EnvelopeDock
OEM · Wholesale · Factory Direct
A custom X-ray envelope — also supplied as an X-ray film envelope or radiology envelope — stores, protects and mails exposed radiographic film without light fogging. We manufacture them as an X-ray envelope manufacturer on our existing kraft envelope lines, in both the US imperial sizes (14 × 17 in) and the international metric size (35 × 43 cm), printed with your data panels and logo.
An X-ray envelope is a light-proof paper enclosure used to file, store and mail exposed radiographic film. Radiography departments put the developed film inside the envelope, write the patient and examination details on the printed data panel, and file it in the patient’s record — which is why the same item is also called an X-ray film envelope, a radiology envelope, or simply a film jacket. In industrial testing the same product holds NDT film from weld and pipeline inspections.
Two size conventions coexist and we manufacture both. The US market works in inches — the standard 14 × 17 in film and the smaller 10 × 12 in — while most of Europe, Asia and Africa work in metric, where 35 × 43 cm is the large format that arrives with most bulk inquiries. Because an X-ray envelope is fundamentally a kraft envelope with a printed data panel, it runs on the same lines as our other envelopes: the same papers, the same printing options and the same factory-direct pricing. If you want the specification background first, read our x-ray envelope standards guide.
The same construction serves two very different customers — hospital imaging departments and industrial non-destructive testing crews.
A hospital X-ray envelope or diagnostic imaging envelope carries the patient’s identity alongside the film: name, patient ID, institution and examination date on the left panel, examination type, body part and technologist on the right. The kraft board keeps the film flat and light-proof while it is filed or sent as an X-ray film mailing envelope between clinics, referring physicians and archive storage.
An NDT film storage envelope or industrial X-ray film envelope holds radiographs from weld, casting and pipeline inspection. These jobs run larger formats and rougher handling, so the paper has to stay stiff and light-tight on site; the data panel is repurposed to weld number, component ID, operator and date instead of patient details.
Both size systems are in production. Choose by the film you use, not by country — some export markets buy imperial film, and some domestic departments have moved to metric.
| Format | Film Size | Envelope Size | Market | Clearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Large (imperial)14×17 X-ray envelope | 14 × 17 in | 14¼ × 17¼ in and up | United States | ≥ 2.5–3 cm each side |
| Small (imperial)10×12 X-ray envelope | 10 × 12 in | 10¼ × 12¼ in and up | United States | ≥ 2.5 cm each side |
| Large (metric)35×43 cm X-ray envelope | 35 × 43 cm | 38 × 46 cm typical | International · Africa · EU | ≥ 3 cm each side |
| Film stack thicknesscapacity | Up to 0.7 cm stacked | Gusseted or flat | Universal | Prevents bulging and curled edges |
A large X-ray film envelope is specified by the film it must hold plus a clear margin on every edge, so the film can be inserted and removed without catching the corners. As a working rule we build at least 2.5–3 cm of clearance on each side, and where a department files several films together we allow for a stack of up to 0.7 cm so the envelope stays flat in the drawer instead of bowing open. Tell us the film format you buy and we will confirm the exact outer dimension on the drawing before production.
The paper has to do three things at once: block light, stay rigid, and survive filing.
| Item | Specification | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Standard stockkraft X-ray envelope | Kraft paper, 32 lb (approx. 120 g/m²) | Light-tight and durable for routine filing and mailing |
| Heavy dutyheavy duty kraft X-ray envelope | 450 g/m² extra heavy duty interior kraft | Specified for large-format film and long-term archive; resists creasing |
| Light opacity450gsm X-ray envelope | Deep-tone, fully opaque stock | Prevents light fogging that ruins an exposed film |
| Rigidityboard-like stiffness | Stiff, non-floppy construction | Keeps film flat; stops curl and corner damage in the file |
Where a specification calls for it we build the envelope in 450 g/m² extra heavy duty interior kraft — considerably heavier than a standard 32 lb kraft X-ray envelope — because the large metric format has to stay rigid across a much bigger span. That weight, combined with an opaque deep-tone surface, is what a recent international bulk inquiry specified for a large-format radiology programme.
An X-ray envelope is a working document, so the print layout matters as much as the paper.
Data panels are set as ruled boxes or light tinted fields rather than heavy dark blocks, so ballpoint and marker stay legible on kraft. Because this is standard custom X-ray envelope printing on our existing presses, you can combine the data panel with custom envelope printing options — logo plates, numbering and matched brand colors — and we will return a digital proof of the panel layout before the die is made.
Medical procurement usually asks for documentation before it asks for a price — we provide the paperwork with the quotation.
| Standard | Scope | What We Provide |
|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | Quality management system | Certificate copy with the quotation |
| ISO 13485 | Medical device quality management | Documentation available for medical programmes |
| CE | EU compliance | CE certified medical envelope documentation on request |
| IEC | Electrotechnical / radiation safety context | Declared where the buyer’s tender specifies it |
Institutional buyers frequently need an ISO certified X-ray envelope from a supplier who can hand over certificates with the RFQ response, and an X-ray envelope with ISO certification is normally a pass/fail item in the tender rather than a preference. We supply the standard certificates named against each order; where a tender requires specific certificate numbers, those are issued on the documentation for your order rather than published here.
Send your film size, paper weight, panel layout and annual volume, and you will get factory-direct X-ray envelope wholesale pricing with the certifications your tender requires, plus a free digital proof of the data panel.