Different Types of Paper Bags and Their Uses

Paper bags are not a single product. They’re a category with dozens of variants engineered for specific load types, moisture conditions, retail environments, and closure requirements. Using the wrong type costs money — either through product damage, poor customer experience, or unnecessary material spend.

Here’s what actually separates one paper bag from another, and where each type belongs.

1. Flat Paper Bags

The simplest form: a sealed bottom, open top, no gusset, no handles. Two sheets of paper bonded at the sides and base.

Where they’re used: Bakeries, delis, sandwich counters, small retail items. Anywhere the product is light, dry, and handed directly to a customer who doesn’t need to carry it far.

Why they work here: Fast to open, minimal material cost, easy to print on. They’re not meant for carrying — they’re meant for wrapping and handing over a counter.

Where they fail: Anything over 500g, anything with grease or moisture, anything that needs to be carried more than a few steps. The lack of side expansion means bulky items distort the bag and stress the seams.

2. Flat Bottom Paper Bags (Square Bottom Bags)

Also called “grocery bags” or “SOS bags” (Self-Opening Satchel). The distinctive feature is a flat, pleated base that expands when the bag is opened, creating a stable rectangular form that stands upright on its own.

Where they’re used: Grocery stores, pharmacies, takeaway food, wine shops. Any retail context where the customer needs to carry multiple items and the bag needs to stay open during packing.

Why they work here: The flat base distributes weight evenly. The bag stands on a counter without being held. Capacity is significantly higher than a flat bag of the same height.

Load capacity: Standard kraft SOS bags handle 5-10kg depending on paper weight. Double-ply versions go higher.

3. Gusseted Paper Bags

Gusseted bags have accordion-style side folds that expand when the bag is filled. Unlike flat bags, the side walls give outward when content requires it, increasing volume without adding height.

Two main sub-types:

• Side-gusseted: Folds on the left and right sides. Expands laterally. Used for bread, baked goods, clothing.
• Bottom-gusseted: Fold at the base. Expands the bottom for stability. Common in coffee bags and specialty food packaging.

Where they’re used: Artisan bread bags, coffee packaging, clothing retail, hardware stores for fasteners and small parts.

Key advantage: The gusset absorbs dimensional variation. A bag that holds a small baguette on Monday can hold a large one on Tuesday without looking stretched or misshapen.

4. Kraft Paper Bags

Kraft is a material classification, not a bag shape. Kraft paper is produced via the kraft pulping process, which retains more of the wood’s natural lignin, producing a paper with higher tensile strength and tear resistance than standard pulp paper.

Brown kraft is unbleached — the natural colour of the pulp. White kraft is bleached for appearance.

Where kraft bags are used: Heavy retail (hardware, garden centres, pet food), industrial packaging, cement and chemical products (as multi-wall kraft bags). Also the default material for most grocery and takeaway bags because the strength-to-cost ratio is better than alternatives.

What to specify: Paper weight is measured in GSM (grams per square metre). Standard retail kraft bags run 70-90 GSM. Heavy-duty bags use 120-150 GSM. Multi-wall industrial bags layer three to six plies.

5. Twisted Handle Paper Bags

A flat or gusseted bag with handles made from twisted paper cord, glued or stapled to the bag opening. The twist gives the handle enough rigidity to carry reasonable loads without cutting into fingers.

Where they’re used: Boutique retail, clothing, shoes, gifts, cosmetics. Anywhere the bag is part of the brand presentation.

Load capacity: Twisted handles carry 2-5kg comfortably. Beyond that, the handle attachment points stress the bag wall. For heavier loads, flat ribbon handles or die-cut handles are more appropriate.

Why retail brands use them: Low cost relative to the visual impact. A twisted handle bag photographs well, looks premium on a shelf, and signals that the contents are worth carrying carefully.

6. Flat Ribbon Handle Paper Bags (Loop Handle Bags)

A flat paper bag with fabric or paper ribbon handles threaded through grommeted holes at the top. The loop distributes load across a wider contact area than twisted paper, making it more comfortable for heavier items.

Where they’re used: Department stores, luxury retail, corporate gifting. The bag is as much a presentation tool as a carrier.

Why they cost more: The grommet insertion and handle threading require additional manufacturing steps. The materials (ribbon, grommets) add to unit cost. Minimum order quantities are typically higher.

Load capacity: Flat ribbon handles handle 5-8kg reliably. The limiting factor is usually the bag wall, not the handle.

7. Die-Cut Handle Paper Bags

The handle is cut directly from the bag’s top edge — no separate handle material, no attachment. The result is a solid, integrated carry point that’s as strong as the bag wall itself.

Where they’re used: Pharmacies, bookstores, fast food, mid-tier retail. Any high-volume context where durability and speed of production matter more than aesthetics.

Advantages: No separate handle component to attach or fail. Handles cannot pull away from the bag under load because they are the bag. Lower manufacturing cost than twisted or ribbon handle bags.

Trade-off: The cut-out at the top reduces printable area and the aesthetic is more utilitarian. Not the right choice for luxury positioning.

8. Multi-Wall Paper Bags

Multiple layers of kraft paper bonded together, sometimes with interior liners of polyethylene, aluminium foil, or wax paper. The walls work together to achieve strength and barrier properties that no single-ply bag can match.

Where they’re used: Cement, fertiliser, animal feed, flour, sugar, chemicals, powdered building materials. Any bulk industrial product that needs structural integrity and, in some cases, moisture or contamination barriers.

Layer configurations:

• 2-ply: Light industrial and food-grade dry goods
• 3-ply: Standard industrial (25kg loads)
• 4-6 ply: Heavy industrial, abrasive materials, high-humidity environments

Closure types: Sewn top (fastest to close on a packing line), pasted valve (self-sealing for high-speed filling), pinch bottom (flat base for stacking stability).

Multi-wall bags with PE liners can be filled and palletised in environments where a standard paper bag would absorb moisture from the air and weaken before the product ships.

Choosing the Right Type

The decision comes down to four variables:

Load weight. Flat bags cap at roughly 500g. SOS bags handle grocery-scale loads. Multi-wall bags are engineered for 25-50kg.

Product type. Dry goods, greasy food, powders, and moisture-sensitive products each have different barrier requirements. A standard kraft bag will not protect flour in a humid warehouse. A multi-wall bag with PE liner will.

Customer journey. Is the bag handed over a counter or carried two kilometres? A flat bag works for the first scenario. A die-cut or ribbon handle bag works for the second.

Brand positioning. Twisted handles and ribbon handles carry a visual premium. Die-cut and SOS bags are functional. If the bag is part of the brand, allocate budget accordingly — it’s the last thing a customer sees before they leave your store.

The difference between a bag that performs and one that fails is almost always a specification decision made early, not a manufacturing defect discovered late.