Bag style determines how the bag is converted: how it’s sealed, cut and finished. That sets which equipment it runs on.

A flat bag is the simplest to produce. A poly mailer adds a captive flap and adhesive closure. A wicketed bag adds a reinforced lip, wicket holes and stacking, 250 bags per wicket as standard. Handles, drawtapes, headers and resealable closures each add a converting step.

If you’re replacing a bag you already use, name the style you have now. If you’re not sure what style fits, choose “Other” on the quote form and describe how the bag will be filled and used. That’s usually enough for us to recommend one.

Size is the biggest driver of material cost, because it sets how much film goes into every bag. On a 50,000-bag order, an extra inch on each bag adds up fast.

Give dimensions in inches, width first. Width is measured across the opening; length runs from the opening to the bottom seal. Excellent Poly produces custom sizes from 3″ × 4″ up to 30″ × 52″.

Three things that help you get the best measurements:

• Measure the packed product, not the flat one. A 10″ × 12″ folded garment that’s 2″ thick needs more than a 10″ × 12″ bag.
• Call out gussets separately. A bottom gusset (0.25″ to 12″ on our bags) lets the bag expand for bulky or boxed items without increasing the face size.
• Clarify flaps, lips and headers. Say whether your dimensions include them. This is the most common sizing mix-up on quotes.

Gauge is measured in mils (thousandths of an inch) and drives both strength and cost. Thicker film uses more resin per bag, so over-specifying raises your unit price on every bag in the run. Under-specifying leads to punctures, split seams and returns.

Our quote form offers 1 to 3 mil in quarter-mil steps, and we produce up to 6 mil for heavy-duty applications. The right gauge depends on what goes in the bag, how much it weighs and how it’s handled. A bakery bag that goes from line to shelf needs far less than a mailer that travels through the parcel network.

Film type matters as much as thickness. Polyethylene is flexible and tough, polypropylene is clearer and stiffer, and co-extruded films can sometimes deliver the strength you need at a lower gauge. If you’re unsure, leave gauge as “Other” and tell us about the contents; we’ll recommend one. 

As a rough starting point:

• About 1 to 1.5 mil: lightweight items such as baked goods, produce and soft retail goods
• About 2 to 3 mil: shipping, heavier products and repeated handling
• Above 3 mil: heavy, sharp or industrial contents

If you're unsure, tell us what goes in the bag and we'll recommend a gauge. Overly thick bags can add cost while bags that are specified too thin can risk tears and returns.

The 30,000-unit minimum exists because every custom run carries setup: film extrusion, printing plates and press and converting setup. Above the minimum, that setup cost is spread across more bags, so per-bag price typically drops as quantity rises.

That makes quantity worth some planning:

Quote two or three quantities. Pricing at 50,000 and 100,000 shows you where the price breaks are, so you can decide whether a larger run is worth the inventory.
Think in annual usage, not one order. If you use 200,000 bags a year, a larger, less frequent order may cost less per bag than several minimum runs.
Note planned reorders. If this will be a recurring item, say so. It helps us plan materials and keep the spec consistent from run to run.

Excellent Poly uses flexographic printing, up to 10 colors. In flexo, each ink color is printed from its own plate, so the number of colors directly affects setup cost and price. A one-color logo and a six-color design on the same bag are very different quotes. To count colors accurately:

• Count each distinct ink, not “full color.” A logo in black, red and a Pantone blue is three colors.
• Note flood coats. A solid background color covering most of the bag, such as white on a mailer, counts as a color and uses more ink.
• Say whether you print one side or two, and whether the designs differ.
• Specify brand colors by Pantone (PMS) number, so color matches from run to run.

We can also do unprinted bags. Just select “No” under Printed and the quote covers film and converting only.

Give the date you need bags on your dock, not the date you plan to order. Our standard lead time is 2 to 3 weeks from artwork approval, plus transit to your facility. Because we manufacture in the USA, there’s no ocean freight, port congestion or customs time to build in.

If your date is tight, letting us know up front can help. Rush production is available depending on current capacity, and knowing the deadline early is what makes it possible. If the date is tied to a product launch, a seasonal peak or a line changeover, mention that too. It tells us how firm the date is.

The quote form fields cover the basics. The “Additional Details” box is where you tell us what the fields can’t, and it can provide the best information to avoid delays. When possible, try to include details such as:

• What goes in the bag and its approximate weight. This decides gauge and film.
• How bags are filled: by hand, from a wicket, or on semi-automatic or automatic baggers. Automated lines may need specific lip sizes, wicket hole spacing or venting.
• Food contact. Our food-contact bags use FDA-compliant materials, and we can provide compliance documentation for your vendor approval process.
• Closure: captive flap, permanent tape, resealable tape, drawtape, heat seal or open.
• Special features: venting or micro-perforations, perforated tear-offs, tamper-evident seals, sequential numbering.
• Film preference or clarity needs, such as high-clarity film for retail display.
• Packing: standard case packing, or custom counts per case for your receiving process.
• The bag you use now, if any: its size, gauge and what you’d like to change.