Cellophane bags and cello bags are the names many shops give to clear, glossy bags that show a product off and keep it clean. Pack Solution sells them as Transparent OPP Bags (Polypropylene), in 10 sizes from 6.5 x 9" (165 x 230mm) to 18 x 22" (458 x 560mm), with 100 bags in every pack.
Sizes run from A5 cards up to bulky folded clothing. Heavier jobs suit a thicker clear polythene bag instead, and food use is left out because the product page does not cover it.
In This Guide
- Quick Picks: Cellophane Bags and Clear Polythene Bags
- What Cellophane Bags and Cello Bags Are Made From
- Which Size Do You Need? Cello Bags by Item
- Cellophane Bags or Clear Polythene Bags?
- Food Use and Safety Notes for Clear Bags
- Ordering Cello Bags: Packs, Pricing and Delivery
- Checklist Before You Order Cellophane Bags
- Wrap-Up
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Picks: Cellophane Bags and Clear Polythene Bags
For display, cards, prints and clothing, the OPP bag is the one to pick. For larger, heavier jobs sold by the box, such as storage and dust covers, look at Clear Polythene Bags.
Best for clothing, cards and prints on display
Transparent OPP Bags
Crystal clear, glossy polypropylene bags that show the item while keeping it clean and dust free, in 10 sizes with 100 bags per pack.
- 10 sizes, 6.5 x 9" (165 x 230mm) to 18 x 22" (458 x 560mm)
- Pack of 100 bags in every size
- 9 x 12" (228 x 305mm) fits an A4 sheet flat
From £2.50 ex VAT (£3.00 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView product
Best for storage, dust cover and bulky goods
Clear Polythene Bags
General purpose clear polythene bags for packing, storing and protecting goods from dust and moisture, sold by the box.
- 100, 150 and 200 gauge, with 200 the thickest
- 24 x 36" (609 x 914mm) in 100 gauge, boxes of 500 or 1000
- Clear, so you can check the contents without opening
From £50.00 ex VAT (£60.00 inc VAT)
Choose sizeView productKey Facts
- Transparent OPP Bags (Polypropylene) come in 10 sizes, from 6.5 x 9" (165 x 230mm) to 18 x 22" (458 x 560mm).
- Every size is sold in a pack of 100 bags.
- Sizes are written width x length.
- The 9 x 12" (228 x 305mm) bag is larger than A4 (210 x 297mm), so an A4 sheet fits flat.
- OPP stands for oriented polypropylene, and the finish is glossy and clear.
- Clear Polythene Bags are sold by the box, in 100, 150 and 200 gauge.
What Cellophane Bags and Cello Bags Are Made From
Many bags sold as cellophane bags or cello bags today are made from polypropylene. The bags in this guide are OPP, short for oriented polypropylene, and the product page says many shops call them clear cello bags or clear cellophane bags.
Cellophane itself is an older material, a film made from cellulose. It looks glassy and crisp, and the name is still used for clear bags with a similar look. If you order from a supplier that uses the older names, check the material in the description, because the two films are different things.
What OPP Bags Are Used For
OPP bags are crystal clear polypropylene bags with a glossy finish. The product page lists clothing, cards, prints and retail products as the main uses. The customer sees the item through the bag, and the item stays clean and dust free.
The page names two roles. On a shelf the bag is retail presentation, and inside a mailing bag or box it is inner packaging that keeps the contents tidy until they are opened.
Good to know: the product page does not give a thickness for these bags. If thickness matters for your job, email sales@packsolution.co.uk before you order a full pack.
Which Size Do You Need? Cello Bags by Item
Choose the bag by measuring the item first, then pick the smallest size that fits it flat or folded. The table below uses the sizing notes from the product page, and every measurement is width x length.
| Bag size | Suited to |
|---|---|
| 6.5 x 9" (165 x 230mm) | A5 cards and prints (148 x 210mm), which fit flat |
| 8 x 10" (203 x 254mm) | Smaller prints and flat accessories |
| 9 x 12" (228 x 305mm) | A4 sheets (210 x 297mm), which fit flat |
| 10 x 12" (254 x 305mm) | No set use on the product page, so measure your item against it |
| 10 x 14" (254 x 355mm) to 14 x 17" (355 x 432mm) | Folded T-shirts and light garments |
| 15 x 20" (381 x 508mm) and 18 x 22" (458 x 560mm) | Bulkier folded clothing and soft goods |
The product page points bulkier folded clothing and soft goods to the 15 x 20" (381 x 508mm) and 18 x 22" (458 x 560mm) bags. If a folded item does not close easily in the 14 x 17" (355 x 432mm) bag, step up a size.
How to Choose a Size in Four Steps
- Lay the item flat, or fold the garment the way you will present it.
- Measure the width and the length in millimetres.
- Find the smallest bag in the table whose width and length are both larger than your item.
- Check the item against the product page measurements before you order a full pack of 100.
Cards, Prints and Artwork
A5 cards and prints measure 148 x 210mm, so they sit flat in the 6.5 x 9" (165 x 230mm) bag with room to spare. A4 sheets measure 210 x 297mm and fit flat in the 9 x 12" (228 x 305mm) bag, which the product page calls the A4 size.
A piece of stiff card behind a print keeps it flat in the bag. The bag keeps the print clean and dust free, and the glossy film lets a buyer see the artwork without opening the pack. Crafters who sell cards in sets can pick the 8 x 10" (203 x 254mm) size for smaller prints and flat accessories.
Clothing and Folded Garments
Fold the garment the way you want to present it, measure the folded width and length, and compare against the table. Folded T-shirts and light garments belong in the middle of the range, from 10 x 14" to 14 x 17".
