Which promotional paper bags should I choose?
The paper and the handle tell you most of what you need to know, and the range falls into five types.
| Type | What the product pages list | Best for |
| Kraft carry bags (Kraft Paper Bag, Express Paper Bag) | 100 gsm kraft on the Kraft Paper Bag, 350 x 250 x 110 mm with a paper rope handle, in white or natural. Express bags come in small to extra large. | Event handouts, takeaway, everyday retail |
| Laminated full colour carry bags | Gloss laminated 157 gsm art paper, woven polypropylene rope handles, printed on all sides including the base. Small to extra large. | Retail bags, product launches, gifts |
| Wine bags | Laminated 157 gsm art paper, 3 L capacity, 120 mm wide with a 90 mm gusset. | Bottle gifts, hampers, client thank-yous |
| Recycled paper bag | 100 gsm recycled paper, white, reinforced handles, listed to carry up to 6 kg. Medium is 22 x 23 x 9 cm and large is 25 x 31 x 11 cm. | Light retail, brochure and sample packs |
| Tyvek Paper Shopper | 165 gsm Tyvek with webbing handles, a top zip, canvas lining and three inside pockets. 340 x 410 x 70 mm, black. | A bag people keep and reuse |
For most expo and event handouts we'd pick a kraft carry bag, because brown or white paper suits a one-colour logo and the gusset holds a brochure pack, a bottle and a notebook. When the bag is part of the product itself, such as a boutique's retail bag or a launch gift, the laminated full colour bags are worth the step up, since the logo or artwork wraps every side and the gloss finish looks designed rather than stamped.
If you want the bag reused for months, paper is the wrong material. A printed tote bag or a calico bag will outlast it, and the Tyvek shopper sits in between.
How do you print a logo on a paper bag?
There are three routes, and the artwork team confirms the method on your proof.
- Spot colour printing suits a simple logo in one or two brand colours, and it keeps setup down because each colour is its own cost.
- Full colour printing handles photos and gradients. On the laminated carry bags it runs edge to edge on every side including the base.
- On the Tyvek shopper the listed options are screen printing or a digital transfer, each with a 200 x 200 mm print area.
For a kraft bag we'd start with a single-colour logo on the front and back, because it needs one colour setup and the bag is seen from both sides. Colours also print differently on natural brown kraft than on white paper, so choose a white bag if a brand colour has to be close.
Ordering paper bags
There's no minimum order, so a cafe can ask for fifty bags and a retailer for several thousand, but the price per bag falls as the quantity rises and several bags show a quantity ladder on their product page. Send your logo (vector is best) or ask the team to work from what you have, and you'll get a free digital proof showing the bag, colours, logo size and position. Nothing is made until you approve it. Some bags are decorated from stock and others are made to order, and larger made-to-order runs can go by sea to save on freight, so the quote confirms the date.
Who buys promotional paper bags, and what do they get from them?
At a trade show, a bag handed over at registration gets carried around the hall all day, so the logo moves past every other visitor and holds the rest of your giveaways. For a shop, café or boutique, every customer leaves with the bag, which means your name goes along the street and onto the train for as long as it's carried.
Gifting is the third big use. A laminated wine bag finishes off a bottle for a client, and our wine carriers are worth a look if you want something that is reused. Christmas production slots fill from September, so book early. For new starters, a paper bag is a neat way to hand over a welcome pack, and our kitting service packs the tee, bottle and notebook for you.
If the bag is a gift in its own right, look at gift bags, and for delegate bags at a summit, see conference bags.
To get a quote on printed paper bags, use the instant enquiry form at the top of this page, or call 1300 247 766 and we'll talk through sizes, paper and print with you.