T-shirt bag sizes
The T-shirt bag — also called a vest or singlet bag — is the everyday checkout bag. Here are the sizes shops most often use, in the US and in Europe, as a starting point for your print.
US sizes
| Size | Width × gusset × height | Used for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/10 BBL 8 × 4 × 16 in |
203 × 102 × 406 mm | Small items, packed bakery goods | Make this dieline → |
| 1/8 BBL 10 × 5 × 18 in |
254 × 127 × 457 mm | Convenience stores, small takeaway orders | Make this dieline → |
| 1/6 BBL 11.5 × 6.5 × 21 in |
292 × 165 × 533 mm | Groceries and takeaway — the standard checkout bag | Make this dieline → |
| 1/5 BBL 13 × 8 × 23 in |
330 × 203 × 584 mm | Bigger orders, clothing | Make this dieline → |
| Large 15 × 7 × 26 in |
381 × 178 × 660 mm | Bulky shopping | Make this dieline → |
| Jumbo 18 × 8 × 28 in |
457 × 203 × 711 mm | Large, bulky goods | Make this dieline → |
“BBL” means barrel: an old trade name for a size class, not an exact measure. Two suppliers' “1/6 BBL” bags can differ by an inch or two — the 1/6 is anywhere from 11½ × 6½ × 21 to 12 × 7 × 23 in.
UK and European sizes
| Size | Width × gusset × height | Used for | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small 25 + 12 × 45 cm |
250 × 120 × 450 mm | Market stalls, fishmongers, delis | Make this dieline → |
| Medium UK 11 / 17 / 21 in |
279 × 152 × 533 mm | Everyday shopping — the most common UK size | Make this dieline → |
| Large 30 + 18 × 55 cm |
300 × 180 × 550 mm | Greengrocers, butchers — the most common size in Germany | Make this dieline → |
| Extra large 32 + 20 × 60 cm |
320 × 200 × 600 mm | Bigger shops | Make this dieline → |
| Jumbo UK 457 × 178 × 800 mm |
457 × 178 × 800 mm | Large, bulky goods | Make this dieline → |
Typical starting points, not a standard. German and French shops write the size as width + gusset × height in cm; the UK often gives three widths in inches — “11 × 17 × 21” is 11 in closed, 17 in with the gussets open, 21 in tall, so the gusset is the difference: 6 in.
How to measure a T-shirt bag
- Width — the bag lying flat, with the side gussets folded in.
- Gusset — the full depth of the side folds when the bag is opened. Each side tucks in half of it.
- Height — from the bottom to the top of the handles. The handles usually take 5–6 in (13–15 cm) of that.
Print usually goes in the middle of the face, between the gusset folds and below the handles. The dieline marks the folds and can show a printable area.