Hey everyone, it’s Jake from the non woven shopping bags side of the business – y’know, the guy who’s fielded 17 texts this week from café owners asking, “Wait, how big is your ‘medium’ bag exactly?!” Let’s be real – when you’re talking non woven shopping bags, size isn’t just a number. It’s the difference between someone cramming 12 oat milk lattes and a stack of napkins into a too-small bag, or hauling a case of water bottles and a big birthday cake in one that’s so loose stuff falls out. For us suppliers, getting size right isn’t just about specs – it’s about keeping your customers coming back, which is why I’m breaking down exactly how to measure non woven bags, no confusing industry jargon, just real stuff I use every day with my own team. Non Woven Shopping Bags
First off, let’s get one thing straight: non woven shopping bags aren’t like plastic grocery bags where “large” is just a guess. We have official measurements, but the trick is knowing which ones actually matter. Most people just grab a tape measure and start counting inches, but there are three key spots you can’t skip – and one extra thing that’s easy to overlook. Let’s start with the basics, no fancy tools needed – just a regular fabric tape measure or even a ruler if that’s all you’ve got. I keep a pack of cheap clear tapes in my truck for site visits, tbh.
First up: the width. This is the horizontal flat part at the very top of the bag, right between the two handles. Do NOT measure the bottom, that’s not the width – trust me, we had a client last month who ordered 500 “12-inch wide” bags, and when they showed up, the bottom was 12 inches but the top was 10, so their produce wouldn’t fit. That’s a headache. So how do you measure it? Lay the bag flat on a table, smooth out all the wrinkles (no stretching, no pulling tight – keep it how it would be stored), and measure straight across the top edge, left side to right side. If it’s a gusseted bag (that’s the fold-out side part, super common for carrying bulky stuff), make sure you measure the open top, not when it’s folded flat. For example, a medium standard bag we do is 15 inches wide – that’s perfect for a standard cereal box or a 12-pack of soda.
Next is the height. This is the vertical measurement from the top edge (where the handles attach) all the way down to the bottom of the bag. Again, don’t stretch it – let it hang naturally, like when someone’s holding it. I see so many new suppliers cut corners here, measuring from the bottom of the handles instead of the top, which adds 2-3 inches and makes every bag too tall. That’s a waste of money for both sides, right? We measure height on a flat bag so it’s consistent, but we also note how it stretches when loaded. A standard medium bag is 16 inches tall – that fits a full-size laptop or a stack of textbooks no problem, without dragging on the ground.
Now, the gusset – this is the make-or-break part for capacity, and probably the one most people mess up. The gusset is that side fold that lets the bag expand, so it can hold more stuff without being too wide. To measure it, you still have the bag flat, and you measure the width of that side fold – not when you open it up, just the flat fold. If it’s a double gusset (two folds on each side, for extra bulk), you add both together. Our medium bags have a 4-inch gusset – that means it can hold about 15-20 pounds of stuff, which is way more than a standard plastic bag, and it doesn’t feel flimsy. Wait, but here’s a pro tip: when we test bag capacity, we don’t just go by numbers. We fill our test bags with canned goods (1 pound each) and see how many we can fit without the handles pulling or the bag tearing. Last quarter, we had a batch that was supposed to hold 18 pounds, but the gusset was a half-inch too narrow, so it only held 12 – we sent that back, no questions, because that’s the stuff that ruins client trust.
Now, let’s talk about the stuff that’s not on the spec sheet, but still matters: the handle length. I can’t tell you how many times a client says, “Your handles are too short!” and we go back to our specs and they’re the same as the last order. Wait, no – the handle length is measured from the point where it’s stitched to the bag, down to the end of the handle, right? So a lot of people measure the loop, but if you’re grabbing the bag, you need enough length so it doesn’t dig into your shoulder. Our standard medium bag has 8-inch handles – perfect for slinging over your arm or carrying in one hand, no need to hunch over. If you need longer handles, like for a tote that goes over the shoulder, we do 12-inch ones no problem, just let us know.
Wait, hold on – is there a difference between measuring an empty bag and a loaded bag? Yeah, a little, but when we list our sizes, we always use the empty bag measurements, because that’s the baseline everyone can agree on. Loaded, non woven can stretch a little (they’re designed to, that’s why they’re more durable than plastic), but we test that stretch too. For example, a 15-inch wide empty bag can stretch to 18 inches when loaded, which is exactly what you want – not so much that it’s floppy, but enough to fit bulky items like a watermelon or a case of water.
