Plastic is still the cheapest way to keep dry goods fresh, protect parcels from rain and move bulk product, which is why most businesses buy some plastic packaging every month. That covers printed film on reels for packing lines, stand-up pouches for coffee and snacks, simple poly bags, and woven sacks for maize meal, charcoal and fertiliser. Send one request with the bag or film size, the product and the quantity, and converters and wholesalers who deliver to you quote directly. It is free and carries no obligation.
Film, pouches, bags and sacks
Film on a reel is what a packing machine or a form-fill-seal line turns into bags around your product. It is the cheapest per pack at volume, but needs a machine. Pre-made pouches, including stand-up and flat-bottom styles with a zip, suit small brands filling by hand. Poly bags in low density polyethylene (LDPE) are the everyday choice for bread, ice, produce and parcels. Woven polypropylene sacks carry 10 to 50 kg of grain, feed, charcoal or sand, and can be printed or fitted with a liner.
Choosing the right plastic
Each plastic behaves differently, so match it to the product:
- LDPE is soft, clear and seals easily, good for general bags.
- HDPE is stiffer and crisper, used for carrier bags and thin sacks.
- PP (polypropylene) is clearer and a better moisture barrier, common for snack and bakery bags.
- Laminates bond layers such as PET and PE, or add a foil layer, to keep oxygen and light away from coffee, nuts and powders.
Thickness is quoted in micron: about 30 micron for light bags, 50 to 100 micron for heavy bags and 120 micron or more for pouches that must stand and survive transport.
Printing, recycling codes and EPR
Plain stock bags are available the same week. Printed film and pouches use flexo or digital printing, which means artwork approval, a cylinder or plate cost and a minimum run, often 5,000 bags or a few hundred kilograms of film. Single material packs, for example all PE or all PP, are easier to recycle than mixed laminates, and the recycling code (such as 2 for HDPE, 4 for LDPE or 5 for PP) helps collectors sort them. Plastic packaging also falls under extended producer responsibility (EPR) rules, where producers fund collection and recycling, so ask your supplier what they can provide and check current requirements for your business.
Food contact and handling
Anything touching food must be suitable for it. Ask the supplier for a food-grade or migration certificate, and confirm that inks sit on the outside or between layers. For storage and shipping, see our guides to plastic containers and pallet wrap, and compare costs in the packaging price guide. Keep film out of direct sun and stored dry, and check that bag sizes include any gusset or lip.
What to include in your request
- Bag, pouch or reel, and the product inside
- Width x length (and gusset) in mm
- Thickness in micron and fill weight
- Plain or printed, and number of colours
- Quantity, delivery address and date
Plastic Packaging for different businesses
- Online shops and ecommerce: poly bags and printed pouches for clothing, accessories and small parcels
- Restaurants, takeaways and food producers: stand-up pouches, bakery bags and film rolls for snacks, coffee and frozen goods
- Shops and retail stores: plain and printed bags for the counter, plus bags for loose items
- Factories and manufacturers: liners, reel film and sacks for powders, parts and finished goods
- Warehouses, distributors and exporters: heavy duty bags, bale liners and woven sacks for bulk and repacked goods
- Households and offices moving: large clear bags for bedding and clothes, and dust covers for furniture
- Farms, packhouses and nurseries: woven sacks, produce bags and liners for grain, feed and fertiliser
- Cosmetics, candles and health products: small zip pouches and sachet film for samples, soaps and bath salts
Frequently asked questions
What is the smallest order of printed plastic packaging?
How do I specify a bag size?
Are woven sacks waterproof?
Can I get recycled or compostable plastic packaging?
Plastic Packaging by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg