Paper Bag Printing in Sivakasi — Kraft and Art Card Carry Bags in Bulk
Retail carry bags, food takeaway bags, gifting bags and exhibition bags, made from the same board and the same press floor as the cartons — with the handle type priced separately, because it is a real part of the cost.
In short
Printed paper bags start at a MOQ of 2,000 pieces. A medium kraft bag printed in one colour runs ₹6.50–₹12 per bag at 5,000; a 250 GSM art card bag, 4-colour with matt lamination and cotton handles, runs ₹18–₹34. Lead time is 10–15 days.
Reviewed 20 September 2026 · kraft and art card rates re-checked quarterly; handle and eyelet costs reviewed annually
Paper bag rates by material and quantity
Bag pricing is board area plus handle plus hand-assembly. Sizes below are medium, roughly 250 × 320 × 100 mm; small is about 25–35% less and large about 40–60% more.
| Bag type | 2,000 pcs | 5,000 pcs | 10,000 pcs | 50,000 pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kraft, one colour150 GSM natural kraft, flat paper handle | ₹8 – 15 | ₹6.50 – 12 | ₹5.50 – 10 | ₹4.40 – 8 |
| Kraft, four colour150 GSM kraft, twisted paper handle | ₹12 – 22 | ₹9.50 – 18 | ₹8 – 15 | ₹6.50 – 12 |
| Art card, laminated250 GSM art card, 4-colour, matt lam, cotton handle | ₹22 – 42 | ₹18 – 34 | ₹15 – 29 | ₹12 – 23 |
| Art card, heavy300 GSM art card, 4-colour, rope handle with eyelets | ₹28 – 54 | ₹23 – 44 | ₹19 – 37 | ₹15 – 29 |
| Food-grade takeawaySBS or grease-resistant kraft, 1–2 colours | ₹11 – 20 | ₹9 – 16 | ₹7.50 – 14 | ₹6 – 11 |
| Flat pouch bagKraft or art paper, no gusset, no handle | ₹3.20 – 6.50 | ₹2.60 – 5.20 | ₹2.10 – 4.20 | ₹1.70 – 3.40 |
Handles — the line most quotes hide
A handle can be a fifth of a bag's cost and is fitted by hand on most Indian bag production. Choosing one before you design the bag is worth doing.
| Handle | How it is fitted | Added cost per bag | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat paper handle | Glued inside the top fold | ₹0.70 – ₹1.60 | Kraft grocery and takeaway bags |
| Twisted paper handle | Glued inside a reinforced top strip | ₹1.20 – ₹2.60 | Retail and boutique bags where a paper look is wanted |
| Cotton tape handle | Knotted through punched holes or glued | ₹2.20 – ₹5.00 | Gifting and premium retail; the most common upgrade |
| Rope with eyelet | Threaded through metal eyelets | ₹3.20 – ₹7.50 | Heavy bags, exhibition bags, anything carrying weight |
| Ribbon handle | Knotted through punched holes | ₹2.80 – ₹6.50 | Gift bags, wedding and event packaging |
| Die-cut handle | Cut into the bag itself, no separate handle | Included in the die | Lightweight bags; tears if the bag is loaded properly |
What actually decides whether a paper bag works
Paper bags fail in three places and all three are specification decisions rather than manufacturing ones. The first is the handle attachment: a bag rated for 2 kg with a die-cut handle will tear at the handle the first time someone puts 3 kg in it. If the bag carries weight, use eyelets and rope, or a properly glued cotton tape with a reinforcing strip under it.
The second is the base. A bag with a simple folded base and no gusset reinforcement will split along the base fold under load, particularly if it has been laminated — lamination stiffens the sheet and makes the fold a crease that wants to crack. A glued base patch costs very little and prevents the entire failure mode.
The third is the board weight. A 150 GSM kraft bag is fine for a garment or a paperback; it is not fine for two glass jars. For anything with real weight, 250 GSM art card or 200 GSM kraft is the floor, and below 120 GSM you are making a paper pouch rather than a carry bag whatever the drawing says.
On material choice, the honest position is that unlaminated kraft is both the cheapest option and the most genuinely recyclable one, and it happens to be fashionable. A matt-laminated art card bag looks more expensive and is much harder to recycle in Indian waste streams. If the sustainability claim matters to your brand, print one colour on unlaminated kraft and say so on the bag — it will cost you half as much as the laminated version and the claim will survive scrutiny.
Questions we answer daily
What does a printed paper bag cost in India?
A medium kraft bag printed one colour with a flat paper handle runs ₹8–₹15 at 2,000 pieces and ₹6.50–₹12 at 5,000. A 250 GSM art card bag, 4-colour with matt lamination and cotton handles, runs ₹22–₹42 at 2,000 and ₹18–₹34 at 5,000. Handles are ₹0.70–₹7.50 depending on type.
What is the minimum order for paper bags?
Two thousand pieces per design and size. Bags carry a die, plates and a hand-assembly setup, all of which are fixed costs. Below 2,000 the die alone dominates the price, and a digital printer with a plotter cutter will do a small run more cheaply.
Which GSM should a paper bag be?
One hundred and fifty GSM kraft for light retail and takeaway, 200 GSM kraft or 250 GSM art card for anything carrying real weight, and 300 GSM art card for premium gifting. Below 120 GSM you have a pouch, not a carry bag. The handle and base construction matter as much as the weight.
Are kraft bags more sustainable than laminated ones?
Yes, materially so. Unlaminated kraft recycles readily in Indian waste streams; a matt-laminated art card bag largely does not, whatever the board underneath was certified as. Unlaminated kraft is also roughly half the price, which makes it the rare decision that is cheaper and better.
Can you make food-grade takeaway bags?
Yes, on SBS or grease-resistant kraft with food-contact inks, running ₹9–₹16 a bag at 5,000. Grease resistance comes from the paper itself rather than from a coating for anything that will hold hot or oily food, because a coating that survives a fryer is a different and more expensive specification.
Why do paper bags tear at the handle?
Almost always because a die-cut or lightly glued handle was specified for a bag that carries more weight than it was designed for. For anything above about 2 kg, use rope through metal eyelets or a cotton tape glued under a reinforcing strip. It adds ₹2–₹7 a bag and removes the only complaint anyone makes about paper bags.
How long do paper bags take to produce?
Ten to fifteen days from artwork approval and advance, longer if the die has to be cut fresh. Handle fitting and base gluing are hand operations, so the schedule depends on the finishing queue as much as on the press — and that queue is fullest between August and November.
Related pages
- Monocarton & box printing The same board, the same press, a different structure
- Label & sticker printing For anything the bag will carry
- Paper & GSM guide Kraft, art card and what each weight will hold
- Printing cost in India 2026 Bag rates beside cartons and labels
- Get a quote Size, material, handle type, quantity
- Contact Send a photograph of the bag you buy now
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