Poly Bags: Buying Guide - What Affects the Cost?

Comparing Costs of Different Poly Bags 

The costs of poly bags have been fluctuating in recent years, but there is good news on the horizon: prices seem to be stabilizing, and inventories are becoming more reliable. Whether you’re looking for a flat poly bag, a gusseted bag, or a resealable or reclosable bag, there are countless affordable options out there. Read on for details about poly bags and how to keep your costs in check.   

How Does Quality Affect the Cost of Poly Bags? 

Poly bags are manufactured in a wide range of thicknesses, and this naturally shapes their costs. Thicknesses are measured in mils—a mil is one one-thousandth of an inch—and, predictably, the thinner the bag, the cheaper it will be. A one-mil poly bag contains roughly a third of the material of a three-mil bag.  

Some manufacturers produce goods to higher standards than others, and this will often be reflected in the costs, as well. Sometimes this difference in quality can be seen right away in a product, and sometimes it can’t; in some cases, a product’s quality might only reveal itself after being used for a while—for example, if it happens to fall apart more quickly than you expected.   

Poly bags are made of plastic resin, and therefore their costs are tied to the price of oil. Currently, the price of plastic is relatively high, and that has put upward pressure on the price of poly bags. This pressure is unlikely to go away anytime soon.   

How Does Design Affect the Costs of Poly Bags? 

The two main types of poly bags are flat bags and gusseted bags. Flat poly bags are usually cheaper than gusseted bags. A flat bag is two-dimensional and only has one seam that runs along the edge of the bag, whereas a gusseted bag is three-dimensional. A gusseted bag has a flat bottom, which requires a more elaborate structure. Typical uses for flat poly bags include applications like shipping or food packaging. Gusseted bags, on the other hand, are often used as shopping bags or box liners. Their flat bottoms allow for items to sit neatly in a carton. 

Another feature that impacts cost is whether or not the bag is resealable or reclosable. A resealable or reclosable bag will be more expensive than a flat poly bag without this feature. A resealable bag has a sticky strip and a flap that creates a seal, whereas a reclosable bag has a zipper-like action for closing. Gusseted bags sometimes have these features, but those bags are less common.  

The third option for sealing is to use an impulse heat sealer on your bags. This method is usually used on flat poly bags rather than gusseted ones, though you could feasibly use the method on both. Using a heat sealer can be a cost-saving strategy because it allows you to buy one size of poly bags—a tall bag—and to cut it to any size you want; after filling the bag you simply use the heat sealer to seal the custom package.  

Which Poly Bag Is Best for Your Budget? 

Your application will likely determine which poly bag is best for you. If you need a mailer, a hanging food bag, or a t-shirt bag, a flat poly bag is probably your first choice. However, if you need a shopping bag or a stand-up food bag, a gusseted one will be best.  

Thinking hard about the everyday use of your bag—including how long your bag needs to last—is critical for making the right choice. If your bag will be single-use, then hopefully a thin bag will meet the need. A thin, low-mil bag would be best for your budget and for the environment. However, the nature of your bagged item might preclude this and might require a more durable bag; for example, your item might be heavy or have sharp edges.  

But looking at dozens of options can still be confusing. A good strategy is to ask a supplier for samples. This will give you a better idea of what you are getting and will also let you test the bag to make sure it fits your needs. It’s possible a cheaper bag—perhaps a smaller or thinner bag—is perfectly adequate for your application, but you might not ever learn that if you don’t compare bags directly. Asking for samples is yet another reason to work with a supplier who has good customer service.  

What are the best tricks for saving money on poly bags? 

There are a lot of factors to consider when buying poly bags, so here are a few tricks that might save you money. 

• Buy in volume. This might sound like common sense, but it is sometimes ignored. Buying poly bags in volume will almost always earn you a major discount. And because poly bags take up so little shelf space, storage is usually not a problem.  
• Check the brand. Buying a poly bag with a brand name, rather than a generic one, might send the price of your order up more than you expect. Sometimes a brand name is worth it, and sometimes it might not be for your specific needs. Consider asking for samples so you can compare similar bags and decide based on the evidence.  
• Think about closures. Whether or not your poly bag is resealable or reclosable can significantly impact your costs. Think through the exact application of your bag. If a resealable or reclosable top is truly essential, then it is a good value. But if you’re not sure the feature will be used by the final consumer—whether it’s you or a customer—then perhaps you can live without it (and save money).  

The Best Way to Purchase Poly Bags 

Trustworthy suppliers can help you weigh all of the options. They can also send different samples so you can do real-world tests. Benchmark has the expertise and customer service you need to wade through the options. We also have inventories of countless poly bags in many different varieties.   

Need to talk to someone about poly bags and how to get the most out of them? Talk to one of our product experts.