Smead End Tab Fastener File Folder, Letter Size

For offices that file records on open shelves and need papers secured inside each folder, the Smead End Tab Fastener File Folder is built around quick identification and frequent handling. Its straight-cut end tab gives you a consistent place for a label, while the red color can help distinguish a group of files in a larger filing system.

The folders hold standard letter-size documents and include two fasteners, so pages stay attached rather than shifting loose when a folder is pulled from a shelf. The box contains 50 folders, which suits a filing project or an office that wants a matching set. What happens when a file grows beyond a few pages? Each folder is scored to expand, though that expansion has a defined limit.

Best use cases

These folders make the most sense for administrative, legal, or healthcare records kept in open-shelf filing systems, as well as home paperwork that needs to stay organized by subject or case. Picture pulling a red folder from a shelf, checking its end-tab label, and opening it to find the documents fastened in place. That workflow is more orderly than dropping loose sheets into a basic folder, especially when records are handled repeatedly.

It’s a great fit if you want a uniform batch of folders for letter-size documents and need pages secured at two points. The straight-cut tab favors a shelf setup where end labels are visible, it is less compelling if you mainly want a simple folder for occasional, unfastened papers.

Product specs

Each folder is made from heavyweight 14-point stock and has reinforced end tabs. It measures 12-1/4 inches wide by 9-1/2 inches high and is designed for 8.5-by-11-inch letter-size papers. The red pack contains 50 folders. A 3/4-inch score allows room for a growing file set, while two embedded 2-inch fasteners sit in positions 1 and 3 to hold documents.

The materials include 10% recycled content, including 10% post-consumer material, and the product is SFI Sourcing Certified. Those details may matter if you are standardizing office supplies with a stated sourcing credential. The listed expansion is 3/4 inch, so this is not a substitute for a thicker storage solution when a file is expected to grow substantially. Better avoided if your filing system depends on hanging-folder hardware, which is not listed for this product.

Where it shines

The useful combination here is a reinforced end tab, two fastener positions, and a modest expansion score. Compared with a plain folder that relies on loose papers, the fasteners give documents a defined place and can reduce the chance of pages slipping out during routine handling. Compared with a bulkier filing system, these remain straightforward shelf folders for standard documents rather than a way to store a large, expanding archive.

Red is the only listed color, so it can support simple color grouping but won’t suit a system that requires a different folder color. The 50-count pack is also worth considering in context: it makes sense when you need a consistent set, but may be more than a small one-off filing task calls for. On the spec sheet, the stock and reinforced tabs are aimed at frequent handling, the real decision is whether the end-tab shelf format matches how your office retrieves records.

Buying verdict

Choose these when your priority is a coordinated set of red, letter-size folders for shelf filing, with documents fastened inside and room for a modest increase in pages. The combination is more purposeful than a basic loose-paper folder, but it stays within the limits of a paper folder with 3/4-inch expansion. If your records are especially thick, your setup requires hanging folders, or you only need a few folders, a different filing format or pack size would better match the job.