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The Best Types of Paper Bags for Retailers and Restaurants

What role should paper bags play in product packaging? The "brown paper bag" is something of a grey area for many retailers. In reality, bags can provide a perfect mix of elegance and utility when used correctly. While reusable bags have been getting attention lately, the truth is that a reusable option isn't always the best choice. The good news is that paper bags can be practical, economically wise, and eco-friendly choices. Is your brand ready to put better packaging in the bag? Here's a guide to the different types of paper bags used in product packaging and shipping.

How Do You Choose the Right Bag for Your Product?

Retailers have more bags to choose from than ever before! While this is an exciting time for packaging, the variety of bags available can be overwhelming when it's time to make a decision. Here are some tips for choosing the right paper bags for your products:

• Size: Choosing the right size is important because it creates a custom aspect of the customer experience. It's necessary to choose a bag that's appropriate for what needs to be carried by the customer. A bag that is too large can appear wasteful. A bag that's too small will be at risk of ripping and tearing.
• Materials: "Paper bag" doesn't mean the same thing in every situation. In the packaging world today, dozens of different paper-based materials exist. These paper options come with varying degrees of durability. What's more, some are easier to recycle than others.
• Ergonomics: How comfortable do you need your bags to be? This is an important question when designing a customer experience. Some details to consider include roped handles, paper handles, gussets, and seams.
• Price: Pricing for paper bags can vary wildly based on the features, textures, and capacity levels needed. A bag's materials, design, and size all have to align to create a functional, attractive bag that works for your brand's budget.

It's obvious that product-specific research needs to be done when approaching the task of picking out the right type of paper bag for your brand or retail store. Which paper bags make the grade? Keep all of the facts listed above in mind while browsing the best paper bags for retailers and brands below!

SOS Bags

Far from sounding like a cry for help, the SOS bag is every shopper's best helper. SOS stands for self-opening sack. These paper bags are identified by their square bottoms paired with side gussets. They are considered self-opening bags because they have top openings that "open up" when filled with products. SOS bags are the classic shopping bags that most people grew up with. They are often used for clothes, jewelry, accessories, gift items, and other lightweight objects. They are also common in coffee shops, bakeries, and specialty food stores. SOS bags should be considered when looking for a classic, practical bag option.

Kraft Paper Bags

Kraft paper bags are the cousins of SOS bags. Unlike SOS bags which are often finished with various colors and touches, kraft paper bags retain their raw coloring. The other major difference is that Kraft paper bags are typically "handled" bags. These bags are made from simplistic brown Kraft paper. The design features a bottom gusset that's reinforced using a second sheet of paper. Kraft paper bags offer a minimal level of ruggedness. Kraft paper bags are generally appropriate in all situations where SOS bags are appropriate. The bonus of going with this option over other options is that Kraft paper bags can often be recycled with ease.

Pinch Bags

A pinch-bottom bag offers a step up from envelope packaging. Similar to envelopes, the pinch-bottom bag features a tapered end that is balanced out by an open side that expands when the bag is filled with product. Pinch-bottom bags are the staple bags of bakeries around the world. Their grease-resistant lining makes them perfect for pastries, baked goods, and other dry food items.

Euro Totes

The Euro tote is essentially the classic gift bag that many people use when giving keepsake gifts that don't require boxes. This is a polished alternative to something like the SOS bag. Here are the characteristics that make a Euro tote distinctly different from the similarly shaped SOS bag:

• Fancy handles.
• Potential for customized branding.
• Potential for a variety of surface finishes.
• Plastic lining.
• Reusable many times over.

The Euro tote is a big hit with brands lately because this option provides great branding potential. While these bags make a classy impression, they still offer the affordability of a simple bag. This is one to watch for brands seeking to elevate their packaging in the season ahead.

