What is a non-woven bag.
Non-woven is the fabric-like reusable bag handed out at supermarket tills, trade shows and store openings. The name describes how the fabric is made, not what it is made of. This page covers the material, how the bag is made and which weight to choose. Then it sets non-woven against cotton and paper, so you can match the bag to what you sell.
The short answerA non-woven bag is a reusable bag made from polypropylene fibres that are bonded together by heat and pressure instead of being woven into cloth. It feels like fabric, stands open on its own and costs less than cotton. Most shopping bags are made at 80 to 120gsm; ours run from 80 to 180gsm, with gloss or matt lamination.
What a non-woven bag is made of
The fabric is polypropylene, the same plastic used for bottle caps and yoghurt pots. It starts as pellets, which are melted and spun into long, fine filaments. The filaments are laid down as a loose web and pressed between heated rollers, which fuse them wherever they cross. That bonded web is the fabric.
Because nothing is woven, there are no threads to unravel and no grain to follow. The fabric cuts cleanly, takes a crease and holds a box shape with a gusset. That is why a non-woven bag stands open at the till while a cotton bag slumps.
Plain fabric
The fabric as it comes off the roll: soft and matt, with the fine dot pattern the heated rollers leave. It folds small and takes screen print well.
Gloss laminated
A thin film bonded over the fabric. It shines, wipes clean and keeps the rain out, and colour sits brighter on it. Matt lamination does the same without the shine.
Woven polypropylene is a different fabric. It is made from flat tapes of the same plastic, woven on a loom like a sack. It is the fabric of rice sacks and big laundry bags. It is tougher and glossier than non-woven, and heavier to carry.
How a non-woven bag is made
- The fabric is bonded on the roll at the weight you choose. The colour goes into the plastic before it is spun, so it runs right through the fibre.
- For a laminated bag, a gloss or matt film is bonded over the fabric next.
- The panels are cut, printed and made up. The tape handles are heat-sealed on in a box and a cross, which spreads the load across the top of the bag.
- Every run is quality checked in China before it ships.
Which weight of non-woven to choose
Non-woven is sold by weight, in grams per square metre, or gsm. Heavier fabric is thicker and stiffer, carries more and survives more trips. It also costs more per bag, so the right weight is the lightest one that does the job.
| Weight | How it feels | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|
| 80 to 100gsm | Light and soft, folds small | Giveaways at events and trade shows, bags handed out in the thousands |
| 100 to 120gsm | Holds its shape, the everyday weight | Supermarket and shop bags that customers bring back |
| 120 to 180gsm | Thick and stiff | Heavy groceries, bulk shops, bags meant to last |
Tell us what goes in the bag and how heavy a full one gets. We match the fabric weight to it in the quote.
Non-woven, cotton, woven or paper
Each material wins somewhere. The last column comes from a 2011 life cycle study for the UK Environment Agency. It counted how many times each bag has to be used to match the climate impact of one thin plastic carrier used once.
| Bag | Made of | Good at | Uses to match one plastic carrier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-woven | Bonded polypropylene fibres | Light, stands open, low cost per bag, bright print | 11 |
| Cotton | Woven cotton, 100 to 320gsm on ours | Soft, washable, kept for years | 131 |
| Woven polypropylene | Woven plastic tape | Tough, glossy, wipes clean | Not in the study |
| Kraft paper | Paper | Crisp printed face, recycles with paper | 3 |
The numbers explain the choice. A cotton bag has to be used many times to earn its footprint, so it suits a gift or a brand bag people keep. Non-woven pays back sooner, so it suits a supermarket or an event where thousands go out at once. Paper suits a counter where the bag leaves with one purchase and goes in the paper bin after.
Can non-woven bags be recycled?
Yes, where polypropylene is collected, and that depends on the country and the local council. Polypropylene is recycling code 5, and a plain non-woven bag is a single plastic, which helps. Many household schemes still do not take it.
Lamination adds a film to the fabric, so check what your local scheme accepts before you print a recycling claim on the bag. The message that holds everywhere is to use it again. That is what the bag is made for.
Ordering non-woven bags
- From 5,000 units, three weeks in production.
- Fabric from 80 to 180gsm, gloss or matt lamination, heat-sealed tape handles.
- Printed by screen print, embroidery, or a digital or transfer print.
- Three standard sizes, from 25 × 30 × 10 cm for a pharmacy counter to 40 × 45 × 15 cm for bulk shops, or made to your size.
The bag this applies to: the Non-woven Bag. For a softer bag people keep, see the Cotton Bag.
Questions
Is a non-woven bag plastic?
Yes. The fabric is polypropylene, a plastic, spun into fibres and bonded into a sheet. It looks and feels like cloth, but there is no cotton or other natural fibre in it.
Is a non-woven bag waterproof?
A laminated one is water resistant and wipes clean. Plain fabric shrugs off a splash but lets water through in steady rain.
Can you wash a non-woven bag?
Wipe a laminated bag with a damp cloth. Plain fabric can be hand washed in cool water and left to dry. Keep it away from a hot wash and the tumble dryer, because heat warps polypropylene.
What is the minimum order for custom non-woven bags?
Ours start at 5,000 units, three weeks in production. You see a free digital mockup before anything is printed, and a printed sample before the full run.
Written by the Bag Bureau production team. Last updated September 2026.