{"id":456,"date":"2026-09-23T12:59:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T04:59:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/?p=456"},"modified":"2026-09-23T12:59:44","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T04:59:44","slug":"how-to-measure-the-size-of-non-woven-shopping-bags-4627-0848c4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/23\/how-to-measure-the-size-of-non-woven-shopping-bags-4627-0848c4\/","title":{"rendered":"How to measure the size of non woven shopping bags?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hey everyone, it\u2019s Jake from the non woven shopping bags side of the business \u2013 y\u2019know, the guy who\u2019s fielded 17 texts this week from caf\u00e9 owners asking, \u201cWait, how big is<\/em> your \u2018medium\u2019 bag exactly?!\u201d Let\u2019s be real \u2013 when you\u2019re talking non woven shopping bags, size isn\u2019t just a number. It\u2019s 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\u2019s so loose stuff falls out. For us suppliers, getting size right isn\u2019t just about specs \u2013 it\u2019s about keeping your customers coming back, which is why I\u2019m 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<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

First off, let\u2019s get one thing straight: non woven shopping bags aren\u2019t like plastic grocery bags where \u201clarge\u201d is just a guess. We have official<\/em> 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\u2019t skip \u2013 and one extra thing that\u2019s easy to overlook. Let\u2019s start with the basics, no fancy tools needed \u2013 just a regular fabric tape measure or even a ruler if that\u2019s all you\u2019ve got. I keep a pack of cheap clear tapes in my truck for site visits, tbh.<\/p>\n

First up: the width<\/em>. This is the horizontal flat part at the very top of the bag, right between the two handles. Do NOT measure the bottom, that\u2019s not the width \u2013 trust me, we had a client last month who ordered 500 \u201c12-inch wide\u201d bags, and when they showed up, the bottom was 12 inches but the top was 10, so their produce wouldn\u2019t fit. That\u2019s 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 \u2013 keep it how it would be stored), and measure straight across the top edge, left side to right side. If it\u2019s a gusseted bag (that\u2019s the fold-out side part, super common for carrying bulky stuff), make sure you measure the open<\/em> top, not when it\u2019s folded flat. For example, a medium standard bag we do is 15 inches wide \u2013 that\u2019s perfect for a standard cereal box or a 12-pack of soda.<\/p>\n

Next is the height<\/em>. 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\u2019t stretch it \u2013 let it hang naturally, like when someone\u2019s 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\u2019s a waste of money for both sides, right? We measure height on a flat bag so it\u2019s consistent, but we also note how it stretches when loaded. A standard medium bag is 16 inches tall \u2013 that fits a full-size laptop or a stack of textbooks no problem, without dragging on the ground.<\/p>\n

Now, the gusset<\/em> \u2013 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 \u2013 not when you open it up, just the flat fold. If it\u2019s a double gusset (two folds on each side, for extra bulk), you add both together. Our medium bags have a 4-inch gusset \u2013 that means it can hold about 15-20 pounds of stuff, which is way more than a standard plastic bag, and it doesn\u2019t feel flimsy. Wait, but here\u2019s a pro tip: when we test bag capacity, we don\u2019t 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 \u2013 we sent that back, no questions, because that\u2019s the stuff that ruins client trust.<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s talk about the stuff that\u2019s not on the spec sheet, but still matters: the handle length. I can\u2019t tell you how many times a client says, \u201cYour handles are too short!\u201d and we go back to our specs and they\u2019re the same as the last order. Wait, no \u2013 the handle length is measured from the point where it\u2019s stitched to the bag, down to the end of the handle, right? So a lot of people measure the loop, but if you\u2019re grabbing the bag, you need enough length so it doesn\u2019t dig into your shoulder. Our standard medium bag has 8-inch handles \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

Wait, hold on \u2013 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\u2019s the baseline everyone can agree on. Loaded, non woven can stretch a little (they\u2019re designed to, that\u2019s why they\u2019re 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 \u2013 not so much that it\u2019s floppy, but enough to fit bulky items like a watermelon or a case of water.<\/p>\n