A bagged T-shirt stays clean and dust free in storage, and the product page lists inner packaging inside mailing bags or boxes as a use. Keep every plastic bag away from babies and young children.
Retail Display and Craft Products
Shops use OPP bags on the shelf to show stock. The product page names retail packaging and craft products among the uses, and it says the pack of 100 makes reordering by size easy. A stall holder who sells one product in one size can keep a single pack at hand and reorder when it runs low.
Cellophane Bags or Clear Polythene Bags?
Pick OPP for presentation and light protection of clothing, cards and prints, and pick clear polythene for large, heavy or bulky goods packed by the box.
| Feature | Transparent OPP Bags | Clear Polythene Bags |
|---|---|---|
| Material | Oriented polypropylene, glossy and crystal clear | Clear polythene |
| Sold as | Pack of 100 in each of 10 sizes | Boxes, with the 24 x 36" (609 x 914mm) bag in 100 gauge in boxes of 500 or 1000 |
| Thickness | Not stated on the product page | 100, 150 and 200 gauge, with 200 the thickest |
| Typical jobs | Clothing, cards, prints, retail and craft products | Warehouse storage, dust protection, furniture parts and bedding |
Clear Polythene Bags are general purpose bags for packing, storing and protecting goods from dust and moisture. They are sold in bulk boxes, so they suit a warehouse better than a craft stall. For a full side-by-side, read our comparison of OPP bags and clear polythene bags and the wider guide to plastic bags, polythene and OPP.
Gauge is a measure of thickness, and a higher gauge means a thicker bag. The 24 x 36" polythene bag is one of the sizes sold by the box, and the 100 gauge version is the thinnest of the three gauges, suited to light items and dust covers.
Food Use and Safety Notes for Clear Bags
The product page for these bags does not describe them as food safe, so this guide does not recommend them for loose food. They are listed for clothing, cards, prints and retail products.
Cellophane bags are often linked with sweets and baked goods in everyday talk. Pack Solution sells the OPP bags for the uses listed on the page, and for anything outside that list you should email sales@packsolution.co.uk first and ask. A shop selling food needs packaging that is described for food contact, and a bag sold for retail presentation is not the same thing.
Good to know: clear plastic bags are not toys or play items. Store packs where small children cannot reach them.
Ordering Cello Bags: Packs, Pricing and Delivery
You buy OPP bags by the pack of 100, one size at a time, and the price per pack falls as you add more packs to the order. Prices on the site are shown excluding VAT, and VAT is added at checkout.
A simple route is to buy one pack of each size you use, then reorder the sizes that sell. The product page says each size can be reordered by pack, which keeps small sellers from holding stock they do not need.
Orders placed by 2pm Monday to Friday are dispatched the same working day. Royal Mail Tracked 48 is free on every order with no minimum, and Express and DPD options are available if you need the bags sooner. Delivery details are in the shipping policy. Unused items can be returned within 30 days of delivery for a refund, and the refund policy explains the steps.
Checklist Before You Order Cellophane Bags
- Measure the item, folded if it is clothing, in width x length.
- Choose the smallest size that fits it flat, such as 9 x 12" (228 x 305mm) for A4.
- Check the material in the description, because older names can cover different films.
- Decide whether the bag is for display, for inner packing, or both.
- Leave food, sweets and baked goods out unless the supplier states the bag is made for food contact.
- Move to clear polythene bags if the goods are large, heavy or stored in bulk.
- Remember that each pack holds 100 bags and the price per pack drops with volume.
Wrap-Up
For display, prints and folded clothing, OPP bags in the size that fits your item are the straightforward choice, and the 9 x 12" (228 x 305mm) bag covers A4. For storage and bulky goods, move to clear polythene sold by the box. You can see the full range in our bags collection, and every pack and box is listed with its live price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are cellophane bags made from?
Traditional cellophane is a cellulose film, but many bags sold as cellophane bags today are polypropylene. The Transparent OPP Bags (Polypropylene) at Pack Solution are oriented polypropylene, with a glossy, crystal clear finish, and they come in packs of 100 in 10 sizes.
What size cello bags fit A4?
The 9 x 12" (228 x 305mm) size in Transparent OPP Bags (Polypropylene) is larger than A4 (210 x 297mm), so an A4 sheet fits flat. For A5 (148 x 210mm), the 6.5 x 9" (165 x 230mm) size is the one the product page recommends.
What does OPP stand for in opp bags?
OPP stands for oriented polypropylene. OPP bags are crystal clear, glossy polypropylene bags used to display and protect clothing, cards, prints and retail products. Each pack of Transparent OPP Bags holds 100 bags, in any of 10 sizes from 6.5 x 9" to 18 x 22".
Can I use cellophane bags for food?
The product page does not describe these bags as food safe, so Pack Solution does not recommend them for loose food. They are listed for clothing, cards, prints and retail products. If you need packaging for food, email sales@packsolution.co.uk before ordering and ask about your exact use.
Which cello bags suit T-shirts and clothing?
Folded T-shirts and light garments suit the 10 x 14" (254 x 355mm) to 14 x 17" (355 x 432mm) sizes. Bulkier folded clothing and soft goods suit the 15 x 20" (381 x 508mm) and 18 x 22" (458 x 560mm) bags. All sizes come in packs of 100.
Are OPP bags the same as clear polythene bags?
No. OPP bags are glossy oriented polypropylene sold by the pack of 100 for display and inner packing. Clear Polythene Bags are general purpose bags sold by the box, in 100, 150 and 200 gauge, for storage, dust protection and larger jobs such as wrapping furniture parts.
