Gauge is one of the most important specifications when ordering poly bags — and one of the most commonly misunderstood. Getting it right means your bags perform as expected. Getting it wrong means product damage, customer complaints, or wasted money on unnecessarily thick material.
What Is Gauge?
In the poly bag industry, gauge refers to the thickness of the film measured in mils. One mil equals one thousandth of an inch (0.001 inch). A 2-mil bag is 0.002 inches thick.
You may also see gauge expressed in microns (1 mil = 25.4 microns) or as a unitless gauge number where 100 gauge = 1 mil. Always confirm the unit of measurement when comparing quotes from different suppliers.
How Gauge Affects Performance
Thicker film provides:
- Greater puncture resistance — Important for sharp or pointed contents.
- Higher tear strength — Resists tearing once a puncture occurs.
- Better drop protection — Absorbs impact energy during shipping and handling.
- Increased stiffness — Bag holds its shape better, easier to open and fill.
- Improved moisture barrier — Thicker film slows moisture vapor transmission.
The tradeoff is cost and weight. Doubling the gauge roughly doubles the material cost per bag and the shipping weight of your bag inventory.
Recommended Gauges by Application
- 0.5–1.0 mil: Lightweight items, bread bags, dry cleaning covers, garment bags
- 1.5 mil: General retail, parts bags, document protection
- 2.0 mil: Standard industrial packaging, most common specification
- 3.0 mil: Heavier items, repeated handling, warehouse use
- 4.0 mil: Heavy-duty industrial, construction, equipment protection
- 6.0+ mil: Maximum protection — pallet covers, equipment bags, construction barriers
When ordering custom bags, we can help you select the optimal gauge that provides adequate protection without over-specifying. Request a quote with your product details and we will recommend the right thickness.
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