Butcher Paper Bags

What are butcher paper bags?

Butcher paper bags are bags folded and glued from the same 40 lb stock as our rolls and sheets. The paper is thicker than a standard bakery bag, so a bag of jerky does not tear at the corners and a greasy sausage does not soak through in the first hour.

Jerky brands pack 4 oz and 8 oz in them. Sausage makers slide a ring of links into a gusseted bag. Delis and sandwich counters use the flat bag for a roll or a half sandwich, and bakeries use the white one for a pastry.

Each bag carries a print on the front panel. The back can be plain or carry a short line of text, as the first photo shows. Both photos are single-logo layouts on white stock.

Flat or gusseted: which bag fits what?

A flat bag is two layers glued at the sides and bottom. A gusseted bag has a pleat in each side and a bottom that opens out, so it stands and holds bulk. The table pairs the four typical bags with what goes in them.

Flat bags for jerky, gusseted bags for sausage links: that split covers most needs. Other sizes are a custom make on the quote.

How does a butcher paper bag handle grease and moisture?

Brown kraft hides grease marks; white shows them. A bag of fresh sausage will show a damp patch on white within an hour, so brown is the better pick for raw product. For dry jerky or a pastry, white stays clean all day.

The paper is uncoated, so it breathes. A hot sandwich in a butcher paper bag keeps its crust where a plastic sleeve would steam it. Jerky stays dry because the bag does not trap moisture against it.

Grease still travels through 40 lb paper over hours, not minutes. For sausage sold to take home, the bag is a carry bag, not long-term storage. Links left in a bag all night will show it by morning.

Where does the logo land on a bag?

Unlike a sheet, a bag has a fixed front panel. That means a single centered logo works, and it is the layout most buyers want. The mark sits in the top third of the panel so it still shows when the bag is folded over at the top.

A repeat pattern works on gusseted bags, where the pleats and sides wrap around and a continuous pattern hides the folds. Set it at 3 in spacing on a 6 in wide bag so at least one full mark shows on the front.

No bleed is needed on a repeat. A centered logo should sit at least half an inch from the side seams and the bottom glue line, since those areas fold under. Bags print on the front only unless you ask for the back.

White or brown kraft bags?

Brown kraft bags take one dark ink: black is the usual choice, and a dark red or deep green reads nearly as well. Two colors on kraft looks muddy; keep it to one.

White bags take one to four colors and hold Pantone solid-coated matches, which is why a bright, multi-color design belongs on white. The second photo shows that kind of job, and it only works on that stock. The white butcher paper color page explains the stock itself.

Both bags are the same 40 lb weight and the same construction. The choice is only about how the print reads and how much grease you want to hide.

What artwork works on a printed bag?

• A vector logo (AI, PDF or SVG) with text converted to outlines
• A 300 dpi PNG at the printed size if no vector exists
• Pantone solid-coated numbers for each color on a white bag
• The bag size and style, flat or gusseted
• Any back-panel text, such as ingredients or a tagline, as plain text
• Whether you want one centered mark or a repeat

Try the layout in Design Your Butcher Paper Bags to see the mark on a front panel before asking for the proof.

Who uses printed butcher paper bags?

Jerky brands at farmers markets pack 8 oz in an 8 x 10 in flat bag; the logo on the front does the selling where a sticker would peel.

Sausage makers fit a ring of links or a pound of brats in the 6 x 3 x 11 in gusseted bag, which stands up in a cooler case. The 8 x 4 x 14 in bag takes a full sandwich on a hoagie roll for a deli lunch line.

Bakeries and cafes use the white 6 x 9 in bag for a pastry or a sausage roll over the counter. It is the same paper as the butcher's bag; only the print and the stock color change.

Mistakes to avoid when ordering bags

• Ordering a flat bag for links; the ring does not fit without a gusset
• Printing white or yellow on brown kraft
• Placing the logo at the bottom of the panel, where the bag folds under
• Choosing white for raw sausage and then seeing grease spots in the case
• Sending a logo with text too small to read at 2 in wide

Put a sample of the product in a plain bag of the size you plan to print. If it needs forcing, go up a size.

How do I order butcher paper bags?

Bags are priced from $0.30 a bag, with the exact figure on a written quote inside one business day. Minimum 1,000 bags of one size.

1. Send the quote form with the bag size, style, stock color, ink count and quantity.
2. Send the logo and any back text. A free proof follows, with edits until it is right.
3. Approve the proof. Bags print and form in 4 to 6 business days.
4. Free tracked delivery to any US address, 2 to 3 business days.
5. Check the carton. Report misprints or damage within 10 days with photos for a reprint or refund.