A kraft paper bag is a paper carrier bag made from kraft paper, a strong paper produced from wood pulp with long fibres. Natural kraft is brown and slightly textured. White kraft is bleached and gives a cleaner surface for print. Retail shops, cafes, bakeries, gift brands and event organisers use custom kraft bags because they carry a logo well and have a natural look.
To see our options or ask for a quote, go to the custom kraft paper bag page. If you want a coated bag with sharper full-color print, compare our custom printed paper bags.
How a kraft paper bag is built
The bag starts as a flat printed sheet. It is folded into a tube, glued along one side and folded at the bottom to form a flat base. The sides fold inward to make gussets, which let the bag open out and stand up. Handles are attached at the top, and the top edge is usually folded over to strengthen the area where the handles are fixed.
The base and the handle area carry the load, so those are the parts to check most carefully on a sample.
How to measure a kraft bag
Bag sizes are given as width × gusset × height. Width is the front face, gusset is the side depth, and height runs from the base to the top edge, without the handles.
Start from what goes into the bag. A clothing bag needs width and height more than depth. A takeaway bag for food containers needs a wide gusset so boxes sit flat on the base. A gift bag for a boxed product should be a little larger than the box on every side so it slides in without tearing the gussets. If you already use a bag size you like, measure it flat and tell us the three figures.
Paper weight and strength
Kraft paper comes in different weights, measured in grams per square metre (gsm). Heavier paper makes a stiffer bag that carries more weight and keeps its shape on a shop counter. Lighter paper costs less and folds more easily, which suits small, light items.
The right weight depends on what the bag carries and how it will be used. Tell us the heaviest load the bag needs to take and we will recommend a paper weight for the sample. Test the sample with that load before you approve it.
Handle options
Common handle types on kraft bags are twisted paper handles, flat paper handles, rope or ribbon handles, and die-cut handles punched through the top of the bag. Twisted and flat paper handles keep the whole bag in paper. Rope and ribbon handles look more like a gift bag. Die-cut handles have nothing added, so the bag stays flat and simple.
The handle choice changes the cost, the carrying strength and the look. Tell us the handle you want and the load, and we confirm the available options in the quotation.
Printing on kraft paper
Brown kraft changes how ink looks. The paper shows through the ink, so colors print darker and less bright than on white paper, and light colors can almost disappear. One or two solid colors, such as black, white or a dark brand color, usually look best on brown kraft. A logo in one dark color on natural kraft is easy to read and suits the paper.
For bright colors, photographs or exact brand color matching, use white kraft or a coated paper bag. We print by offset printing and can add finishes such as hot foil stamping where the paper allows. See packaging printing and finishing for details, and send your artwork so we can review it before sampling.
Kraft bag or printed paper bag?
Choose kraft when you want a natural look, when the design is simple, or when the bag is used for takeaway and everyday shopping. Choose a coated printed paper bag when presentation matters most, when the artwork has many colors, or when you want lamination, foil or embossing over the whole surface. Many brands use kraft bags in store and coated bags for gifts and events.
Matching bags with boxes
If your product also ships in a custom box, the bag and the box can be developed together so the colors and logo placement match. A kraft bag pairs naturally with a kraft mailer box or kraft folding carton. Send both requirements in one brief so we can review them side by side on the samples.
What to check on the sample
- Load the bag with the heaviest contents it will carry and lift it by the handles a few times.
- Check that the base stays flat and the glue seams hold.
- Look at the print color on the actual paper, not on a screen.
- Open and fold the bag a few times to see how the gussets behave.
Sampling takes 7 days after the specification is confirmed. We adjust the sample if needed, and production starts after you approve the sample and the final artwork.
Ordering and what to send
The minimum order is 500 pieces per design. Production takes 21 days after sample and artwork approval, and shipping time is quoted separately. To quote, send us:
- Bag size, or what the bag will carry
- Brown or white kraft
- Handle type and the heaviest load
- Quantity per design
- Artwork or logo file
- Delivery destination
Use the kraft bag quote form, or read the artwork and dieline checklist before you send files.