Paper Bags with Printed Header Cards and Die-Cut Handles

How does a header card bag work?

The bag is a plain square-bottom kraft bag. You fill it, fold the top down once or twice, then slide the folded card over the fold.

The card is fixed through the bag top, which holds the bag shut. A hand hole cut through the card becomes the handle. The result is a closed, branded pack that a customer can pick up and carry without opening.

Who uses paper bags with header cards?

This style suits anything that leaves your hands packed and closed. The customer gets a neat pack, and you only pay to print a small card.

Food businesses use it for lunch kits and catered boxes. Retailers use it for bundles such as coffee and a mug, or a soap set. Corporate gift teams and event organizers like it because the card can carry a name or a message.

• School and office lunch kits
• Catered meals packed per person
• Retail bundles and seasonal gift sets
• Corporate gifts with a branded card
• Workshop and class kits handed out to attendees

Why print the card instead of the bag?

Printing a small card costs less than printing a whole bag, and the card can use better paper. A coated card with full color or foil looks sharp above a natural kraft bag.

It also lets you use one plain bag for many products. Change the card, and the same bag becomes a lunch kit, a holiday pack or a launch gift. For bags printed all over instead, see our printed paper shopping bags.

What can go on the header card?

The front of the card is your shop window. The back faces the customer once they lift the pack, so it is a good place for details.

Plan both panels before you send artwork, and leave the handle area clear.

What size header card bag fits a lunch kit?

Size the bag to the contents plus the fold. A sandwich box, drink and snack often fit a 6 × 4 × 12 inch bag, measured before folding.

Allow two to three inches of extra height for the folded top that the card grips. The card width can match the bag or sit narrower, as in our photo. Lunch bag sizes such as #6 and #8 are a good starting point; our plain paper lunch bags page lists them.

Bag paper and card stock

The bag is usually natural brown kraft, which keeps it plain and calm under a printed card. White kraft is an option when the card uses light colors.

The card is a thicker stock than the bag, so the handle stays firm. Coated card takes full-color print and lamination well. Uncoated card suits a handwritten look or a space for names. Our guide comparing kraft and white bags helps if you are choosing the bag color.

Filling and closing header card bags

Header card bags arrive flat, with the cards supplied folded and ready to fit. Filling and closing is quick once you set up a simple line.

• Open the bag fully so the square base sits flat
• Load the heaviest item first and keep the top inches empty
• Fold the top down neatly, with the crease straight across
• Fit the card over the fold so its hole sits central
• Check the hand holes in the card line up front and back

Can a header card bag hang on a retail peg?

Yes, and that is one reason shops like it. The hand hole in the card can slip over a retail peg or hook. Packs then hang in a row at eye level.

For peg display, keep the pack light and the card firm. A heavy bag pulls the card forward and the pack tilts. Ask for a thicker card stock if the contents are dense, such as jars or tins. Print the product name high on the card, so it shows above the pack in front.

Shops selling loose coffee or tea in these packs should line the contents first. For roasted beans, our paper coffee bags are made for the job and can sit inside a header card bag.

Common mistakes with header card bags

Overfilling is the main one. Pack the bag to the brim and no paper is left to fold. The card then sits crooked.

Another is putting key text where the hand hole goes. Fingers cover the area around the hole, and the cut removes part of it. Finally, some buyers order a card wider than the bag, which looks untidy at the edges. Your proof shows the card on the bag, so check its width there.

How do I order paper bags with header cards?

Send us what goes inside and your card artwork. We size the bag and card together.

1. Tell us the contents, or the bag size you want.
2. Choose brown or white kraft for the bag.
3. Upload artwork for the card front and back.
4. Pick the card finish: uncoated, matte or gloss, plus any foil.
5. Receive a written quote, from $0.30 per set, and approve the free proof.
6. Bags and cards are made together over 4–6 business days. A tracked parcel follows 2–3 business days later. Shipping is free to any US, UK, Canadian or Australian address.

Using header card bags for events and seasons

Because the card does the branding, you can run several designs on one bag. A spring set, a Halloween pack and a wedding favor kit can all share the same kraft bag.

Order bags in a larger run and cards in smaller runs per theme. When the cartons arrive, check the cards against the proof. If a card is misprinted or a carton arrives crushed, photos sent inside 10 days earn a reprint or refund.