 280mm | 300 | Mugs, boxed cosmetics, bigger accessories |
| BP5 | 280 x 375mm | 150 | A4 items (210 x 297mm), small framed prints, side plates |
| BP6 | 305 x 425mm | 150 | A4 items with some depth, hardback books, ceramics |
| BP7 | 380 x 425mm | 100 | Homeware, grouped items, artwork |
Treat the examples as a guide and check the item's size against the pouch before you order a box, because thickness uses up width. A rough rule: add the item's width to its thickness, and that total needs to be less than the pouch width. Do the same for the length. A mug 120mm across the handle and 80mm deep needs about 200mm, which points to BP4 at 230mm.
Shop bubble pouches BP1 to BP7
Should you buy small bubble wrap bags or large bubble wrap bags?
Buy small bubble wrap bags (BP1 to BP3) for items you can hold in one hand, and large bubble wrap bags (BP5 to BP7) for flat or bulky pieces around A4 size and up. The small sizes come 750, 500 and 300 to a box, and the large sizes 150, 150 and 100. BP4 (230 x 280mm) sits in the middle.
If your items vary a lot, two sizes usually do more than one big one. A small item rattling around in a large pouch gets less protection than the same item in a snug one. For beauty orders in particular, our guide to cosmetic and skincare packaging goes through bottles, jars and palettes one by one.
Bubble pouch, bubble wrap roll or padded envelope: which should you use?
Use a bubble pouch when you pack the same size of item repeatedly, a bubble wrap roll when your items change shape from order to order, and a padded envelope when a small, light item can go in the post with no box at all.
| Option | What it is | Use it when | Needs an outer? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bubble pouch | Open-ended bag of bubble wrap, 7 sizes, boxes of 100 to 750 | You pack one product type in volume and want speed | Yes: box, mailing bag or envelope |
| Small bubble wrap roll | 10mm bubbles, 100m long, 300mm or 500mm wide | Items are odd shapes, or need two or three layers | Yes: box or mailing bag |
| White padded envelope | Self-seal envelope with a bubble lining, 10 sizes, boxes of 100 | The item is small, light and not easily crushed | No: it is the postal packaging |
A roll is the cheaper way in if you only pack a few fragile orders a week. Small bubble wrap starts from £9.00 ex VAT (£10.80 inc VAT) a roll. It takes longer, though, because you cut, wrap and tape each item. For widths and lengths, see bubble wrap roll sizes explained. Bulky or heavy items want the 25mm bubbles of large bubble wrap, which a pouch does not replace.
White bubble padded envelopes start from £8.00 ex VAT (£9.60 inc VAT) for a box of 100 and run from EP1 A/000 (100 x 165mm) to EP10 K/7 (350 x 470mm). The size chart is in our Jiffy bags and padded envelopes sizes guide. For something that needs more than one layer of bubble, put it in a pouch first and then in the padded envelope, and check the envelope still closes flat.
Electronics. We do not sell anti-static bubble bags. Our bubble pouches are standard bubble wrap, fine for cables, cases and boxed gadgets. For bare circuit boards and components, read our laptop and electronics packaging guide first.
How do you close a bubble pouch and pack it in a box or mailing bag?
Slide the item in, fold the open end over and hold it with a short strip of tape, then put the pouch in an outer where it cannot move about.
- Check the fit. The item should go in without forcing, with spare length at the open end.
- Fold the open end. Fold it back over the item. For a loose or heavy item, add one strip of tape across the fold. Clear tape is fine for this.
- Choose the outer. Anything that can break or crush goes in a box. Items that only need scratch protection, such as a boxed phone case or a tin, can go in a mailing bag.
- Fill the gaps. In a box, pack paper or more bubble wrap around the pouch until nothing shifts when you shake it gently.
- Seal and label. Tape the box seams, or peel and press the strip on the mailing bag, and put the label on the outer.
