How to Order Custom Paper Bags: A Step-by-Step Guide
The process of ordering custom paper bags puts a surprising number of businesses off - not because it is genuinely complicated, but because it is unfamiliar. What information do you need to have ready? How long does it take? What happens if the proof does not look right?
This is a straightforward walkthrough of how it works at British Bag Co, from first contact to delivery. If you have been thinking about ordering and have not quite started, this should answer most of the practical questions.
Step 1: Know roughly what you need
You do not need to arrive at the first conversation with a fully formed specification. But it helps to have thought about a few things in advance.
Bag type. Twisted handle, flat tape handle, or grab bag. If you are not sure, our post on the three formats covers the differences - or you can request a sample pack and decide once you have held them.
Approximate size. Think about the products that will go into the bag most often and how they need to sit. Width, height, and gusset depth - though if you are not confident on gusset depth, that is fine, we can work through it together.
Quantity. Our minimum is 1,000 units. Most businesses ordering for the first time start there and reorder once they have a sense of how quickly they go through bags.
Your artwork. More on this below - but knowing at the outset whether you have print-ready files, or whether that is something you need to resolve, saves time later.
Step 2: Get in touch and receive a quote
Fill in the quote form here or drop us an email with the broad details of what you are after. We aim to turn quotes around within 24 to 48 hours.
The quote will set out the price per thousand bags for your chosen specification, clearly. If you want to compare options - 80gsm versus 100gsm paper, for instance, or two different sizes - we can quote those alongside each other so the decision is straightforward.
There is no obligation at the quote stage. We quote a lot of businesses who are still weighing up their options, and we would rather you take the time to make the right decision than feel pushed into anything.
Step 3: Request a sample pack if you have not already
If you have not yet held our bags, this is a good moment. We send out free sample packs to any UK business considering an order - no commitment required.
A sample pack lets you feel the paper weight, test the handle, and see the print quality in natural light. It also makes the size decision much easier: putting your actual product into a sample bag of approximately the right dimensions removes most of the guesswork.
Sample packs typically arrive within a week. If you are working to a deadline, let us know and we will do what we can to speed that up.
Step 4: Confirm your artwork
This is the step that most commonly introduces delay, so it is worth addressing early.
Print-ready artwork means a high-resolution vector file - typically an AI, EPS, or PDF from the designer who created your branding. If you had your logo and brand identity designed professionally, those files exist. Ask whoever did the work for the original source files if you do not have them already.
What we need at minimum is your logo in a format that will reproduce cleanly at the size it will appear on the bag. If you want to use specific brand colours, Pantone references are ideal - if you are working from RGB or CMYK values that is also fine, but Pantone gives the most predictable result in print.
If you are unsure whether your artwork is print-ready, send it across and we will take a look. We would rather flag a potential issue before a proof is produced than after.
Step 5: Approve your proof
Once artwork is confirmed and the order is placed, we produce a visual proof showing exactly how your bag will look - the layout, the proportions, how the artwork sits on the bag, and how the handles relate to the overall composition.
Take time with this. Check that the logo is the right size and positioned where you want it. Check the colours look right on screen, bearing in mind that print colours can vary slightly from screen representation - if colour accuracy is critical, say so and we can discuss how to manage that.
If anything is not right, request the change. Nothing goes to production without your explicit sign-off. A proof revision adds a small amount of time to the process but it is always worth doing if something is not quite right.
Step 6: Production and delivery
Once the proof is approved, your bags go into production. UK manufacturing means turnaround is measured in days and low weeks rather than the months required by suppliers working from overseas factories.
We will keep you informed of the production timeline and flag any changes to the expected delivery date as early as possible. Bags are delivered directly to the address you specify - your shop, your home, your storage unit, wherever makes sense.
How long does the whole process take?
From first contact to delivery, the timeline depends primarily on two things: how quickly artwork can be confirmed, and whether there are any proof revisions required.
In straightforward cases - clean artwork supplied promptly, proof approved first time - the process from order confirmation to delivery can be completed comfortably within a few weeks. If artwork needs work, or if there are multiple proof revisions, allow longer.
The practical advice is not to leave it until you are nearly out of bags. Most businesses that run into problems with bag supply do so because they start the reorder process too late. Once you have been through the process once and know how long it takes for your specific setup, you can plan your reorders accordingly - and we will flag when we think it is time to reorder if you would find that useful.
A note on reordering
Reorders are considerably faster than first orders. Your artwork is already approved, your specification is on file, and the proof stage can be skipped if nothing has changed. If you are happy with your bags and want more of the same, the process is straightforward.
If you want to make changes - an updated logo, a seasonal variation, a different size - the process follows the same steps as a new order, but with the advantage that we already know your business and what you are trying to achieve.
Ready to start? The quickest way is to fill in the quote form here or drop us an email with the broad details of what you need. We will take it from there.
Start your order here.
Your brand. Your bag. Made in Britain.
British Bag Co supplies custom-branded paper bags to independent retailers, food businesses, farm shops, and cafés across the UK. From 1,000 units. UK-manufactured. FSC and PEFC certified paper. Visit www.britishbags.co.uk.
