To start designing your own printed carrier bags you should choose an appropriate size and shape. The size of a paper carrier bag is measured by width x gusset x height (WxGxH). This decision should be based around what your shop or business actually sells, what is the product you will be placing in these bags. A general size for a jewellery bag may be 150x80x200mm whereas an extra-large bag used for suits, dresses or bulky clothing items may be 540 x 120 x 420mm; these are just rough guides to give an idea of sizes. It is advised to measure the product to be placed in the bags in order to ensure large enough bags are provided.
The next consideration that should then be made is the material used to make the bag. Similar to choosing the size and shape of the bag the material will also depend on the product being placed in the bag. The material used in manufacturing paper bags ranges from kraft paper (thinner) to luxury card (thicker). The thickness of material is measured in “gsm” which stands for grams per square metre and it can be used as rough guideline measurement for strength. Obviously the heavier an item the thicker the carrier bag should be to hold it. Thick paper bags may have a gsm of 210 whilst thinner kraft paper bags such as sandwich bags may have a gsm of 80. For large or heavy items such as shoe boxes or boots a stronger and thicker material would be required. When choosing size and material one should also consider how much they wish to spend as the greater the thickness or size the greater the manufacturing costs.
The third step in deigning your paper carrier bags is to choose a handle type. Handle types that are available for both luxury card and kraft paper bags include cotton rope handles, polypropylene rope handle and an insert ribbon handle. The handle types available specifically for kraft paper bags are twisted paper handles and flat paper handles. A loop ribbon handle is an example of a handle type available on luxury card carrier bags. On a suppliers website images of these handle types can be found. A popular handle type used for luxury paper bags is the rope handle. Most handle types can be custom made in regards to size, thickness and colour.
Now that dimensions, thickness and the handle of the bag have been chosen the next step is to choose finish for the bag. Below are a list of finishes and their descriptions:
Gloss – Creates a shiny appearance. It looks great when the light catches the surface if the bag.
Matte – This finish is sometimes described as non-glossy. Rather than a shiny appearance it is duller yet at the same time smooth and pleasing.
Ribbed (Kraft paper) – Available in both matte and gloss a ribbed finish applies to kraft paper bags. Rather than a smooth paper the ribbed effect shows tight parallel lines. It creates a natural and attractive appearance.
Embossed – When the printed logo or shape is raised or depressed from the paper surface. It can be felt when you run your hand across it.
As well as these finishes kraft paper bags can also be coated or uncoated. The purpose of coating is protect the material however is only usually necessary whenever kraft paper bags are being stored for three years or more before being used.
The next step in creating your paper bag is choosing the colour and design to be printed. The colour is measured using a pantone wheel. You should look through the colours and choose the colours desired and then make note of their pantone code. There are both standard and metallic pantones to choose from. If you have a specific design or logo to be printed onto your bag then the supplier will usually require you to send them the image and explain the positioning and size. The more colours in a logo or design the more it is likely to cost to create.
There are other additional options that you may choose to include with your paper carrier bags. These options may include tissue paper, ribbon or tags which are effective at adding an extra touch of sophistication. There is also the option for metallic hot foil finishes in either silver or gold. This can be a very attractive way to display a logo or message. Hot foil is also available embossed.
For anyone seeking to buy custom made paper carrier bags for their shop or business then use this detailed guide and you will have the necessary details ready to explain to your supplier. The only thing you need to consider on top of this is how many you want, how much you wish to spend and when you need your bags for. When designing your own bag you should not rush the process, take time and perfect your own beautiful bags. MK bag on sale