Because of its many qualities, kraft paper packaging has spread very quickly. In restaurants, stores, supermarkets, and events, the kraft bag adapts to all types of businesses. Available in several models, it can be customized and take the aspect that you want. In addition, the material used to manufacture the kraft paper bag offers properties that make it resistant and environmentally friendly. So what are the criteria for choosing your custom kraft paper bag? In this packaging guide, we tell you how to customize a kraft paper bag for your business, covering the selection of paper type, weight, color, structure, handle, logo printing, and more.

Custom Kraft Bag Guide: How To Customize the Right Kraft Paper Bags for Your Business?

Kraft paper is trendy, it is more and more popular with consumers. Made of cellulose, it is biodegradable and recyclable. A kraft paper bag will give you an image of an economic actor respectful of the environment: the eco-responsible label is valuable and influences the act of purchase.

A kraft bag is resistant and extensible, it will be suitable for the transport and protection of various articles. Simply adjust its capacity to the volume of the product to be packaged (as is the case for wine bottle bags, jewelry gift boxes, and kraft shopping bags). Side and/or bottom gussets will suffice. In addition, they are sure to enhance its design if done by paper bag professionals. Other accessories added to your kraft paper bags improve their strength: a cardboard bottom to better support the weight, shoulder handles for easier carrying, and reinforced cardboard edges for added strength. So all these details you should take into consideration when you are ordering custom kraft paper for your products and brand.

1 – Different Kraft Paper Types

The kraft bag is made with paper pulp from softwood, pine, or fir. In addition to the manufacture of the bag, kraft paper is used to make envelopes, for painting, or to line cement bags. We also find it in the industrial sector where it is used to make packaging for the packaging, transportation, and storage of various products. Depending on its use, the type of kraft paper can vary. Thus, we can distinguish :

• Smooth Kraft paper: this is the type of paper most used for personalization or in stores. It can be white or brown
• Laid Kraft paper: generally used to pack your products, the laid Kraft paper presents properties that give it more resistance. It is also used in the food industry
• Coated Kraft paper: it is a manufacturing process that offers a better smoothness of the surface and a higher quality of printing. It ensures optimal restitution of the colors
• Cream Kraft paper: this type of kraft paper has been colored by pigmentation. It is therefore purely aesthetic
• Fluted Kraft paper: it is a paper that has been treated in order to present regular undulations. It can be found in the food industry

2 – Different Structure of Kraft Bags

The design of a kraft bag is an important element for its functionality and attractiveness. The models of kraft bags compete in elegance and uniqueness. You can choose a model in stock at your supplier and add accessories to customize it to your liking, or create shapes and sizes more in harmony with your products and your communication strategy. According to your needs, you will have :

Flat Kraft Bag

The flat Kraft paper bag is a bag with a low thickness. It is intended to receive flat items such as magazines, postcards, books, etc.. Depending on the size and shape of the content to be put in it, the bag can be adapted as it comes in several sizes. Some flat Kraft bags have a thin transparent film that allows the contents to stand out.

Gusseted Kraft Bag

This type of Kraft bag is equipped with side gussets to increase its capacity. Thus, we can put objects of larger volumes.

Dehorned Kraft Bag

Dehorning is a process that gives the Kraft bag a larger capacity and a more solid base. This allows the bag to stand up well when placed on a flat surface. This type of bag can come in one sheet or two sheets.

Kraft Garbage Bag

Specially designed to hold waste, this eco-bag has features that make it strong and breathable. This allows it to contain waste and odors effectively. The kraft garbage bag has side folds and a flat bottom to stand upright.

Kraft bag with Handles

Flat, twisted, corded, or cut, the handles of the Kraft bag can be of different types. The bag with a handle is much more used for shopping because it offers more practicality. Generally equipped with side gussets, the volume of this bag can be increased to accommodate larger objects.

Custom Kraft Bag

The customization of the Kraft bag is often done for an event, advertising, communication, etc. You can print a logo, a message, or any other visual of your choice. The possible colors are multiple: white, brown, pastel, dark, etc. It is the same for the finishes. You have the choice between a matte or glossy lamination, a varnish with a mirror effect or not, gilding, etc. The possibilities are numerous.

3 – Colors of Kraft Bags

The kraft bag can be found in all colors. A wide range of colors can make it pleasant to the eye, especially when used as gift wrap. However, its natural color, brown, is the most ecological. The image commonly conveyed about paper is that of brown paper. This is indeed one of the finishing possibilities. But it is far from being the only one. Kraft paper allows for all kinds of fantasy in terms of color. Recycled brown paper bags are the first and most ecological possibility. The water requirements are lower for the manufacture of recycled paper. Some models offer variations and manufacturing processes allow for the inclusion of transparent windows to make the contents visible. This option is particularly suitable for gift boxes.

