Paper bag guide
Paper Bag Sizes Chart
Common US paper bag sizes in inches and centimeters, and what fits in each one
Standard paper bag sizes at a glance
Common US sizes, shown as width × gusset × height. Use them as a starting point; we make every bag to the size you need.
| Common name | Inches (W × G × H) | Centimeters | What usually fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jewelry and gift | 5.25 × 3.25 × 8.4 | 13.3 × 8.3 × 21.3 | Jewelry, cards, small cosmetics |
| Small shopper | 8 × 4.75 × 10.5 | 20.3 × 12.1 × 26.7 | Candles, one takeout meal, accessories |
| Medium shopper | 10 × 5 × 13 | 25.4 × 12.7 × 33.0 | Folded tops, books, two meals |
| Wide carryout | 13 × 7 × 13 | 33.0 × 17.8 × 33.0 | Stacked food containers, cake boxes |
| Large shopper | 16 × 6 × 12 | 40.6 × 15.2 × 30.5 | Shoe boxes, gift sets, folded jackets |
| Grocery (1/6 barrel) | 12 × 7 × 17 | 30.5 × 17.8 × 43.2 | A full grocery load |
| #6 lunch | 6 × 3.6 × 11 | 15.2 × 9.1 × 27.9 | Packed lunches, snacks |
| #8 lunch | 6.1 × 4.1 × 12.4 | 15.5 × 10.4 × 31.5 | Deli orders, larger lunches |
| #12 SOS | 7 × 4.5 × 13.75 | 17.8 × 11.4 × 34.9 | Takeout sides, pharmacy orders |
| #20 SOS | 8.25 × 5.3 × 16.1 | 21.0 × 13.5 × 40.9 | Bigger carryout orders |
How are paper bag sizes written?
Gusseted bags are listed as width × gusset × height, always in that order. So a 10 × 5 × 13 in bag is 10 in across the front. It is 5 in deep at the side and 13 in tall.
The width is the face you print on. The gusset is the folded side panel, and it sets how deep the bottom is once the bag opens.
Flat bags have no gusset, so they are listed as width × height. A 6 × 9 in merchandise bag is 6 in wide and 9 in tall, measured flat.
Height on a handle bag is measured to the top edge of the bag, not the top of the handle. Allow a few more inches of clearance when you plan shelf or rack space.
What do SOS bag numbers mean?
SOS bags, the self-opening sacks used for lunches and pharmacy orders, are sized by number. The number is a trade name, not a measurement, and it rises with the size.
Exact dimensions drift a little between mills, so treat this table as a guide. Your quote will state the size of the bag you are ordering.
| SOS number | Inches (W × G × H) | Centimeters | What usually fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2 | 4.3 × 2.4 × 7.9 | 10.9 × 6.1 × 20.1 | Candy, a spice jar, small hardware |
| #3 | 4.75 × 2.9 × 8.6 | 12.1 × 7.4 × 21.8 | Cookies, small pharmacy items |
| #4 | 5 × 3.3 × 9.75 | 12.7 × 8.4 × 24.8 | A pastry, a pill bottle, nuts and bolts |
| #5 | 5.25 × 3.4 × 10.9 | 13.3 × 8.6 × 27.7 | Muffins, snack packs |
| #6 | 6 × 3.6 × 11 | 15.2 × 9.1 × 27.9 | A packed lunch |
| #8 | 6.1 × 4.1 × 12.4 | 15.5 × 10.4 × 31.5 | A deli sandwich and sides |
| #10 | 6.3 × 4.2 × 13.4 | 16.0 × 10.7 × 34.0 | Two lunches, a bottle and snacks |
| #12 | 7 × 4.5 × 13.75 | 17.8 × 11.4 × 34.9 | Takeout sides, bakery boxes |
| #16 | 7.75 × 4.8 × 16 | 19.7 × 12.2 × 40.6 | Larger carryout orders |
| #20 | 8.25 × 5.3 × 16.1 | 21.0 × 13.5 × 40.9 | Bulky snacks, big carryout orders |
Which SOS numbers do most businesses use?
Lunch counters and schools mostly order #6 and #8. Pharmacies sit lower, around #3 to #6, because prescriptions are small.
Delis and burger shops lean on #12 and #20 for orders with sides and drinks. A #2 or #3 is handy at candy and nut counters.
Bakeries use the middle of the scale. A #4 or #5 suits two muffins or a pastry, and a #10 or #12 takes a half dozen rolls.
Selling candy or nuts by weight? Test a few sizes with your usual portions before you print.
