Custom Printed Retail, Shopping and Gift Bags

Paper shoppers: kraft, white, and Eurotote

Kraft paper shoppers are the everyday workhorse. Quality is measured in GSM, the paper weight, and in whether the bag has a cardboard bottom insert. The insert is what stops a loaded bag from sagging and tearing at the base, and its absence is the most common reason a cheap bag fails at the worst moment. Recycled stock is widely available, often with a stated minimum of post-consumer content, which is the figure to ask for if you need to document a sustainability claim.

Eurototes are the upscale tier: matte or gloss lamination, woven or ribbon handles, a reinforced fold-over top, and a rigid bottom. They cost several times what a plain shopper costs and they look it. Use them where the bag is part of the product experience, such as boutiques, jewelry, salons, hotel welcome gifts, and gift-with-purchase programs.

Plastic bags: die-cut handle, soft loop, and frosted

Die-cut handle bags have the handle punched straight out of the bag wall. They are inexpensive, stack flat, and suit high-turnover retail. Soft loop handle bags add a welded plastic loop that is more comfortable under weight. Frosted high-density bags have a translucent, almost fabric-like finish that raises the perceived value considerably for a small increase in cost, and some include a clear pocket sized for a business card or an appointment reminder.

Plastic bag regulation varies by state and city, and some jurisdictions restrict or ban single-use plastic carryout bags outright, or set minimum thickness requirements. Check the rules where the bags will actually be used before ordering a large run, because a warehouse full of bags you are not allowed to hand out is an expensive mistake. Oxo-biodegradable and recycled-content options exist and are often the compliant path.

Food service and specialty bags

Popcorn bags, peanut bags, gourmet specialty bags, and S.O.S. bags with a flat bottom are built for counter service and concessions. Grease-resistant stock matters here and is not interchangeable with standard kraft. Pharmacy bags are a distinct product with their own sizing conventions. Doorknob bags and litter bags serve route-based and automotive businesses, where the bag itself is the delivery mechanism for the message.

Flexo ink or digital full color

Flexographic printing applies one to three spot colors from a plate. Plate setup is a one-time cost, after which the per-bag price is very low. This is the correct choice for a logo in brand colors at real volume, and it is what most retail bag programs use.

Digital full color prints photographic artwork with no plate charge, which makes short runs, seasonal designs, and multi-version orders affordable. The per-bag cost is higher, so it wins on small quantities and loses on large ones.

The practical rule: if you will reorder the same design for years, pay the plate charge once and print flexo. If the design changes with the season or the campaign, go digital and keep the flexibility. On kraft stock, remember the paper is brown, so white and light inks do not print as they would on white stock and pastel colors shift noticeably.

Sizing and ordering

Bags are specified as width by height by gusset depth, and the gusset is the dimension buyers most often get wrong. Measure the largest item you actually sell, add room for tissue if you use it, and choose a bag that holds it flat rather than one it has to be forced into. Ordering two sizes, a small and a large, usually serves a retail counter better than one compromise size.

Minimum order quantities in this category are high compared with most promotional items, because the production is a press run rather than a decoration. Plan a single larger order rather than frequent small ones. Explore the full range in Bags & Totes.