Paper Bag Sizes: Which One Suits a Café, Shop or Gift

Paper bag sizes in our range start at 18×8×21 cm and go up to 54×14×44 cm. In practice, most orders fall into three groups: 25×11×32 or 25×15×32 cm for cafés, 32×12×40 to 34×20×35 cm for shops, and 45×16×48 or 49.5×14×44 cm for clothing and gift sets. Prices start from EUR 0.15/pc at 100 pieces (excl. VAT), with kraft paper 70–100 g/m² and printing in up to 2 colours.

How to read the size notation

A paper bag's size is written in the order width × depth (side gusset) × height, measured on the bag itself without the handles. For example, 25×11×32 cm means the front panel is 25 cm wide, the bag opens to a depth of 11 cm, and it stands 32 cm tall.

Depth is the figure most often underestimated. Two bags with the same front width — 25×11×32 and 25×15×32 cm — differ by almost 3 litres in volume, and it's the depth that decides whether a cake box will fit upright or has to go in at an angle.

Size table: what fits where

Prices are indicative, excl. VAT, and depend on quantity, paper weight and the number of print colours.

Which size for which industry

For cafés and takeaway

A café usually only needs two sizes. For everyday takeaway — 25×11×32 cm: it fits two lunch containers or a loaf of bread. For cakes, salad bowls and larger orders, 25×15×32 cm works better, where the 15 cm depth lets you place a box horizontally without tipping the contents.

Important: for greasy products choose 90 g/m² paper rather than 70 g/m². The thinner option suits dry bakery goods and packaged products.

For shops

In retail, the rule is "one standard size plus one large one". The standard size is usually 32×12×40 or 32×17×39 cm — fitting a shoe box, several packaged items or an average grocery shop. For larger purchases, 34×20×35 cm with a 24-litre volume is a good fit.

Clothing shops almost always need 45×16×48 cm: an outer jacket or two sweatshirts fit without folding.

For gifts and events

For a gift bag, proportions matter more than volume. Narrow, tall bags — 25×11×32 or 32×12×40 cm — look better than square ones, and a wine bottle (30 cm) fits into a 32 cm tall bag with a few centimetres to spare.

For conference and event sets with T-shirts, notebooks and bottles, we recommend 32×17×39 or 45×16×48 cm. If the set includes a T-shirt from our catalogue, allow for at least 20 litres.

Examples from our catalogue

• Paper bag with flat handles 25×11×32 cm – kraft paper 70/80/90 g/m², recyclable, printing up to 2 colours, from EUR 0.15 at 100 pcs.
• Paper bag with twisted handles 25×15×32 cm – kraft paper 70/80/90 g/m², twisted handles, 2-colour printing, from EUR 0.16 at 100 pcs.
• Paper bag with flat handles 30×17×35 cm – kraft paper 80/90 g/m², 17.8 l volume, printing up to 2 colours, from EUR 0.22 at 100 pcs.
• Paper bag with flat handles 32×17×39 cm – kraft paper 80/90 g/m², a universal shop size, from EUR 0.23 at 100 pcs.
• Paper bag with flat handles 34×18×35 cm – kraft paper 80/90 g/m², wide base, 2-colour printing, from EUR 0.25 at 100 pcs.
• Paper bag with flat handles 49.5×14×44 cm – kraft paper 90/100 g/m², wide format for textiles, from EUR 0.29 at 100 pcs.

Paper, handles and printing

Kraft paper 70 g/m² is the most economical option for lightweight products up to roughly 2 kg. 80–90 g/m² is the standard for shops and cafés, while 90–100 g/m² is used for large sizes from 45 cm upwards, where the weight exceeds 5 kg.

The handle type affects both price and feel. Flat paper handles are cheaper and better suited to everyday retail; twisted handles look more presentable and suit gifts and bakery items better.

Printing is available in up to 2 colours — logo, name, website, QR code. The artwork needs to be vector graphics (.ai, .eps, .pdf, .svg) in CMYK mode. If you don't have a vector file, we can redraw it; see examples of our work in the our work section.

Prices, quantities and deadlines

The minimum print run with printing is 100 pieces. The price per piece drops noticeably from 500 and 1000 pieces onwards — the difference between 100 and 1000 pcs is usually 30–45%.

Production time with printing is 6–10 business days (production 4–7 business days depending on quantity, plus 2–3 days delivery). Urgent jobs — by arrangement.

Frequently asked questions

Which paper bag size is the most universal?

32×17×39 cm. It fits a shoe box, a lunch set and a folded sweatshirt, and doesn't look too large for a single item. Price from EUR 0.23/pc at 100 pcs.

How much weight can a paper bag hold?

70 g/m² paper safely holds up to 2 kg, 80–90 g/m² up to 5 kg, and 90–100 g/m² in large sizes up to 8–10 kg, provided the weight is distributed evenly across the base.

Can I order fewer than 100 pieces?

With printing, the minimum is 100 pcs, as setup work doesn't depend on the quantity. Without printing, we can offer smaller quantities separately.

How many colours can be printed?

On kraft paper — up to 2 colours. For full-colour images, a laminated paper bag is more suitable, for which we prepare a separate quote.

Are the bags recyclable?

Yes, all kraft paper in our range is recyclable, including the twisted paper handles.

How quickly will I get a price?

We send a quote with size, paper weight, number of print colours and deadline within one business day.

Send us the size and quantity you need at info@attaprint.lv, call +371 25776699 or message us on WhatsApp — we'll prepare a quote with prices and deadlines within one business day. Contact details are also available in the contacts section.