Envelope Glossary: S-Z

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SEAL GUM
A type of envelope adhesive. 

SEAL GUM SEAM
The parts of the envelope sealed during manufacturing. 

SECURITY TINT
An opaque design printed on the inside of an envelope so you can’t read through it.

SELF-SEAL GUM
Latex coating on opposite sides of an envelope flap that only adheres to itself.


SHELF LIFE
How long a product can be stored under specified conditions and remain usable; normally 6-9 months for most envelopes.

SHOULDER
The part of an envelope where the side flaps crease with the top flap.
 


SIDE SEAM
Envelopes formed by short side flaps or a wide bottom flap with a large area for printing on the envelope's back (e.g., reverse face and collection envelopes).


SIDE SEAM GUM
Adhesive that seals an envelope's side seams.


SIDE SEAM OVER
An envelope with its side seam folded over its back flap.


SIDE SEAM UNDER
An envelope with its side seam folded under its back flap.


SLIM JIM BOOKLETS
A style of machine insertable booklet envelopes.

SPECIAL WINDOW
Any non-standard window envelope. See our window envelopes for standard sizes/positions; we can custom-create a window in almost any position.


SPLIT GUM
When there’s no gum over areas where the seal gum would normally contact the back seam gum, to avoid tabbing and blocking.


SPLIT SEAL GUM
Gum pattern on the seal flap of envelopes used on automated inserting equipment; prevents flap from sticking to the back panel during storage.


SQUARE SHEET
A rectangular sheet of paper used to make envelope blanks.

STANDARD SUBSTANCE WEIGHTS:
Paper weights (in pounds) used in various types of envelopes:
•  16 lb. - air mail envelopes;
•  20 lb. - commercial envelopes;
•  24 lb. - open side official and commercial envelopes;
•  28 lb. - open and catalog envelopes, as well as large commercials;
•  32 lb. - heavy-duty and clasp envelopes;
•  40 lb. - large, heavy-duty, or storage envelopes that are frequently handled.

STRAIGHT GRAIN CUTTING
Cutting blank paper sheets into envelopes; a 34" X 28" bond or writing sheet yields eight (8) #10 envelopes.


STRING-AND-BUTTON
A mechanical closure with a string on the flap and a button on the envelope’s body.

STRIP-AND-SEAL
A pressure sensitive envelope flap adhesive covered with a protective strip until the envelope is ready to be sealed.


THROAT
Space between the top of an envelope's back flap and its top flap crease line.
 


THUMB CUT
A cut on envelopes manufactured without flaps (e.g., filing and storage envelopes). 

TINT
An envelope’s inside shaded area or printed pattern that prevents its contents from being read.


TOLERANCE

A margin of ± 2mm in envelope manufacturing (including widow size and position).


TOP
Is the dimension of the envelope with the opening.


TOP FLAP
The flap normally left open for inserting an envelope's contents.


TOPLESS ENVELOPE
An envelope without a top flap.


TYVEK™
Spunbonded olefin product by Dupont that’s lightweight yet offers maximum protection and durability.

UNCOATED ENVELOPES
AKA cartridge, they represent the bulk of envelope production. Also see coated envelopes.

VARNISH
A heat-cured coating on an envelope’s face for protection and/or decoration.


WALLET FLAP
An envelope with an extra large flap to provide a larger printing area and added protection.

WELD SEAM
Envelopes created without die cutting so they can be inserted and trimmed in a magazine. 

WINDOW
A cut-out in an envelope’s body to show mailing address, return address and/or special messages. 

WINDOW PATCH GUM
The adhesive that keeps the plastic film over an envelope's window.


WINDOW POSITION
Location of the window on an envelope, measured from its left and bottom edges.

WEB ENVELOPES
Are made from a roll of paper (i.e., side seams and some pointed flap styles).

WHITE WOVE
A paper made exclusively for envelope manufacturing.


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