Custom Branded Kraft Bags

Printing on Brown Paper

Kraft is brown, so inks behave differently than they do on white. Dark colours, such as black, navy, forest green and deep red, print with strong contrast and look sharp. Light colours, like pale yellow or pastel pink, sink into the brown and look muted. If your brand uses light colours, consider printing a white base first, or choose white kraft paper instead.

One or two-colour designs are the most popular. A logo on one side and a web address or social handle on the other is classic. Some shops print a pattern all over the bag in one ink for a bolder look. Keep fine text above about 8 pt so it does not fill in on the textured paper surface.

The gusset, the folded side panel of the bag, is an often-forgotten print area. A short line or your web address there shows when the bag is carried at someone's side, which is how most people actually see it in the street.

If you plan to stamp or sticker bags by hand for events or offers, leave a plain area on one face. It gives flexibility without reprinting. Our finish guide covers the ink colours that work on kraft if you are unsure about contrast.

Picking Sizes for a Shop

Most shops need two or three bag sizes. A small bag of about 180 x 80 x 220 mm suits jewellery, cards and cosmetics. A medium bag of around 260 x 120 x 300 mm suits books, clothing and gifts. A large bag of about 320 x 140 x 420 mm suits shoes, homeware and larger purchases. Cafés often need a takeaway bag sized for two cups in a carrier or a couple of pastries.

Measure your most common purchase and pick a bag that fits it with a little room. Bags that are too big look half empty, and the extra paper costs money with every sale.

Wine merchants and bottle shops often need a tall, narrow bag for one or two bottles. A size of about 180 x 90 x 390 mm suits a single bottle, while a bag around 230 x 120 x 360 mm holds two side by side. For a weekly shop, our larger kraft grocery bags have the wide base a veg box needs.

Paper Weight and Strength

Kraft carrier bags usually use paper of 80–120 gsm. Lighter weights suit food and small items. Heavier weights, combined with a reinforced base and handle patches, carry heavier goods such as wine bottles and books. If customers often buy heavy items, ask about a base card insert, which stops the bag sagging and keeps its shape.

For bakeries and delis, grease-resistant kraft paper keeps oil from pastries and sandwiches from marking the bag.

Handle colour is a small detail that adds polish. Natural kraft handles look rustic, while black or white handles make a bag feel smarter. Matching handles to your logo colour is a simple way to tie everything together.

If you want a crisper look, white kraft paper with the same handles keeps the natural texture while showing colours more brightly.

Shops That Hand Over a Brown Bag

Independent boutiques, gift shops and bookshops are big users. Cafés, bakeries, delis and sandwich shops use smaller bags for takeaway orders. Farm shops and greengrocers use them for produce. Market traders and craft fair sellers like them because they pack flat and carry the brand. Florists use them for small bunches and plant pots, and pharmacies use plain no-handle bags with a printed logo.

Hotels and attractions use branded kraft bags in gift shops, and event organisers hand them out with programmes and merchandise at conferences and festivals. Food businesses usually pair these with takeaway paper bags for hot food in the same print.

Choose the Paper Weight by What Goes in the Bag

Kraft bags are priced mostly by paper weight and handle type, so match both to your heaviest typical sale rather than your lightest. A deli handing over bread and a jar needs a heavier paper, a card base and reinforced handle patches; a card shop selling greetings cards can use a lighter sheet and flat handles. Weigh a full bag from your counter and tell us the figure. For print, dark inks on brown kraft read best, and a single colour printed on both faces costs little more than one, so plan a logo on one side and a printed label or sticker area or web address on the other.

Send the sizes, paper weight, handle type and quantity with your artwork and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day. The free proof shows each face and the gussets. Bags are made in 4 to 7 working days once approved and arrive flat in bundles by tracked courier. Torn or misprinted bags reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded, so check a bundle when it lands.