Plastic Bag Suppliers and Poly Bags Wholesale: Gauge, Sizes and Bulk Buying

Plastic bag suppliers sell several quite different products under one heading, and picking the wrong one is an easy way to waste money. A bag for storing stock, a bag for showing a product on a shelf and a bag for posting it all need different film, thickness and size. Pack Solution stocks clear polythene bags, clear OPP bags, mailing bags and refuse sacks, sold in packs, boxes or rolls.

If you buy poly bags wholesale, the film and gauge matter as much as the size, and overstocking is the most common mistake.

Quick Picks: Bags Businesses Buy Most

These three cover storage, display and posting, which are the jobs most businesses need a bag for.

Best for protecting stock in storage

Clear Polythene Bags

Large general purpose clear bags that keep dust and moisture off goods, sold by the box.

• Large sizes including 24 x 36" (609 x 914mm)
• 100, 150 or 200 gauge depending on size
• Sold in bulk boxes

From £50.00 ex VAT (£60.00 inc VAT)

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Best for retail display and folded clothing

Transparent OPP Bags

Crystal clear oriented polypropylene bags with a glossy finish, so customers see the product.

• 10 sizes from 6.5 x 9" to 18 x 22"
• Packs of 100
• High clarity, glossy finish

From £2.50 ex VAT (£3.00 inc VAT)

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Best for posting soft goods

Grey Mailing Bags

Opaque self-seal polythene postal bags that keep parcels light and hide the contents.

• 16 sizes from 4 x 6" to 34 x 42"
• Self-seal strip
• Water resistant outer

From £2.90 ex VAT (£3.48 inc VAT)

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• Clear polythene bags protect stock from dust and moisture in storage.
• Transparent OPP Bags are crystal clear and glossy, in 10 sizes from 6.5 x 9" to 18 x 22".
• Grey Mailing Bags are opaque and self-sealing, in 16 sizes from 4 x 6" to 34 x 42".
• Black Bin Bags 70L are made from 30 micron polythene and come on rolls of 10, 20 or 50.
• Four gauge equals one micron, so 100 gauge film is 25 micron.

Which Bag Does Which Job

Choose the bag by what it has to do: protect, display, post or hold waste.

A common mix for a clothing seller is a clear OPP bag around each folded item, then an opaque mailing bag for the post. A warehouse might use large polythene bags to cover stock on shelves and refuse sacks for packing waste. The guide to polythene vs OPP bags goes further into the two clear films.

Gauge, Micron and Bag Strength

Gauge and micron both measure film thickness, and four gauge equals one micron.

UK suppliers often list polythene in gauge, while film made elsewhere is usually listed in micron. Converting is simple: divide gauge by four to get micron, or multiply micron by four to get gauge.

• 100 gauge is 25 micron, suitable for light items and general covering.
• 150 gauge is about 37 micron, a step up for heavier goods.
• 200 gauge is 50 micron, for heavy or sharp-edged contents.
• 30 micron, the thickness of the 70 litre black sacks, is 120 gauge.

Thicker film costs more per bag and takes more room in storage, so match the gauge to the heaviest item the bag will carry rather than buying the thickest film for everything. The guide to large clear plastic bags covers heavy duty sizes in more detail.

Clear Polythene and OPP Bags

Use polythene to protect stock, and OPP when the customer needs to see the product.

Polythene is soft and slightly cloudy, and it stretches a little before it tears. That makes it good for covering goods on shelves, keeping dust off furniture parts, and bagging bulky items. When you buy wholesale polythene bags, choose the size that fits your largest item with a little spare at the opening for folding or tying.

Transparent OPP Bags are crisper and much clearer, with a glossy finish. Retailers and crafters use them for cards, prints, sweets and folded clothes. Most wholesale cello bags sold today are OPP, so clear cello bags wholesale listings and OPP bags usually describe the same product.

For garment plastic bags wholesale buyers, OPP is the usual choice for display and for keeping a folded item clean inside a parcel. The 12 x 16" and 14 x 17" sizes suit many folded tops.

Polypropylene bags wholesale buyers should remember that OPP is less forgiving than polythene. A sharp corner can split it, so wrap or box anything with hard edges first.

Mailing Bags for Posting

Mailing bags are opaque polythene bags with a self-seal strip, made to go through the post on their own.

Grey Mailing Bags are the everyday choice. They come in 16 sizes, are water resistant and hide the contents. White Mailing Bags do the same job with a white finish that suits a logo sticker or printed label, and they are tamper evident once sealed.

Best for a clean branded look

White Mailing Bags

White opaque self-seal bags that show a label or logo sticker clearly.

• 5 sizes from 9 x 12" to 17 x 22"
• Self-seal strip with 50mm lip
• Tamper evident, packs of 100

From £4.50 ex VAT (£5.40 inc VAT)

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Size mailing bags by width first. The bag needs to be a little wider than the folded item, and long enough to fold the lip over and seal without stretching the film. A bag that is too tight can split at the seal, while one that is far too big wastes film and lets the contents slide around in transit.

Mailing bags are the item most online sellers reorder most often, so they reward volume buying more than any other bag. The guide to mailing bags wholesale shows how to pick core sizes and work out a monthly quantity.

Refuse Sacks for Workplaces

Refuse sacks are bought by the roll, and a busy workplace gets through them faster than expected.

Black Bin Bags 70L measure 15 x 29 x 33in and hold 70 litres, which fits standard kitchen, office and shop bins. They are made from 30 micron black polythene and tear off a roll one at a time. Rolls of 10 or 20 suit a small office, while rolls of 50 suit a warehouse or shop.

