Paper bag sizes
The paper bag with handles is the one you leave a shop with: a flat bottom, folded sides and a pair of handles. Europe and the Middle East mostly use round centimetre sizes, the US has its own named ones. Here are the sizes shops reach for most, so you can start from one and make it yours.
European and Middle Eastern sizes
| Size | Width × gusset × height | Typical use | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 190 × 80 × 210 mm | Bakery, sweets, small gifts | Make this dieline → |
| Medium | 240 × 110 × 310 mm | Cosmetics, books, a shirt | Make this dieline → |
| Large | 320 × 140 × 420 mm | The classic shop bag: clothes, shoes, takeaway | Make this dieline → |
| Extra large | 450 × 170 × 480 mm | Coats, cushions, shoe boxes | Make this dieline → |
| King size | 540 × 150 × 490 mm | Pillows, blankets, big orders | Make this dieline → |
US sizes
| Size | Width × gusset × height | Typical use | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5¼ × 3¼ × 8¼ in | 133 × 83 × 210 mm | Jewellery, small gifts | Make this dieline → |
| 8 × 4½ × 10¼ in | 203 × 114 × 260 mm | Boutique, cosmetics, gifts | Make this dieline → |
| 16 × 6 × 12 in | 406 × 152 × 305 mm | Clothing, shoe boxes — a wide, low bag | Make this dieline → |
| 16 × 6 × 19¼ in | 406 × 152 × 489 mm | Coats, large clothing orders | Make this dieline → |
Typical starting points, not a standard — every maker has its own list. The large 32 cm bag, for example, also comes as 320 × 120 × 400 mm. Your printer will adapt the size to their machine.
How to read a paper bag size
- Width × gusset × height — the front, the depth of the side folds, and the height of the bag without the turn-top. That's the order on this site.
- Watch the order. Some shops write width × height × gusset, and others write it as 32/41+12 — width / height + gusset.
- Takeaway bags run much deeper: a gusset close to the width, so food boxes stand flat.
Turn-top and paper
The turn-top is the strip folded inside at the top. It makes the edge stronger and holds the handles — usually 30–60 mm deep, 50 mm is a safe start. Most twisted-handle bags are made of 90–120 g/m² kraft paper; heavy or luxury bags go thicker.
Paper or rope handles?
- Twisted paper — the everyday choice for clothing, cosmetics and gifts. Glued inside, so they add nothing to the dieline.
- Flat paper — cafés, bakeries, takeaway. Also glued inside.
- Rope — heavier and more premium: wine, luxury shops. Threaded through punched holes, which the generator draws for you.