How to Choose the Right Poly Bag for Your Product

With dozens of bag styles, materials, and gauges available, selecting the right poly bag can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks down the key decisions so you can match the bag to your application.

Step 1: Determine Your Bag Style

The shape of your product drives the bag style:

• Lay flat bags — Best for flat or thin items. Simple open-top design. Most economical option.
• Gusseted bags — Side or bottom gussets expand to accommodate bulky or irregularly shaped items. Popular for food, clothing, and retail.
• Wicket bags — Pre-loaded on metal wickets for high-speed automated filling. Used in bakeries, produce packing, and manufacturing lines.
• Resealable bags — Peel-and-seal tape closure for items that need to be opened and reclosed. E-commerce, parts kits, samples.

Step 2: Choose Your Material

Material selection depends on what the bag needs to do:

• LDPE — Standard choice. Flexible, clear, good moisture barrier. Works for most general packaging.
• LLDPE — Stronger puncture and tear resistance. Choose for heavy items or sharp contents.
• HDPE — Stiffer, crinkly feel. Higher temperature resistance. Good for hot-fill applications.
• Anti-static — Dissipates static charge. Required for electronics and sensitive components.
• VCI — Vapor corrosion inhibitor film. Prevents rust on metal parts during storage and shipping.
• FDA-grade — Certified for direct food contact. Required for food packaging applications.

Step 3: Select Your Gauge

Gauge (thickness) is measured in mils (thousandths of an inch). Common ranges:

• 1.0 mil — Light duty. Bread bags, parts bags, garment covers.
• 1.5 mil — Medium duty. General retail, shipping protection.
• 2.0 mil — Standard. Most common for industrial and retail use.
• 4.0 mil — Heavy duty. Construction, industrial parts, heavy products.
• 6.0+ mil — Extra heavy. Equipment covers, construction barriers.

When in doubt, go one gauge heavier than you think you need. A bag failure during shipping costs far more than the fraction of a cent per bag for thicker material.

Need help selecting the right bag? Send us your specs and we will recommend the best option.