Best for everyday workplace waste

Black Bin Bags 70L

70 litre black refuse sacks made from 30 micron polythene, on easy tear rolls.

• 15 x 29 x 33in, 70 litres
• 30 micron black polythene
• Rolls of 10, 20 or 50

From £2.90 ex VAT (£3.48 inc VAT)

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Heavier waste needs a thicker sack. The refuse sacks collection includes an extra heavy duty option for builders' rubble and sharp waste.

Comparing Plastic Bag Suppliers

For most businesses, the best plastic bag supplier is one that stocks every bag you use, so a single order covers display, posting and waste.

Plastic bag manufacturers and polythene bag manufacturers extrude the film and make bags in long runs. They suit businesses that need printed bags or a custom size in very large numbers. Poly bag manufacturers and plastic sack manufacturers usually set high minimum orders for that reason.

A plastic bag distributor or a stockist sells standard sizes in smaller quantities. That is the simpler route if you need a few thousand bags a month across several sizes. Poly bags wholesale suppliers that also stock boxes and tape save you managing two or three separate deliveries. The guide to wholesale packaging supplies explains how volume pricing works across the whole range.

Ask any supplier for the film, gauge or micron, size and quantity per pack. Those four figures let you compare plastic bags wholesale prices fairly.

Bags for Different Kinds of Business

The right mix of bags depends on what you sell and how you send it.

Clothing and Textile Sellers

A folded garment usually goes into a clear OPP bag to keep it clean, then into a grey or white mailing bag for the post. Two or three OPP sizes and two mailing bag sizes cover most ranges. Check that the OPP bag fits inside the mailing bag with the garment folded, so you are not forced up a mailing bag size.

Crafters, Card and Print Sellers

Cards and prints look best in crystal clear OPP, which protects them from fingerprints and damp. Clear bags wholesale packs of 100 suit a small studio. For posting, flat items travel better in a stiff envelope or a large letter box than in a soft bag.

Warehouses and Workshops

Larger sites use big polythene bags to cover stock, protect parts and line containers, and they get through refuse sacks quickly. Thicker gauges are worth paying for here, because a torn bag means repacking. A warehouse also tends to buy every bag line from one supplier, so it can add them to a single regular delivery with its boxes and tape.

Buying Bulk Plastic Bags Without Overstocking

Buy the sizes you use every week in volume, and keep occasional sizes in small quantities.

1. List each bag size you used last month and how many.
2. Add 10 to 20 percent for busy weeks and spoiled bags.
3. Cover one or two months for each size you use weekly.
4. Buy occasional sizes only when a job needs them.
5. Store bags flat in their boxes, somewhere dry and away from heat.

Bulk poly bags and bulk clear bags store well because they are flat and light, but a cupboard of unused sizes is still money tied up. Small plastic bags bulk orders, such as OPP bags for cards, are easy to overbuy because each pack looks inexpensive.

Plastic Bag Buying Checklist

• Decide the job first: storage, display, posting or waste.
• Choose polythene for protection and OPP for display.
• Check gauge or micron against the heaviest item.
• Pick two or three core sizes for each bag you use.
• Use opaque mailing bags for anything that goes through the post on its own.
• Compare suppliers on film, thickness, size and quantity per pack.
• Store bags flat, dry and away from heat.

Stocking the Right Bags

Match each bag to its job, choose the thinnest film that does that job safely, and buy your weekly sizes in volume. Every bag mentioned here is in the mailing and polythene bags collection, apart from the refuse sacks, which have their own range.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do plastic bag suppliers usually sell to businesses?

Most sell clear polythene bags for storage and product protection, clear OPP bags for display, opaque mailing bags for posting, and refuse sacks for waste. Pack Solution stocks each of these, including Transparent OPP Bags in 10 sizes and Grey Mailing Bags in 16 sizes.

What is the difference between polythene and OPP bags?

Polythene bags are soft, slightly cloudy and stretch a little before they tear, which suits storage and protection. OPP bags are made from oriented polypropylene, which is crisper, glossier and clearer, so products look better on display. OPP bags tear more easily if a sharp corner presses on them.

What does gauge mean on poly bags wholesale listings?

Gauge is a UK measure of film thickness. Four gauge equals one micron, so 100 gauge film is 25 micron and 200 gauge is 50 micron. A higher gauge means a thicker, stronger bag that costs more per bag.

Are wholesale cello bags the same as OPP bags?

In everyday use, yes. Cello bags were originally made from cellophane, but most clear cello bags sold today are OPP polypropylene. They have the same glossy, crystal clear finish and are used for cards, prints, sweets and folded clothing.

Which bags are best for garment plastic bags wholesale orders?

For display or to keep a folded garment clean inside a parcel, use clear OPP bags. Transparent OPP Bags run from 6.5 x 9 inches up to 18 x 22 inches. To post the garment, put it in an opaque mailing bag such as Grey or White Mailing Bags.

How many bulk plastic bags should I order?

Count the bags you used last month for each size, add a margin of 10 to 20 percent, and cover one or two months. Polythene stores well flat in a dry place, but buying many sizes in small quantities usually costs more than buying a few sizes in larger quantities.

Shop for This Job

• Mailing & Polythene Bags
• Refuse Sacks

Related Guides

• Wholesale Packaging Supplies UK: How Trade Buying Works
• Mailing Bags Wholesale: How Many to Order and Cutting Cost per Parcel
• Plastic Bags Polythene Vs Opp
• Opp Bags Vs Clear Polythene Bags
• Large Clear Plastic Bags Heavy Duty

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