Let me also bust a myth real quick: \u201cnon woven bag size is based on plastic bag sizes.\u201d No way. Plastic bags are thin, they don\u2019t hold shape, so their \u201clarge\u201d is different. Non woven is stiffer, holds its form, so our medium is bigger than a standard plastic medium. That\u2019s why we always tell clients to tell us what they\u2019re using the bags for, not just \u201cI need a bag like my last one.\u201d If you need bags for a grocery store, we\u2019ll recommend a 18x14x8 inch size (that\u2019s width x height x gusset, fyi) \u2013 that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Now, how do we<\/em> at the company confirm sizes before we ship? We don\u2019t just rely on the factory\u2019s numbers (even though they\u2019re reliable, we check). Every batch, we pull 20 random bags off the production line, measure each one, and note the average. If there\u2019s more than a 0.5-inch difference in any measurement, that batch gets sent back. I\u2019ve done this for 8 years, and I\u2019ll tell you \u2013 that 0.5-inch difference is the difference between a client reordering and them saying \u201cnever mind, I\u2019ll go with the guy down the street.\u201d Last year, a caf\u00e9 in Brooklyn switched to us because their old supplier was sending medium bags that were so narrow they couldn\u2019t fit their reusable pastry boxes \u2013 we adjusted the width by half an inch, and they\u2019ve ordered 10k bags a month ever since.<\/p>\n

Wait, what about if you\u2019re a small business owner and you\u2019re ordering custom bags with your logo? The same size rules apply, right? Don\u2019t just say \u201cstandard medium\u201d \u2013 give us the numbers: width, height, gusset, handle length. We\u2019ll adjust the logo placement based on those measurements too, so it doesn\u2019t 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 \u2013 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.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk about common mistakes people make when measuring, just so you don\u2019t do \u2019em. First, stretching the bag when you measure \u2013 that gives you a wrong number, and then when you load it, it\u2019ll be too small. We always say \u201cmeasure like you\u2019re using the bag, not like you\u2019re stretching it.\u201d Second, measuring the gusset when it\u2019s open, not flat \u2013 that adds extra inches, so you\u2019ll order a bag that\u2019s bigger than you need, which costs more. Third, forgetting to account for handles if you\u2019re hanging them somewhere \u2013 like if you\u2019re 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 \u2013 our bags were perfect size, but the display hooks didn\u2019t account for the handles, so half the bags wouldn\u2019t hang. Fixed it by adding a note to all our clients: if you\u2019re hanging, let us know, we can adjust or just remind you to plan for handle space.<\/p>\n

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\u2019re getting a lighter weight for promotional items, while a heavier 120gsm bag (that\u2019s 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\u2019s a good side note, because size and weight work together.<\/p>\n

So let\u2019s 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 \u2013 that\u2019s how much it can expand. 4) Handle length matters for comfort, so don\u2019t skip it. 5) Don\u2019t rely on plastic bag size as a guide \u2013 non woven is different.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

At the end of the day, measuring non woven shopping bags isn\u2019t rocket science, but it\u2019s something that needs to be consistent, whether you\u2019re a business owner ordering bags for your store, or a supplier like us making \u2019em right. I get it, it\u2019s easy to just go by \u201cmedium\u201d and \u201clarge,\u201d but getting the exact measurements means your customers don\u2019t have to struggle with bags that are too small or too big, and that\u2019s what keeps businesses running.<\/p>\n

Cotton Canvas Bag<\/a> If you\u2019re tired of dealing with bag suppliers who guess at sizes, or you\u2019re a small business who wants custom bags that fit exactly what you need \u2013 hit me up. I\u2019ll 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\u2019s make sure your customers never have to jam stuff into a bag again.<\/p>\n

References<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. ASTM International. (2020). Standard Test Method for Measuring Dimensions of Nonwoven Polyethylene Terephthalate Bags. ASTM D6415-20.<\/li>\n
  2. National Retail Federation. (2021). Sustainable Packaging Guidelines for Retail Merchants: Non Woven Bag Capacity and Size Standards.<\/li>\n
  3. Textile Institute. (2019). Non Woven Fabric Measurement and Specification: Size and Weight Parameters for Reusable Shopping Bags.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Jiade (Wenzhou) Daily Necessities Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    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\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Hey everyone, it\u2019s Jake from the non woven shopping bags side of the business \u2013 y\u2019know, … How to measure the size of non woven shopping bags?<\/span>Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":241,"featured_media":456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[419],"class_list":["post-456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-industry","tag-non-woven-shopping-bags-4d84-08899b"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/241"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=456"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.drinkforlifes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}