For boxes, measure the item once it is in the pouch and pick the next internal size up. Our single wall cardboard boxes start at 5 x 5 x 5" (127 x 127 x 127mm), from £0.35 ex VAT (£0.42 inc VAT) a box with a minimum of 5 per size. For a mailing bag, lay the filled pouch flat and choose a bag a little wider and longer. Grey mailing bags start from £2.90 ex VAT (£3.48 inc VAT) a pack, and the 9 x 12" (230 x 300mm) size is the one to try with a BP3 pouch at 180 x 230mm.
Best outer for pouched items that cannot crush
Grey Mailing Bags
Opaque polythene postal bags with a self-seal strip, for a pouched item that needs scratch protection more than a box.
- 16 sizes, 4 x 6" (100 x 150mm) to 34 x 42" (850 x 1050mm)
- Packs of 100 up to 17 x 24"
- Self-seal strip, no tape needed
From £2.90 ex VAT (£3.48 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productLarge Letter. A bubble pouch adds thickness. If you are aiming for the Royal Mail Large Letter 25mm thickness limit, measure the finished parcel, and check the carrier's current size and weight limits before you post.
How many bubble pouches should you buy, and what do they cost?
Buy one box of the size you use most, because one box is the minimum order and holds between 100 and 750 pouches depending on size. Boxes are priced from £30.00 to £36.00 ex VAT (£36.00 to £43.20 inc VAT), and the price per box falls as you order more. The tiers are shown on the product page.
- Work out your cost per pouch. Divide the box price for your size by the number in the box: 750 for BP1, 500 for BP2, 300 for BP3 and BP4, 150 for BP5 and BP6, 100 for BP7.
- Match the box to your order volume. At 10 fragile orders a day, a box of 300 BP4 pouches lasts about 30 days of packing. At 2 orders a week it lasts close to three years, and a roll of small bubble wrap is the better buy.
- Add the outers. Order the boxes or mailing bags at the same time so the pouch and outer sizes are tested together. Browse cardboard boxes, mailing bags and the rest of our protective packaging.
Royal Mail Tracked 48 delivery is free on every order with no minimum. Orders placed by 2pm Monday to Friday leave our Manchester unit the same working day. Click and collect in Cheetham Hill is free and usually ready within 2 hours, and we run same-day van delivery within 10 miles.
Regular buyers can open a trade account, and a VAT invoice comes with every order. For quantities above the listed tiers, call 0161 706 1246 or use the contact page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are bubble wrap bags?
Bubble wrap bags are ready-made bags of bubble wrap with one open end, also sold as bubble pouches. You slide a single item in, fold or tape the open end, and place the wrapped item inside a box, mailing bag or envelope. Pack Solution stocks seven sizes of bubble wrap bags, from BP1 (100 x 135mm) to BP7 (380 x 425mm), measured width x length.
Can you post an item in a bubble pouch without a box or envelope?
No. A bubble pouch is open ended and has no sealed outer layer, so it is inner protection and cannot be posted by itself. Put the bubble pouch inside a cardboard box, a mailing bag or a padded envelope, and fix the label to that outer.
How many bubble pouches are in a box?
A box of bubble pouches holds 750 of BP1, 500 of BP2, 300 each of BP3 and BP4, 150 each of BP5 and BP6, and 100 of BP7. Every size is sold by the box, and the minimum order is one box. The price per box falls as you order more, using the tiers on the product page.
Are bubble pouches better than a roll of bubble wrap?
Bubble pouches are quicker than a roll of bubble wrap when you pack the same size of item again and again, because there is nothing to cut or tape. A bubble wrap roll suits odd shapes and items that need several layers, and it costs less to start with: small bubble wrap rolls are from £9.00 ex VAT (£10.80 inc VAT).
Do you sell anti-static bubble bags for electronics?
No, Pack Solution does not sell anti-static bubble bags. Our bubble pouches are standard bubble wrap, which suits cables, phone cases and boxed gadgets. For bare circuit boards or loose components you need anti-static packaging from a specialist supplier.
