Custom Chip Bags

Greaseproof Paper and Why It Matters

The paper is the heart of a good chip bag. Greaseproof paper is made dense enough that oil sits on the surface rather than soaking straight through, so the bag stays clean on the outside for longer. A heavier grammage holds its shape better and feels sturdier in the hand, while a lighter paper is more economical and still fine for quick, eat-now portions.

White greaseproof gives bright, sharp printing and looks clean. Brown kraft-coloured greaseproof has a traditional, rustic look that suits gourmet chip shops and street food stalls. Food-contact grade paper is available on request, and we can advise on the right grade if your chips are particularly oily or come loaded with sauces and toppings.

For fried food served very hot, the bag sometimes goes inside a paper cone, tray or box. In that case the bag itself can be lighter because it is not carrying the full weight on its own. The same coated sheet is sold loose as greaseproof paper sold by the sheet.

Sizing by Portion

Chip bags are usually sized to match your portion sizes rather than a set measurement. Think about your small, regular and large portions and how high you fill the bag. A small portion for a kids' meal might fit a bag around 100 mm wide and 150 mm tall, while a large chippy portion needs something nearer 160 mm wide and 250 mm tall, or a gusseted satchel bag that opens wider.

If you serve fries in a box as part of a meal deal, measure the box and choose a bag that slides in neatly. Gusseted bags are worth considering for big portions because the extra width at the base stops the bag tipping over on a tray or counter.

It is worth testing your real portions before you order a large run. Fill a plain bag the way staff normally would, at the speed they normally work, and see whether the chips sit comfortably below the top with room to fold or hold. A bag that is slightly too small leads to over-full portions spilling on the counter, while one that is too large makes a generous portion look stingy. Most shops end up with two or three sizes that cover everything on the menu. Portions that need a box rather than a bag go in our fries boxes for meal deals.

Printing on Greaseproof

Greaseproof paper is usually printed with one or two strong colours, which suit bold logos and hand-drawn designs and keep costs down on large runs. Full colour printing is possible for more detailed artwork. Food-grade inks are used throughout, and we leave the top edge clear so the print does not sit where the bag is folded or torn.

Design for the way the bag is held. The front panel, facing outward from the hand, is where your logo should go. A repeat pattern across the whole bag looks great in photos and hides small grease marks, while a central logo on plain paper looks clean and classic. Adding your website, social handle or a short slogan to the side gives people a way to find you again.

Making Chip Bags Part of Your Brand

Independent chip shops compete on character, and packaging is a cheap way to show it. Some shops print a short line about their beef dripping or their potato supplier. Others go for a retro look with bold type and a two-colour stripe. Burger vans often match the chip bag to their burger wrap and box so a meal deal looks like a set. Festival traders pick a bright colour that is easy to spot in a crowd.

If you also use branded wrapping paper, cones or boxes, keep the colours and logo position consistent across all of them so your counter looks put together rather than mismatched.

Think about storage behind the counter as well. Chip bags are usually stacked flat in a dispenser or on a shelf beside the fryer, where heat and steam can make paper curl. Keeping only a day or two of bags near the range and the rest in a cool, dry store keeps them flat and easy to open. Ordering in a size and quantity that fits your storage avoids bundles of bags going limp before they are used. Fish suppers in the same colours are served from our fish and chip boxes in matching print.

Fill a Plain Bag With Your Regular Portion

Chip bags are sized by the scoop, so the quickest way to get the size right is to fill a plain paper bag with your standard regular and large portions and measure how full each one is. If the regular reaches the top, you need a taller bag or a gusset; if it sits at two thirds, the size is right. Tell us those two sizes, the paper colour and how many ink colours your logo uses, because one or two colours on greaseproof is cheaper than full colour and usually looks better. Artwork should be a vector logo, and if you want a repeat pattern, send the tile and we lay it across the bag on a free proof. The quote arrives by email within one working day and small runs are quoted per job. Bags are printed 4–7 working days after approval and delivered free and tracked to UK mainland addresses in 2–3 working days. Meal deals that pair chips with a burger are boxed in our burger and chip boxes for combos.