It is also possible to opt for :

• White paper
• Plain colored paper
• Fancy paper

All colors, snowflake prints for the holiday season, polka dots: the innovations are varied in terms of the appearance of the paper bag. The important thing is to make the right choice for the products you sell. Some products go very well with the sobriety of brown kraft. Other products will be more enhanced by fancy packaging. This is the case for ready-to-wear or jewelry, for example. The most elegant paper bags offer a matte or glossy lamination for an impeccable finish.

4 – Types of Kraft Bag Handles

As mentioned above, there are several types of handles. We have the flat handle made of Kraft paper. Bags with this type of handle are ideal for small budgets and have an ecological aspect. They can be made of recycled paper and are often used for shopping. They also offer the possibility to be used for market garden products.

• without handles: Kraft paper bags without handles are often used for quick purchases in pharmacies, grocery stores, restaurants, bakeries, confectioneries, fast foods, etc.;
• with flat or twisted handles: Kraft paper bags with twisted handles give a classier scale to the package. They are used in jewelry stores, ready-to-wear, decoration stores and some bakeries or take-out businesses. The flat handles are suitable for large packaging bags, in order to ensure the comfort of customers when purchasing bulky products;
• with cord handles: You also can distinguish the kraft paper bag with cord handle. The latter can be cotton, satin or ribbon. Made of coated Kraft paper, this type of bag is synonymous with a luxury bag. Mostly, it is used as cosmetic bag, ready-to-wear bag, jeweler bag, etc.

5 – Weight of Kraft Bags

The weight of the paper is a characteristic that defines the use of the personalized packaging. It has an influence on the quality of the bag, but also on its price. Expressed in grams per square meter (g/m²), the higher the grammage, the better the packaging. Thus, a 40 g/m² packaging will be used for light items such as pastries, bread sticks, etc. The manufactured packaging is usually brown or white.

Between 80g/m² and 130g/m², the packaging is more resistant and can be used for classic kraft bags. Here the packaging is more resistant and we can obtain bags with twisted or flat handles. A paper weight from 160/m² allows to obtain more qualitative krafts bags or luxury paper bags. The presentation is excellent and the handles found here are of the corded or cut type. Depending on the format, the paper weight can go up to 230 g/m² or even more.

6 – Size of Kraft Bags

First of all, you have to evaluate your needs, the size and the bulk of the products to be packed in the bags. The variety of sizes and formats is great. You will necessarily find something to satisfy your customers.

Small or thin containers will fit perfectly in basic flat bags. On the other hand, catering boxes require bags that unfold. Gusseted bags are the best idea. Bottle bags come in a variety of sizes to fit all bottle sizes.

The important thing is to stock up on bag models according to your supply and to anticipate the types of sales that are possible. A bag that is not consistent with the purchase made is unpleasant for the customer. Squeezing objects or clothes into a bag that is too small does not enhance your products! From the standard sizes, build up a sufficiently varied sample to meet all your customers’ demands.

7 – Printings of Kraft Bags

Your kraft bag (natural color or colored) can be printed in whole or in part. Kraft paper supports different types of printing:

-OFF-SET PRINTING: the rendering is of very high quality. The Quadri allows to answer the most advanced graphic creations and agrees with any type of lamination: plastic, varnish brilliant, or mat.

-The GAUFRAGE : it is better adapted to a partial printing of the surface : your logo. It will be highlighted and perfectly visible.

HOT STAMPING : the metallic film of the gilding will accentuate the luxurious side and will increase the visibility of your logo if you apply it strictly on this zone.

You can adopt your own mix of these different processes for the graphic design of your paper bag.

There are many other considerations that come into play when customizing your kraft bag. However, always keep the visibility of your logo a priority: your kraft bags are also advertising media.

8 – Logo Printing on Your Kraft Bag

A logo is a graphic creation that serves above all to visually identify your company or your brands. Its mission is also to seduce prospects, attract them and convey your values; all expressed with an artistic touch. A logo must be unique, distinguished, distinguishable, easy to read and remember. It must also be attractive and appealing. It is the central element of your visual communication and the symbol of your notoriety. The kraft paper support is perfect to carry it, the kraft bag design is ideal to distribute it.

A kraft bag is intended to carry and secure a product. Whether it is carried by hand or on the shoulder, it is always visible. If it is elegant and original, it will be shown with will and it will attract more eyes. Whatever the type and size of your kraft paper bag, there is always enough printed area for your logo to be seen first.

The printing method and the location of the logo are important criteria to discuss in order to properly label your kraft bag. The size of the logo and its position on the paper bag depends on the size and model of the bag. A logo can be printed on one or both sides, on one or both sides, on the side surfaces, off-set, embossed or hot printed. The choice of design and personalization is very wide.

Always make sure that your logo is visible and not drowned out by other content in your graphic content. A good professional will do this first. An embossing and/or gilding reserved for your logo will highlight it; a lamination, matte or glossy, selective will have the same effect added to the protection of the printing inks.

A logoed, stylized, ecological, resistant, reusable kraft bag is an excellent gift for your customer, your environment, your logo, your brand image and your communication.