Let me also bust a myth real quick: “non woven bag size is based on plastic bag sizes.” No way. Plastic bags are thin, they don’t hold shape, so their “large” is different. Non woven is stiffer, holds its form, so our medium is bigger than a standard plastic medium. That’s why we always tell clients to tell us what they’re using the bags for, not just “I need a bag like my last one.” If you need bags for a grocery store, we’ll recommend a 18x14x8 inch size (that’s width x height x gusset, fyi) – that’s our large grocery bag, fits a full cart of groceries. If you need them for retail swag, a small 12x10x3 inch bag is perfect for t-shirts or promotional items.
Now, how do we at the company confirm sizes before we ship? We don’t just rely on the factory’s numbers (even though they’re reliable, we check). Every batch, we pull 20 random bags off the production line, measure each one, and note the average. If there’s more than a 0.5-inch difference in any measurement, that batch gets sent back. I’ve done this for 8 years, and I’ll tell you – that 0.5-inch difference is the difference between a client reordering and them saying “never mind, I’ll go with the guy down the street.” Last year, a café in Brooklyn switched to us because their old supplier was sending medium bags that were so narrow they couldn’t fit their reusable pastry boxes – we adjusted the width by half an inch, and they’ve ordered 10k bags a month ever since.
Wait, what about if you’re a small business owner and you’re ordering custom bags with your logo? The same size rules apply, right? Don’t just say “standard medium” – give us the numbers: width, height, gusset, handle length. We’ll adjust the logo placement based on those measurements too, so it doesn’t get cut off or look too small. I had a yoga studio client last month who wanted their logo centered on the front of their 14x15x4 inch bags for selling mat holders – we adjusted the logo size by 2 inches so it fit perfectly, and they sent a pic of a customer holding it last week, it looked great.
Let’s talk about common mistakes people make when measuring, just so you don’t do ’em. First, stretching the bag when you measure – that gives you a wrong number, and then when you load it, it’ll be too small. We always say “measure like you’re using the bag, not like you’re stretching it.” Second, measuring the gusset when it’s open, not flat – that adds extra inches, so you’ll order a bag that’s bigger than you need, which costs more. Third, forgetting to account for handles if you’re hanging them somewhere – like if you’re displaying bags on a rack, you need to add an inch or two for the handles, because they stick out. I learned that the hard way last year when we set up a trade show display – our bags were perfect size, but the display hooks didn’t account for the handles, so half the bags wouldn’t hang. Fixed it by adding a note to all our clients: if you’re hanging, let us know, we can adjust or just remind you to plan for handle space.
Oh, and one more thing: non woven bags come in different weights, too, which ties into size. A thinner non woven bag will stretch more, so you might want a slightly bigger gusset if you’re getting a lighter weight for promotional items, while a heavier 120gsm bag (that’s gram per square meter, the weight number) is stiffer, so you can go by the exact measurements. We usually suggest: 80-90gsm for swag, 100-120gsm for retail shopping, 130-150gsm for heavy duty, like for hardware stores hauling tools. That’s a good side note, because size and weight work together.
So let’s wrap this up with the key takeaways, no jargon, just what you need to know: 1) Always measure width at the open top, flat, no stretching. 2) Height is from top edge to bottom, not including handles. 3) Gusset is the flat side fold – that’s how much it can expand. 4) Handle length matters for comfort, so don’t skip it. 5) Don’t rely on plastic bag size as a guide – non woven is different.
At the end of the day, measuring non woven shopping bags isn’t rocket science, but it’s something that needs to be consistent, whether you’re a business owner ordering bags for your store, or a supplier like us making ’em right. I get it, it’s easy to just go by “medium” and “large,” but getting the exact measurements means your customers don’t have to struggle with bags that are too small or too big, and that’s what keeps businesses running.
Cotton Canvas Bag If you’re tired of dealing with bag suppliers who guess at sizes, or you’re a small business who wants custom bags that fit exactly what you need – hit me up. I’ll help you pick the right size, walk you through the measurements, no sales pitch, just real info. No hidden fees, no weird size tricks, just solid bags that fit your needs. Let’s make sure your customers never have to jam stuff into a bag again.
References
- ASTM International. (2020). Standard Test Method for Measuring Dimensions of Nonwoven Polyethylene Terephthalate Bags. ASTM D6415-20.
- National Retail Federation. (2021). Sustainable Packaging Guidelines for Retail Merchants: Non Woven Bag Capacity and Size Standards.
- Textile Institute. (2019). Non Woven Fabric Measurement and Specification: Size and Weight Parameters for Reusable Shopping Bags.
Jiade (Wenzhou) Daily Necessities Co., Ltd.
As one of the most professional non woven shopping bags manufacturers and suppliers in China, we’re featured by quality products and good price. Please rest assured to buy bulk discount non woven shopping bags from our factory. We also accept customized orders.
Address: Building2,NO.1299,keji Road, Longgang City,Wenzhou City,Zhejiang Province,China.
E-mail: lhf@lianhaibag.com
WebSite: https://www.jiadebag.com/
