Packaging · 3 min read
How to choose the right paper bag for your business
Twisted, flat, rope or no handle: how to choose a printed paper bag for takeaway, bakeries, sweet shops, retail stores and corporate events across India.
Jais Brandworks · Lower Parel, Mumbai ·
A carry bag is free advertising. Your customer carries it out of your shop, down the street, onto the train and into their home. For a lot of businesses it’s the most-seen piece of branding they own. Choosing one comes down to four questions: what goes in it, how heavy it is, how it should feel and where your logo goes.
The main types
Paper bags with twisted handles
Twisted handle bags have a twisted paper cord glued inside the top. They’re comfortable to carry, strong and look a step up from a basic bag. They suit sweet shops, bakeries, boutiques, restaurants and events.
Paper bags with flat handles
Flat handle bags have a flat paper strip as the handle. They’re the workhorse of takeaway and food delivery: wide base, strong and quick to pack.
Paper bags without handles (SOS bags)
SOS bags stand up on their own and open square. Bakeries use them for bread and pastries, cafés for sandwiches and restaurants as an inner bag for sides. They’re handed across the counter or go into a bigger bag.
Luxury paper bags
Luxury bags use a heavier board with lamination, a rope or ribbon handle and often a finish like foil or embossing. They’re for jewellers, fashion, premium gifting and hotels, where the bag is part of the product. A gift bag is a lighter version for events and festive gifting.
Cotton and canvas totes
Not paper, but worth mentioning. A canvas tote gets reused for years, which makes it good merch or a premium retail bag.
A quick comparison
| Bag | Best for | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Twisted handle | Sweets, bakery, boutiques, events | Sturdy, comfortable |
| Flat handle | Takeaway, delivery, grocery | Practical |
| SOS (no handle) | Bread, pastries, inner bags | Simple |
| Luxury rope handle | Jewellery, fashion, gifting | Premium |
| Canvas tote | Merch, premium retail | Reusable |
A luxury bag with a rope handle. Brand shown is a sample.
Size and strength
Measure the things that go in. For a takeaway bag, it’s the biggest box or the most common order. For a sweet shop, it’s the standard box sizes. The bag’s base should take the item flat with a little room to spare.
Paper weight, measured in GSM, decides how much a bag can carry. A heavier paper holds more and feels better, but a bag that’s heavier than it needs to be isn’t helping anyone. Tell us what goes in, and we suggest the paper.
Most businesses settle on two or three sizes. More than that and the counter staff end up using the wrong one.
Kraft or white
Brown kraft looks natural and suits food and handmade brands. White looks clean and makes colours brighter. Our kraft vs white guide explains how colours print on each.
Where the logo goes
- Both sides. You don’t control which side faces out.
- High enough to be seen above the counter and when the bag is carried.
- Simple. One logo, a line or a pattern. A busy bag looks cheap.
- Gussets (the folded sides) are a good place for a website, Instagram handle or a short line.
For luxury bags, a foil logo or embossing on a single-colour bag often looks better than a full-colour print.
Getting it right
Send us your logo, tell us what goes in the bag and roughly how many you use in a month. We suggest the type and paper, set up the artwork for free and send a mockup. You can ask for a plain sample to check the size against your boxes first. Or see your logo on a bag right now in the Try-On.
