Paper Bags: 5 Benefits of Using Them
Looking for a packaging solution for your business? It may be time to consider using paper bags again. Paper has been used for centuries to wrap anything from everyday items to expensive gifts. But paper packaging lost favor among businesses and consumers with the invention of plastic. Now, it’s making a comeback.
Today, more and more businesses are rediscovering the benefits of using paper bags, from your local coffee shop to international retail brands. In this post, we’ll explore some of these benefits, including minimizing your costs and saving the planet. Ready? Let’s get started.
1. They’re easy to handle.
Paper bags are especially lightweight. This has several benefits. For one, this makes paper bags easier to transport, which may have a considerable impact on your transportation costs, particularly if you import your bags.
Lightweight bags are also ideal for carrying lighter items on the go like food and clothing. Now add handles to these bags and they can be a more convenient way to carry groceries and other shopping items.
2: They’re durable.
In dry conditions, paper bags can display exceptional durability, with some bags able to carry loads up to 12 kg without tearing. This is especially the case with paper bags made from virgin kraft paper, which are meant for heavy-duty use. Even when using recycled materials, paper bags can still offer great tear resistance. This gives you the right balance between durability and eco-friendliness. So when your packaging needs exceptional tear resistance, go for paper bags made of high-quality materials.
3: They cost less.
Even the little things add up when you run a business. This is why paper bags are suitable if you want packaging that’s easier on your budget. On average, paper bags cost around (cost of paper bags)—an exceptional value for money. You’ll feel the difference in savings when paper bags are a business essential, such as at a restaurant or a coffee shop where the bulk of your expenses typically go to packaging to-go items. The same is true when you’re in retail.
4: They’re easy to customize.
Your paper bags aren’t just for carrying your products—these can also play a crucial role as a marketing tool. This is why having a customized paper bag is more effective than having a plain bag.
If you wish to go the more affordable route, then you can stamp or silkscreen your brand or logo on to the paper bag itself. Or you can also class it up by taking it to a professional printer or have it embossed. Whatever your budget and whatever audience you’re targeting, there’s no better way to promote your brand than with a paper bag. Sure, you can also do that with plastic bags, but these don’t have the personality or recall than custom paper bags.
5: They’re environmentally friendly.
Paper bags and other paper products have gotten a bad rap when it comes to eco-friendliness. Many still believe that paper products cause deforestation, and are therefore harmful to the planet. However, today’s paper bags are sourced from so-called ‘managed forests’. As the name would suggest, these forests are designed to grow and produce trees used in paper products more sustainably. For every tree that is cut down, several are planted in place of it. In the United States, for example, private owners of forestlands follow strict standards to ensure that the country maintains its 766 million acres of forestland.
Not all paper bags need to come directly from managed forests. The great thing about paper products is that these can be recycled to produce more paper products. In fact, the cellulose fibers found in paper bags can be recycled six times. At the end of its life, the recycled paper can then be composted where it will decompose naturally, causing no harm to the environment. This isn’t as simple for plastic bags. Recycling plastics is costly and time-consuming, so it’s not really in the interest of companies to recycle these. Plastic has another important downside: it can take hundreds, even thousands of years before it decomposes completely.
