Paper bags can be made from various paper materials, each with unique characteristics in terms of appearance, strength, printability, and eco-friendliness.
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Whether you’re creating luxury paper bags, eco-friendly paper bags, or laminated gift bags, understanding the differences between materials — such as kraft paper, coated paper, specialty papers, and eco-friendly alternatives — is essential for choosing the best option for your brand.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the key reasons why selecting the right material matters, explore common material choices, and help you find the perfect match for your custom packaging needs.
Selecting the right material for your custom paper bags is not just about looks — it’s about creating an experience that reflects your brand values, bag design aesthatic, and leaves a lasting impression.
This decision impacts how your customers perceive your brand at every touchpoint.For small to medium-sized brands, event organizers, and e-commerce sellers, material choice can make or break the customer perception.
When your packaging consistently feature the same material, color, and handle style, it immediately communicates a sense of professionalism and careful attention to detail.
If different orders result in slight variations in thickness, color shade, or surface texture, customers might perceive the brand as inconsistent or less reliable — no matter how great the products inside are.
Customer Insight:
Real customer feedback illustrates this clearly
“We’d really like to keep consistency between all the bags, so the same 250gsm material, same color, and same handles.”
Creating a luxurious look doesn’t always require the most expensive materials — it requires making smart choices that maximize impact while respecting budget limitations.
For many brands, especially small to medium-sized businesses and boutique retailers, balancing premium aesthetics with financial realities is a daily challenge.
Selecting the right paper material can dramatically influence how upscale your bags appear.
For example, using a heavier-weight coated paper with a matte or matte lamination can create a luxurious tactile experience at a lower cost than specialty textured papers.
Simplifying print designs — such as opting for elegant single-color logos with foil stamping — can also elevate the look without significantly increasing production costs.
Ultimately, a well-thought-out combination of material, finishing, and printing choices can help you achieve a high-end brand image that impresses customers without stretching your budget beyond reach.
Customer Insight:
As one of our clients shared:
‘’We want these new bags to feel luxurious and elevated, while still maintaining cost-effective features. There are aspects of this we are willing to discuss and reach a compromise on in order to achieve our overall goal at the right price.
A thick, sturdy, and carefully finished bag immediately signals to customers that your brand values craftsmanship and attention to detail.
On the other hand, a thin or flimsy bag, even if well-designed, can diminish the perceived value of your products and leave customers underwhelmed.
For businesses in fashion, jewelry, cosmetics, and high-end gifting, selecting a material that provides a substantial weight and refined texture is critical to enhancing the overall customer journey — from purchase to unboxing to long-term brand loyalty.
Customer Insight:
Real customer feedback illustrates this clearly
“They were super luxe feeling — can you do this paper weight, or something very similar? They need to feel thick and luxe!”
While appearance and branding are essential, functionality is just as critical — especially when your paper bags are expected to carry heavier items.
Choosing a material with high tensile strength and appropriate thickness ensures that your bags not only look good but also perform reliably in real-world use.
For shopping bags designed to support 20 pounds (9 kilograms) or more, key material considerations include:
Prioritizing strength and durability is vital for retail stores, gift shops, and event organizers who need bags that customers can trust to carry valuable or bulky purchases.
A failed bag doesn’t just risk damaging products — it risks damaging your brand’s reputation.
Customer Insight
Real customer feedback illustrates this clearly
“I want a shopping bag strong enough to support 20 lbs or more if possible.”
In this section, we’ll walk you through the most commonly used paper materials for custom bags — including kraft paper, coated art paper, and specialty papers — to help you better understand their strengths, ideal use cases, and key considerations when making your choice.
If you’d like a more detailed breakdown of different paper types — including images and key features — you can explore our full guide to 10 Types of Paper Materials for Making Paper Bags.
In this guide, we’ve grouped the 10 commonly used paper materials for shopping bags into three broader categories based on their characteristics and usage:
Kraft paper is one of the most popular and versatile materials for custom shopping bags.Known for its natural strength, rugged texture, and eco-friendly profile, kraft paper is an excellent choice for brands that prioritize durability, sustainability, and a down-to-earth brand image.
Available in natural brown or bleached white options, kraft paper can support heavier loads while maintaining a clean and minimalist aesthetic.
It pairs especially well with simple logo designs, single-color printing, and understated finishes, allowing the authenticity of the material to shine through.
For brands seeking to communicate an eco-conscious message, kraft paper offers a compelling story: it is biodegradable, recyclable, and often produced with minimal chemical processing.
