Plastic Bag Thickness Explained.
Just as important as length and width, it is also important to specify the right bag thickness for the bags you are ordering. Before specifying a bag’s thickness, think about the application. - What item(s) will your bag contain? Consider both the size and weight of the item(s). For example, a heavy, medium-sized item would require a thicker bag than a light, large-sized item.
- Does your bag need to provide protection? If the item is delicate or easily scratched, use a thicker bag.
- How long will your bag be used? If you want the bag to be reusable, specify a thickness of at least 2 mils (.002”).
What is a Mil?Bag weight is measured by a micrometer (pictured above). A Mil is a unit of measurement used to describe the thickness of plastic film in thousands of an inch. To provide context, a human hair is about 1 mil. Mils are sometimes listed in decimal format as thousands of an inch.
1 mil = 1/1000 inch or 0.001
The best way to understand the thickness of a Mil is to share some examples of common everyday bags and their associated Mil thicknesses: - A grocery store bag is 0.5 mil
- A dry-cleaning bag is 0.75 mil
- A bread bag is 1.5 mils thick
- A freezer bags is generally 1.75 mils
- A retail shopping bag is usually 2 mils
Choosing the Right Mil Thickness
Use the guidelines below when choosing the Mil thickness of the product you are looking for. Keep in mind that the clarity of a bag is also affected by the thickness. A 4 Mil bag would not be a clear as a 1 mil bag.
Thickness | Protection Level | Uses | 1 mil bags | Lightweight | Perfect for packaging of lightweight products, 1 mil bags are an economical choice.
| 1.5 - 2 mil bags | Lightweight | This is the most commonly used thicknesses for storing, shipping, or displaying everyday items. 1.5 mil – 2 mil bags also offer lightweight protection from dirt and moisture
| 3 - 4 mil bags | Heavy duty | Heavy duty 3 mil and 4 mil bags protect and support heavy & abrasive items. The offer protection for hardware, nuts, bolts and industrial parts.
| 6 mil bags | Extra heavy duty | Our toughest stock bags, 6 mil bags offer total protection for the heaviest products. These bags provide extra heavy-duty protection against punctures and tears on bulky items or items with sharp corners.
|
Still not sure which type to choose for your product?
Email or call us at 1-800-569-1266
|
