A first-time paper bag order usually starts as "we need some paper bags" and stalls right there. The fix is to stop describing a category and start ticking a specification: grammage, paper type, bottom style, print surface, closure, load rating and food-contact compliance, each circled by the business you actually run. This article hands you those buttons rather than one product; the depth behind any single one belongs in its own guide. Fill in the table below and you have a brief for any supplier.
Why "buy paper bags" is not a specification
That sentence names a category, not a product. Two bags that look identical on a screen can differ in every property that decides whether a pastry reaches the customer intact: sheet weight, how the base is folded, whether the ink survives a greasy hand.
A paper bag is a stack of independent decisions, and leaving them unset does not keep them open — they get filled in for you, usually by whatever a supplier already stocks. That is where mismatched re-orders, torn bases and print that rubs off in transit come from.
The attributes to circle
Circle these before you compare anything. Each is a band rather than a single value — the right point inside it depends on your fill.
- Grammage. The weight of the sheet, and the first thing that sets what the bag carries.
- Paper type. Kraft paper bags for general dry and semi-dry goods; greaseproof paper bags once oil is in the content; glassine paper bags where a glossy, translucent face matters more than load.
- Bottom style. Flat, block-bottom or satchel — this decides whether the bag stands unaided on a shelf.
- Print surface. Uncoated sheets take stamps and simple one-colour marks; a coated face holds fine detail.
- Closure. Open top, folded, adhesive strip or twist — matched to how the customer opens the bag.
- Load rating. The static load the bag holds with margin left over.
- Food-contact compliance. The grade must be declared suitable for the intended contact under your market's rules.
Typical ranges (always confirm with a batch test):
- Grammage: light dry goods sit in the lower band, heavier bakery and takeaway loads in the middle and upper bands.
- Bottom style: flat for light dry goods, block-bottom where the bag must stand unaided.
- Load rating: allow a margin above the packed weight rather than matching it exactly.
Circling by business type
Most first orders fail because one bag is asked to serve a whole day of different jobs. Read across from your counter instead.
| Business type | Attributes to circle | Default range | Suggested starting point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery | Grammage, bottom style, grease resistance, print surface | Mid grammage, block-bottom, oil-aware sheet | Greaseproof or lined for anything buttery; block-bottom so the bag stands |
| Café | Grammage, closure, print surface, size | Light to mid grammage, open or folded top | A lighter kraft bag with a simple mark; keep the closure fast to open one-handed |
| Fast-food takeaway | Load rating, grease resistance, bottom style, closure | Mid to upper grammage, wide base, secure close | Size up on the load rating; a folded or adhesive close beats an open top |
| Retail | Print surface, paper type, size, load rating | Mid grammage, natural or white kraft | Choose the face for the print first — see white kraft paper bags for a clean print ground |
Two rows can share one bag; four rarely can. If your counter does both coffee and takeaway food, treat them as two specifications.
Common misuses and boundaries
- Choosing by look. Appearance is one property, not the specification — a bag that photographs well can still be the wrong grammage.
- Treating "kraft" as a spec. Kraft names a paper family, not a weight, a base or a barrier.
- Matching load rating to the fill exactly. No margin means the first heavy item decides the failure point.
- Settling print before structure. Print goes on a finished bag, so locking it early makes later changes costlier.
- Skipping the fill test. Fill a sample the way a customer holds it — the fastest way to catch a bag that will not stand.
FAQ
Which paper bag property matters most on a first order?
Grammage and bottom style. They decide whether the bag carries the load and stands on the counter.
Can one paper bag serve a bakery and a café?
Sometimes, if the bakery goods are dry. Once butter or oil is involved, split the specification — a greaseproof paper bag is not interchangeable with plain kraft.
How do I choose between kraft, greaseproof and glassine?
By content and by job: kraft for load and general dry goods, greaseproof where oil is present, glassine where a glossy face sells. Each has its own guide.
Do I need to settle print before ordering?
No — settle structure, sheet and closure first. Print is applied to a finished bag, so locking it early only makes the earlier changes more expensive.
Browse the range
Start the whole line at eco paper bags, then narrow by what you circled: kraft paper bags for load and general dry goods, white kraft paper bags where print needs a clean ground.