Choosing kraft paper helps reinforce a brand’s commitment to environmental responsibility without sacrificing functionality or style.
Customer Insight
As one client emphasized: “I would like the paper to be recycled.”
For brands that prioritize vibrant visuals, detailed logos, or premium finishes, coated art paper is an ideal material choice.
With its smooth, polished surface and excellent ink absorption properties, coated art paper allows for highly accurate color reproduction and sharp, sophisticated printing results.
Typically available with either a glossy or matte finish.Beyond its visual appeal, coated art paper also delivers a sleek tactile experience, making it well-suited for fashion boutiques, luxury retailers, and event organizers who want their shopping bags to reflect high-end sophistication.
One client clearly expressed their expectations:
Customer Insight
“We are seeking a premium packaging partner to create luxury shopping bags with a soft-touch matte finish and embossed branding that reflect the elegance and prestige of our brand partners.”
For brands that want to create a truly distinctive and memorable packaging experience, specialty papers offer unparalleled creative possibilities.
Unlike standard kraft or coated papers, specialty papers come in a wide range of textures, colors, and finishes, allowing brands to express their identity with exceptional detail and sophistication.
From linen-textured papers and pearlized finishes to leather-grain,specialty papers can transform an ordinary shopping bag into a premium extension of your brand story.
These materials not only look unique but also feel luxurious in the hand, enhancing the overall tactile experience for customers.
Specialty papers are often chosen for high-end fashion houses, jewelry brands, art galleries, and luxury gift packaging, where packaging is an integral part of the brand’s perceived value.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Yifu Packaging.
A thoughtfully selected specialty paper can immediately elevate your product presentation, making every customer interaction feel more exclusive and memorable.
While specialty papers typically involve higher material and production costs, the investment is often justified by the powerful brand impact they create — leaving lasting impressions long after the shopping experience.
In many cases, clients seek not just a unique look but also a rich sensory experience that ties all packaging elements together.
One client described their vision this way:
Customer Insight
“I want the bags to be off-white, premium texture paper, and the ribbons will be different colors for each size.”
This type of request reflects how specialty paper choices — combined with thoughtful details like custom-colored ribbons — can create a layered, personalized brand presentation that feels truly elevated.
Selecting the right material for your custom paper bags is not just about creating beautiful packaging — it’s about shaping how customers perceive your brand from the very first touch.
The material you choose influences everything: the consistency of your brand presentation, the luxury feel of your products, the durability of the customer experience, and even the perceived value of your offerings.
Whether you are looking for eco-friendly kraft paper, smooth and vivid coated paper, or textured specialty papers to tell a premium brand story, making an informed material choice is essential to delivering the right message to your audience.
At Better Package, we understand that every detail matters when it comes to packaging.We are committed to helping brands like yours create custom paper bags that strike the perfect balance between aesthetics, functionality, sustainability, and budget.
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Let’s work together to create custom paper bags that truly reflect the quality and spirit of your brand.
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When you think of advertising, what word or phrase first springs to mind?
Maybe it’s the TV show Mad Men. Or if you’re a business decision-maker, perhaps your mind goes to Google SEO rankings and Facebook ads. These are all valid answers, but we bet the term “shopping bags” didn’t spring to mind.
That’s right—shopping bags! And specifically, the customized ones. While you may have your digital advertising efforts down, many companies are forgetting the power of traditional, subliminal promotion. Eye-catching, colorful custom paper bags with your branding and logo can draw in new customers, boost brand recognition, and even improve your revenue.
The benefits of custom shopping bags go beyond just marketing and advertising, particularly if you use paper. Recently, renowned luxury department store Harrods announced its plans to replace all of its plastic carrier bags with fully recyclable paper bags by the fall. The paper bags will be 100% recycled and also partly made from recycled materials.
The reason for the change, according to news analysis, is a commitment to sustainability, both from a corporate social responsibility standpoint and due to rising consumer demand. For more and more physical retailers, plastic just isn’t cool anymore. Its impact on the environment is hard to ignore, and as consumers become more aware about the dangers of plastic, they are looking to brands to help them make more eco-friendly choices.
As the below stats from IPSOS show, paper leads the way:
Paper shopping bags don’t just look more eco-friendly, either—the science backs it up. A study from the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute looked into the greenhouse gas emissions produced by paper and plastic bags. It found that paper bags had a remarkably lower impact on the climate than LDPE (low density polyethylene) bags.