Party Bags

Party bags are scaled-down versions of the Euro tote. In fact, a party bag can be viewed as a cross between a Euro bag and a Kraft paper bag. The shape of a party bag is nearly identical to the shape of a Kraft paper bag. In addition, party bags tend to have the paper-based handles of Kraft paper bags instead of the rope-like handles of Euro bags. However, party bags offer glossy, bright colors available with Euro bags. Party bags are spectacular when creating a gift experience that includes sweets, plush items, makeup, candies, or gift cards.

Vogue Bags

Vogue bags are the shopping bags people picture when thinking of shopping sprees on Madison Avenue or Rodeo Drive. These large, spacious bags have a signature "boxy" look with sharp, handsome angles. Vogue bags also have soft, pliable handles that don't dig into hands. Their rigid shape is resistant to crumbling or denting in a way that suggests they are designed to hold high-value items worthy of protection. Vogue bags should be used when trying to convey an upscale, perfectly curated experience for customers.

Rope Bags

The rope-handle bag is considered an upgraded version of the SOS bag. While the general design of the rope-handle bag is similar to the design of the SOS bag, this option has luxurious, soft rope handles attached to it for easy carrying. The rope handles make carrying slightly heavier items easier. However, these bags are not intended to carry heavy, bulky loads. Rope-handle bags are ideal for food products. Many retailers prefer them for sandwiches, chips, and deli items. They can also be ideal for clothing, scarves, and similar items. Consider this a best-of-both-worlds option that falls somewhere between SOS bags and Kraft bags when it comes to style and messaging.

Folded Bags

The folded paper bag is praised for its extra "shielding" of products. An economical option, the folded paper bag is made from a simple sheet of paper with folded paper handles. It really gets the job done for light loads requiring nothing more than economy-sized bags. The real beauty of this option is that the folded paper handles make for easy recycling!

Sealing Bags

Self-adhesive bags made from Kraft paper offer a slim profile, economic size, and recyclable potential. A self-adhesive bag typically has waterproof qualities. These bags are great for everything from loose foods to electronic items. They ensure that products will stay put as a bag gets jostled and shaken. What's more, these bags can often be reused multiple times. For retailers, the self-adhesive aspect of these bags means that you only need to pull off a strip instead of dealing with the hassle of introducing third-party sealing tools.

Glassine Paper Bags

These waxy wonders are the go-to bags for sandwiches, cookies, hot pretzels, hot nuts, pastries, desserts, baked bagels, and other goodies. In addition to being great for everything from lunch items to desserts, glassine paper bags are also perfect for oily and fried foods. These bags don't pose risks for leakage and secondhand grease the way that traditional paper bags do for customers on the go. Several different style options exist for glassine bags. One option is the glassine bag with the L-shaped slit. Another is the flat-bottom glassine bag that's perfect for nibbling on the go without getting messy hands. The beauty of the glassine bag is that it's lined with an unbleached paper layer that absorbs grease. What's more, this lining can withstand hot temperatures that would destroy ordinary paper bags. Glassine bags offer grease protection and heat retention while still being recyclable!

Window Paper Bags

Considered the ultimate bag for offering a peek at your brand's tantalizing food product, the window paper bag is a staple of bakeries and artisan food stores. The window paper bag is a traditional paper bag that features a polypropylene window across the front that makes products visible from the outside. These bags are terrific for verifying flavor and freshness! The non-polypropylene portion of a window paper bag is made from a grease-resistant brown Kraft paper that can withstand the grease and oils that are commonly leaked from baked goods. The result is a beautiful presentation that ensures consumer confidence!

Just how important is having a window on packaging for baked goods? According to a recent study on how visual cues affect food purchasing decisions, visual merchandising cues connoting freshness can sway customer perceptions about products in a way that influences purchasing decisions. The survey cited packaging as the main influencer of perceptions of freshness in food retail environments.

Get New Product Bags for Your Restaurant or Business

Don't settle for paper bags that falter! In the year ahead, design new bags for your restaurant, deli, bakery, or store with help from Mid-Atlantic Packaging. As one of the nation's premier packaging suppliers, we can work with your brand to design affordable bulk packaging options. Getting custom food bags has never been easier. Book your custom packaging quote with our team today!