Paper bags vs plastic bags

Where paper wins

• Kerbside recycling: uncoated paper is accepted almost everywhere
• Customer perception: a printed paper bag reads as a considered purchase
• Print quality: paper carries a logo better than thin film
• Regulation: single-use plastic carriers are restricted or charged for in many states

Where plastic and reusable materials win

• Wet and heavy loads, where paper fails
• Reuse: a woven or non-woven bag used weekly beats a paper bag used once
• Cost per unit at the very lowest price points

The number that actually decides it

Uses. A bag used once is judged on how it is disposed of; a bag used fifty times is judged on how long it lasts. That is why most shops end up with both: a paper carrier for the everyday sale and a reusable bag sold or given for repeat shoppers.

If you are replacing plastic carriers because of a local ban, the useful question is not "paper or plastic" but "how many times will a customer carry this before it is thrown away".

What this means for an order

We print both paper carriers and reusable jute, cotton, canvas and polypropylene bags, and we will say plainly which suits the use rather than pushing the dearer one. Tell us how the bag will be used and we will tell you what fits.