In the US, states are catching on to the downsides of plastic bags. California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, and Maine, just to name a few, have all brought in bans on single-use plastic shopping bags.
So more customers want paper, states are mandating it, and scientists are recommending it. All in all, it seems that using custom paper bags is a no-brainer. But where to begin? That’s exactly what we’ll help you with below.
Before we dive into the what and how of a customized paper bag packaging strategy, we first want to nail the why. Being confident that paper grocery bags are right for your business and understanding how they can help you create a lasting impression is essential to making an informed choice. Here are some of the most common reasons why custom paper bags are a business asset:
We’ve touched on this above but we’ll say it again: Paper bags are an excellent eco-friendly packaging option. They are made from wood—a raw, renewable resource—and can be recycled. Consumers are also acutely aware that paper bags are better for the environment. This means that by choosing to use paper gift bags, shopping bags, and grocery bags, you’re not only looking after the planet, but you’re also showing your customers that you care, something they will no doubt appreciate!
As you’ll find out below, paper bags are definitely not one size fits all. Different sizes, shapes, colors, handles—the possibilities are endless. If you want to tell your brand story through custom packaging, then paper is an excellent and inexpensive option.
Have you ever wandered around a shopping mall when a colorful shopping bag caught your eye? Maybe seeing the brand’s bag made you determined to find their store and go inside, or you remembered the name and brand colors. Either way, a well-designed paper shopping bag can boost brand affinity and lead to new customers. Plus, because paper bags are reusable, your customers may take them out again and again. Meaning, hundreds of people could learn about your brand, thanks to just a few bags!
Facebook ads that point to relevant product pages on your website, SEO (search engine optimization), and Instagram influencer marketing can put a big dent on your marketing budgets in an instant. While these have a role to play in modern advertising strategies, we can’t forget the power of the in-person shopping experience. Personalized paper shopping bags are relatively cheap to create via bulk orders and offer limitless marketing potential.
A paper bag is kind of like a blank canvas. Your team gets to decide what to put on it: the story you want to tell, the colors, the fine details. These bags offer a chance to unleash your creativity and make your company memorable to everyone who uses and sees your branded paper bags.
At this point, we hope you feel excited about the potential of harnessing custom paper bags for your retail strategy. As you look for the right printed paper bags for your company, it’s important to remember the basics. Your paper bag needs to be as functional as it is fun. So it needs to:
So now it’s time to jump into the eight most common types of paper bags out there. There’s no such thing as a wrong or a right bag. The type of bag you choose will depend on the kind of products you sell, as well as the customer you’re trying to appeal to.
For example, some of the bags below are better for small items, while others are better for adding a touch of luxury to the in-store experience. Remember, too, that all of these bags can be customized so that they are unique to your company.
The SOS bag is the iconic brown bag used for kids’ lunches. You often see it in cartoons—a generic, brown paper with edges that you fold over. The SOS bag can also come with small handles. Typically, it’s used for food and drink items but can also be used for small items like skincare or jewelry. While the bag is known for its natural brown kraft color, it can also be customized and designed in different shades and finishes.
The pinch bottom bag gets its name from the tapered bottom. It’s usually used for bakery goods and other food items. It has an envelope-like opening and is grease-resistant inside, which is why it’s favored by food stalls and coffee houses. It’s also suitable for takeaway bags.
Merchandise bags are probably the most common type of paper shopping bag you’ll see out and about. They come in a variety of styles and sizes, making them an excellent vehicle for customization.
The Euro tote is a step up from the SOS bag. This paper bag is heavily associated with luxury. These bags tend to be highly customized, down to the look and feel of the handles. When designed well, Euro totes can be their own form of gift packaging and go a long way to boost brand recognition.
Bakery bags are designed specifically for the food market. They feature wax linings to preserve food items, making them a great option for muffins, bread, pastries, and more.
Mailing bags get a sneaky mention on this list. Even though they’re more a form of ecommerce packaging, they do have “bag” in the name and are made from paper, too. Mailing bags are padded mailers. They’re great for shipping small items to customers who have purchased online. For a deep dive into padded mailers and other e-commerce options, check out this article about ecommerce packaging.
While all paper bags are recyclable, not all paper bags are recycled. By this, we mean that not all paper bags are made from material that has already been used. However, you can specifically pick at least partially recycled paper bags. Doing this is great for the environment and is something you can shout about to your consumers who, as we’ve seen above, appreciate when brands choose paper-based packaging.