Two numbers cover most counters: one for single items and one for full orders. Our self-opening SOS bags page shows the full range in brown and white kraft.
Shopper and gift bag sizes for retail
Retail handle bags do not use numbers. Shops describe them by size name, and the names below are the ones buyers ask for most.
A jewelry or gift size of about 5.25 × 3.25 × 8.4 in takes ring boxes, gift cards and lipstick. An 8 × 4.75 × 10.5 in small shopper takes a candle, a mug or one boxed perfume.
The medium shopper, 10 × 5 × 13 in, is the workhorse of most stores. It takes folded clothing, books and boxed gifts.
Wine shops are the exception to these shapes. A bottle bag is narrow and tall, often near 5.5 × 3.5 × 13 in for a single standard bottle.
A large 16 × 6 × 12 in shopper is wide rather than tall. That shape suits shoe boxes, jackets and gift sets, and it gives a logo the biggest canvas. For all styles in these sizes, browse our paper shopping bags range.
How big is a 1/6 barrel grocery bag?
The standard US grocery sack is about 12 × 7 × 17 in, or 30.5 × 17.8 × 43.2 cm. The trade calls it 1/6 barrel, after an old way of measuring volume.
It is tall enough for cereal boxes and wide enough for two rows of cans. Most checkout racks are built around this size, so check yours before ordering anything different.
Farm stands and markets sometimes want a shorter sack, because produce bruises under a tall stack. A height of 13 to 14 in with the same 12 × 7 in base is a common custom request.
Stores that need a smaller bag usually step down to a #20 SOS or a shorter custom sack. See our paper grocery bags in the 1/6 barrel size for details.
Flat merchandise bag sizes
Flat bags are measured lying flat. Remember that a flat bag loses usable width as it fills. A 1 in thick item needs about 1 in more width than its face size.
Add the thickness of the item to its width, then pick the next size up. A boxed phone case 0.75 in thick needs a bag about 0.75 in wider than the box face.
These are the flat sizes shops ask for most. Each can be made in light brown or white kraft.
- 4 × 6 in (10.2 × 15.2 cm): gift cards, earrings, small charms.
- 5 × 7.5 in (12.7 × 19.1 cm): phone cases, socks, soap bars.
- 6 × 9 in (15.2 × 22.9 cm): greeting cards and small accessories.
- 8.5 × 11 in (21.6 × 27.9 cm): paperbacks, folded scarves, letter-size paper.
- 10 × 13 in (25.4 × 33.0 cm): folded T-shirts and calendars.
- 12 × 15 in (30.5 × 38.1 cm): folded sweaters and art prints.
How do you measure for a custom paper bag size?
If none of the common sizes fit, measure for your own. It takes a ruler and two minutes, and it saves a wasted print run. Small stores can sanity-check the result against the flat merchandise bag sizes they already use.
Write the numbers in the same order every time: width, gusset, height. That one habit removes most back-and-forth on quotes.
- Pick the largest item, box or container that will go in the bag.
- Measure its length, depth and height in inches or centimeters.
- Add about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) to the length for the bag width.
- Add about 0.5 in to the depth for the gusset.
- Add 2 to 3 in (5 to 7.5 cm) to the height for a fold or handle clearance.
- Round to the nearest quarter inch and send the three numbers with your quote request.
What size bag fits takeout containers?
Food bags are sized to containers, not menus. A single clamshell or a 32 oz soup cup often fits an 8 × 4.75 × 10.5 in bag.
Two stacked meals usually need 10 × 5 × 13 in. Wide 9 in containers, catering platters and cake boxes want a 13 × 7 × 13 in carryout bag.
The trick is the gusset. Containers must sit flat on the base. So the gusset has to be at least as deep as your deepest container.
Drinks change the math. A cup carrier needs a deep gusset, so measure the carrier as well. Many cafés keep a separate, deeper bag for drink orders.
Restaurants can send us their container sizes and stack heights. Our takeout paper bags are made to fit them.
Sizing mistakes and how to avoid them
Most sizing problems come from measuring the product instead of the packed product. Tissue, boxes, lids and stacked containers all add bulk.
The second common mistake is confusing width and gusset. If you write 5 × 10 × 13 in, we will ask, because the gusset almost never exceeds the width.
Third, people order one giant size for everything. It wastes paper, costs more per bag and looks careless with a small item inside.
Lastly, check metric conversions. One inch is 2.54 cm, so a 30 cm bag is about 11.8 in, not 12 in.
Unsure? Send both numbers and a photo with your paper bag quote request, and we confirm the size.
