With ARTISAIRE sealing wax, you can feel confident about sending mail with wax seals. Our flexible sealing wax formula gives you durable wax seals, that won’t break or fall off when mailed. With this in mind, there are 5 important things to consider when sending wax-sealed envelopes that will make your mailing process seamless.
Envelope Closure
Fully closing the envelope prior to stamping or adhering your wax seal is essential in the mailing process. Wax seals are designed as an embellishment, rather than a form of closure on your mail. This means securing the envelope fully before adding your wax seal is vital for it to be mailed. Without doing so, large openings on the flap of your envelope may get caught in sorting machines, which could result in it tearing, leaving your envelope open during post.
Adhering
When it comes to applying your wax seals, hand-stamping your wax seal directly onto your mail is usually quite a safe option, as Artisaire’s sealing wax will bond tightly with the fibers of your paper as it sets.
Alternatively, using pre-made wax seals with our Professional Grade Adhesive allows for a durable hold through the mail. Once the adhesive is placed on a surface, it will begin to get tackier over 24 hours, bonding with the envelope or surface it is set on. All of our pre-made wax seals are prepared with our Professional Grade Adhesive, we also have these adhesives available for purchase, so that you can pre-make your own wax seals.
Safest Placement
Wax seals can be mailed on the outside of your envelope, though there is a chance that it will get scuffed by the modern sorting machines. Scuffing will affect less than 1 in 100 envelopes sent.
We suggest placing your wax sealed envelope in a larger (outer) envelope to add protection and guarantee that your seals will arrive exactly how you have sent them off.
Hand-cancelling
Hand-canceling means that each postage stamp on your envelope is marked/cancelled by hand, rather than by machine. Hand-canceling usually costs an additional $0.21 in postage, depending on the post office.
An envelope with a wax seal on the outside may require you to hand-cancel your envelope (which we highly recommend!) However, this is at the discretion of your local post office.
Hand-cancelling your pretty mail will eliminate the need for your mail to go through a postage cancelling machine, however, the mail may still go through sorting machines. The further the envelope travels, the more machines it may go through. For the highest delivery rate of untarnished sealed mail, we strongly recommend using an outer envelope.
Check with your post office about rates and hand-cancelling services so you are prepared to send off your mail with ease.
Postage
We always suggest bringing a fully assembled sample of your mail to your local post office for proper postage rates. In some cases, standard postage will be sufficient to send your wax-sealed mail, while other times, there may be a need for additional postage.
Standard postage ($1.07 CAD-Canada Post, $0.60 USD-USPS) typically covers up to 30 grams (1 oz) and the mail must be no thicker than 0.25”, including your wax seal.
Wax seals weigh ≥ 0.02oz (O.57 grams) and are customarily 0.03” thick, which is within the standard postage scope. Double-checking the weight, size, and thickness of your mail with the post office is highly suggested.
If your mail exceeds the standard postage scope, there may be a need for additional postage, which your post office will be able to assist you with based on the measurements of your mail.
Have you mailed with wax seals? We would love to hear about your experience! Send us a message on our socials (@artisaire) or reach out to us via email to info@artisaire.com
Happy Mailing! 💌
