My postal clerks actually were the ones who showed me how to stuff an envelope when I first started!!! Right after xmas I tried to mail a stuffed enevlope and they apologized to me but that the supervisors are restrictlng what they allow. according to their supervisor if the original shape is distorted and cant be sealed with just the adhesive on the envelope its too big!!! So it has to be flat and no extra tape!!!

I now order the padded envelopes - havent tried the legal size because I think their new "stiff rules" would apply on those too. I talked to the supervisor and told him that is was a misrepresentation when they say "if it fits it ships" I explained to him if it is under the weight requirement it shouldnt be a problem and the extra tape we add only because of the way the packages are handled. He really didnt have too much to say except that rules were rules

I tried sending one thru the pickup service but it was returned because it went through the same post office so that didnt work for me...Sorry - I have to use padded envelopes for my sales - no more cardboard (which I could get alot more in--on the bright side at least the bubbles help protect the contents from some weather and postal roughness. I have thought about popping all the bubbles so I have more room - sooo...if you see little footprints on your package I had my grandkids pop them for me for more room lol

I can get more in the padded ones than the regular FREs too.

I think the most I've gotten in a padded FRE is 8yds...whereas I could never get more than 4yds in a FRE.

8yds was pushing it and it felt like a brick, but I managed to get it past the postal clerk with only a slight smirk....

I don't live in a small town, and this far no problems with my stuffed enevlope...I guess, USPS is false avertising, I've seen many commericals saying if it fits, it ships, and doesnt say anything about being stuffed...

I use hundreds of these envelopes each year and I have put as much as 8 pounds in them, all thickness. I have never had any problem.

It's been their policy for the past several months to NOT allow stuffing of the flat-rate envelopes anymore. I'm surprised anyone is getting away with it. They still say "if it fits, it ships", but that's not true of the flat-rate envelope anymore.

this issue could be part of the bigger postal problem (its going broke!). It seems there are rules and regs, but each PO only follows them as "suggestions". So how is the public supposed to know who does what?
I can use 2 PO in my area. One is very uptight about things (but, then again, it depends who works the desk that day). The other one lets anything go. Across the street from one is a UPS dropbox, and I can phone/email for UPS/FEDEX service, which can be cheaper/faster sometimes. I usu use UPS to ship things. sharet

My post office will allow stuffing a flat rate envelope, but tape is NOT allowed.

They will take it if it seals on its own, but if I have to put tape on it to keep it closed really well, then I'm charged a higher price.

I just recived 2 in the mail stuffed with fabric

There is a .pdf of the thickness they are supposed to accept I printed it out to make sure I am in requirements. This is the size the machine will accept without kicking it back according to the PO

Don't know if pdf uploaded for you guys. Anyway the template is on the USPS site. haven't measured but looks like @ 3/8 to me.