Vogue bags ooze luxury and theater. These bags are more than just a paper bag; they’re an experience. With tissue paper, freebies, handwritten cards, and more to be usually found inside, these designer paper bags are a great way to make your clients feel like a million bucks.
Paper bags are about more than just the bags themselves; the handles play a huge role, too. There are a variety of customizable options, ranging in price and look and feel. Take a look at some of the most frequently used options below.
Ribbons are pretty, glossy, and add a touch of luxury to paper bags. They are also easily customizable. They can come in almost any color and suit most of the bag types mentioned above. Ribbons are quite durable but would not be appropriate for really heavy items, as they may snap.
Cotton has a similar look and feel to ribbon. It also portrays a sense of luxury, finesse, and is easily customizable. The main difference between cotton and ribbon is cotton’s durability. Cotton is a dense, strong material, meaning it can carry heavier products than ribbon.
Twisted paper handles are a cheap and cheerful option. While they aren’t as premium as cotton or ribbon, they are cost-effective and also very strong. They can endure a heavy weight and are extremely easy and quick to produce for manufacturers.
Folded paper is another cost-effective option. These handles are made from a piece of paper, making them great for lightweight purchases and small bags. However, be warned, folded paper bags tear easily if the weight of the bag gets too heavy. These handles also tend to disintegrate in heavy rain.
Once you’ve chosen the type of paper bag you want and the coordinating handle, it’s time to think about customization. This stage is an opportunity to let your creativity shine and turn your visions into reality. No idea is too bold or whacky. Custom paper gift bags are a blank canvas that’s perfect for your art!
In terms of cost, it’s important to note that the size of your bags directly correlates with the price. Depending on what kind of products you sell, you may want to order a few different sizes of bags. Similarly, the cost is strongly dictated by the amount of bags you order. How many stores you have will dictate the number of bags you need. You can choose to buy paper bags wholesale and keep them in warehousing facilities. Alternatively, you may want to put in a repeat request for your customized bags each month.
You can choose any color, or colors, for your bag. Aside from colors, you can add colored features, like stripes, your logos, artwork flowers, and more. You’ll notice that a couple of acronyms pop up again and again when you’re looking at designs: RGB and CMYK. RGB stands for red, green, and blue. These colors are used for images on your computer screen. CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (Black). If your design contains three or less colors, then RGB will be adequate. But if your design is more complex, then CMYK is the option you should go for.
There’s more than one kind of paper that you can use for your bag. Paper varies in strength and thickness. The stronger the paper, the better it is for heavy products. However, if you sell lightweight products like jewelry, small gift items, and other accessories, then you may want a lighter paper option. Here are the main types:
Lamination is a process where a thick layer of plastic is applied to your paper bags, giving them an enhanced finish and improving durability. There are different types of lamination finishes, which we’ve put in the handy table below:
Lamination Gloss Matte Satin Metallic Finish Glossy, luxurious finish Elegant, understated finish Velvet, textured finish Luminous, bright finish Price $$ $$ $$$ $$ Durability Dirt, dust and fingerprint-resistant More prone to scuffing – should not be used on dark colored bags Most scuff-resistant option Dirt, dust and fingerprint resistantThe outside of your bag is now looking beautiful, but what about the inside? To truly delight your customers, you want the personalization journey to continue once they open your paper bag, too. Most paper bags are white or brown on the inside. You could, for example, print your brand’s logo or slogan on the inside of the bag to enhance brand visibility. Alternatively, you could use embossing or debossing to add a touch of luxury to the inside of your bag.
Another option is spot UV varnish, which can be used to create glossy, elegant patterns inside your bag. Also, you should consider how you put your logo on your bag. For example, foil stamping is often used to create attention-grabbing, bold statements, a la Urban Decay below. Similarly, embossing and debossing can be used on the outside of the bag for eye-catching designs.
So, that’s it—our ultimate guide to custom paper bags. As you can see, it’s clear that paper has a lot to offer to your retail strategies. Just as cardboard is leading the way in ecommerce, paper is fast proving itself as the go-to option for physical stores. Through design and customization, you can elevate your printed paper bags so that they become a marketing vehicle, one that enhances customer loyalty, boosts revenue, and increases brand awareness.
Here at Refine Packaging, we’re experts in helping brands of all shapes and sizes to create customized packaging strategies that bring an ROI. Whatever your vision is, our experts are on hand to help you turn it into reality, at a price that’s right for your business.
Ready to embark on your custom paper bag strategy?
Want more information on custom paper packaging? Feel free to contact us.