A reusable shopping bag should be specified around what it carries and how it is carried. Width and height alone do not define useful capacity, and a fabric name does not define handle strength.
Use this guide to prepare the structure, then move to LISO’s custom shopping bags and tote bags page for commercial development.
1. Use one dimension convention
Record the drawing convention before sharing numbers:
- Width: side-to-side dimension of the main panel.
- Height: base to top opening, excluding the handle unless stated.
- Gusset/depth: side or bottom expansion that creates volume.
- Handle length: full cut or finished length, if that is your convention.
- Handle drop: vertical distance from the bag opening to the top of the handle in the carry position.
Write the convention on the specification. A handle length and a handle drop are not the same fact.
2. Define the intended contents
Instead of requesting a generic heavy-duty bag, describe the expected contents, shape and target load. Bottles, boxed products, clothing and event literature create different pressure at the base, gusset corners and handle attachments.
| Use case | Structural questions |
|---|---|
| Retail merchandise | Does the product need a flat base, closure or premium presentation? |
| Grocery or market | How do irregular and dense contents affect base and handle anchors? |
| Event distribution | How will bags be packed, shipped and handed out? |
| Brand merchandise | Is shoulder carry, repeat use or artwork visibility the priority? |
3. Choose the gusset around usable volume
A side gusset, bottom gusset or boxed base changes how the bag opens and stands. Increasing depth can add usable volume, but it also changes panel geometry, print position, base seams and carton packing.
The sample should be reviewed with the intended contents. A calculated geometric volume is not the same as comfortable usable capacity.
4. Engineer the handle attachment
Record handle material, width, drop, attachment length, reinforcement, stitch route and whether the handle is sewn into a seam or onto the panel. The load path continues from the handle through the panel, gusset and base.
Common review points include:
- stitch concentration or fabric distortion at the anchor;
- handle stretch or edge discomfort;
- panel tear around the reinforcement;
- base or gusset seam opening before the handle fails;
- unbalanced carry when contents shift.
5. Write a finished-bag load test plan
There is no universal pass number for every textile, woven-PP or non-woven shopping bag. Buyer and supplier should agree on:
- contents or test mass and how it is distributed;
- static hold time and/or lift-carry cycle;
- sample quantity and conditioning;
- whether testing is conducted before or after care/aging exposure;
- pass/fail observations for handles, anchors, panels, gussets and base seams.
Do not cite ASTM F2132 as a shopping-bag handle standard. The official ASTM scope for F2132 is puncture resistance of materials used in medical sharps containers; it does not establish textile shopping-bag handle compliance.
6. Keep branding out of stress conflicts
Full-panel artwork, pocket placement, handle anchors and reinforcement can compete for the same area. Approve print registration and seam/anchor position on one final drawing. If the bag folds, also check the folded presentation.
Buyer checklist before sampling
- intended use, contents and load direction;
- width, height, gusset/base and measurement convention;
- handle material, width, drop and carry method;
- reinforcement and seam route;
- material, finish/coating and care requirement;
- closure, pocket and artwork placement;
- finished-bag test plan;
- quantity range, market and individual/carton packing.
Send the completed structure through the Shopping Bags RFQ so the quotation and sample share one source of truth.
