Envelope Terms – Glossary
The Priority Envelope Glossary offers a comprehensive look at the terminology commonly used in envelope design and production. Whether you’re new to envelope customization or a seasoned professional, understanding terms like window placement, flap styles, paper grades, and sealing methods is essential for making informed choices. This resource simplifies the technical jargon, giving you a clear understanding of the various options available for your custom envelope projects. With insights into everything from materials to production processes, our glossary helps you confidently select the right envelope features to meet your business or personal needs.
Caliper:
The thickness of a sheet of paper, measured in units of 1/1000th inch (points or mils).
Catalog:
A general term for any large open end envelope.
CD Envelope:
A precisely sized envelope to mail, store and protect CDs. Can be made with or without windows or printing in a variety of substrates.
Center Seam:
An envelope style where the sides are folded and glued over each other, forming a seam that runs down the center of the envelope.
CI Press:
A high speed, high quality 4-color process of flexographic printing.
Clasp:
A metal fastener sometimes used with remoistenable gum on booklet and catalog envelopes, allows for repeated opening and closing of the envelope.
Closed Face:
An envelope without a window.
Closure:
General term used for the means of closing and securing an envelope. May be an adhesive, a clasp or other mechanical closure.
Commercial:
General term for the most common style of business envelopes. Open side, with or without windows.
Corner Card:
A term used to reference the return address and/or other identification of the sender usually located in the upper left hand corner of an envelope.
Courtesy Reply Envelope (CRE):
When a response is desired, such as with a bill or invoice payments, you pay only for the cost of envelopes. Your customer pays the postage, and no permit is required to send CRE mail. You can expedite returns by having pre-addressed and pre-barcoded envelopes.
Also see FIM and/or PostNet.
Credit Card Protector:
An open-end or open-side envelope perfectly sized to hold and protect credit cards, phone cards and hotel room keys. Available in paper or Tyvek®.
