T-Shirt Bags and the Truth Behind Them
T-Shirt Bags and the truth behind them sounds like some deep dark secrets lurk, but reality is that T-Shirt Bags mean no harm. Below are some general facts about these bags, from measuring to case packing. Hopefully this helps you choose the correct size bag at the right price.
First we start off with measuring, take a standard size Grocery T-Shirt Bag, called 1/6 Barrel in the industry. These generally measure 12? x 7? x 23? (although most of our competitors bags measure significantly smaller yet they continue to call them grocery bags or 1/6 barrel). But we are talking measuring T-Shirt Bags, so in this example the 12? is the width (easy enough right?). The 7? is the gusset. So if you look at the side of the bag and pull it out as far as it can go, ours will measure 7?. The 23? is from the bottom of the bag to the top of the handle. Yes the handle. So the actual use of the bag is generally 5 to 6 inches less than the last number, in this case 23?. Not measuring to the top is the most common mistake customers make when purchasing T-Shirt Bags. The gusset is also important to compare as a smaller gusset will markedly change the volume the bag is capable of holding.
Many companies sell Plastic T-Shirt Bags by the case with no mention of quantity. This is something to beware of as chances are means there will be much less quantity inside than the standard packing. On the 12? x 7? x 23? the standard packing is 1,000. Fetpak prints the quantity inside and the measurement on every carton. If you do not see the quantity printed on the carton, its possible you are being shorted. You may want to do a spot check.
Look at the thickness of the T-Shirt Bag. On High Density T-Shirt Bags the thickness of 12? x 7? x 23? grocery size should be at least 13 Microns. 25 Microns = 1 Mil. Never purchase a T-Shirt Bag with microns below 11, even small sizes should be 11. The larger the bag, the higher the microns should be. Depending on the size, but bags larger than grocery size should range from 16 to 20 microns.
Quality of plastic is also a factor to consider. This is the most difficult to determine since you must physically test the bag. Many bag companies use filler in the composition of the bags. This weakens the bags, but saves the company a substantial amount of money as less resin is used. In effect they are cheating you so they will never tell you that filler is being used. If you touch the bag and feel a filmy residue then filler was used. If buying online you should only buy from a company you can trust, for example Fetpak. ?
Follow the above advice and use the right size bags, with the correct count and composition you are paying for. And of course only purchase from a trustworthy company.