There’s nothing worse than ordering a pair of pants online then waiting expectantly for the package to arrive on your doorstep, only to rip it open to find they don’t even fit. Sadly this happened to me last week and I’m still not over it. I’d like to help you avoid that same disappointment. While I can’t do anything about your pants, I can help you properly measure and order the proper bag for your product.
Knowing how to measure the bag will improve the odds that the bag you order will properly fit your product. The good news is that measuring a bag is as easy as 1-2-3.
- Width
- Gusset
- Length
Measuring Bag Width
The width of the bag is measured by measuring the bottom edge of the bag. Easy peasy.
Measuring the Gusset
The gusset is the “side” or the “expandable” part of the bag. Measuring the gusset is done by opening the bag and measuring the gusset at its widest point. Side note: Not all bags have gussets. Pinch bottom merchandise bags and mailers are available in “flat” sizes – meaning they have no gusset and do not expand. In that case you would only measure the width and length of the bag.
Measuring Bag Length
For merchandise bags, the length of the bag is measured from the bottom of the bag to the serrated lower lip of the bag. The lip isn’t considered part of the bag because it doesn’t hold any product. That’s just to make it easier to open the bag for loading. Likewise, on mailers – the peel & seal lip is not included in the bag dimensions because it’s not a usable space. To measure an SOS bag length, you will measure from the bottom of the bag to the top – or vice-versa. SOS bags have a small thumb notch for opening and filling so you measure the whole bag.
Measuring bags is easy once you know the terminology Now, if only pants were that easy…
If you still have questions about finding the right size paper bag for your needs, call our customer service team at (920) 437-6400 and they’ll be happy to walk you through it.