What is the difference between the Krafter, ExtraKraft and Topcraft paper bags?

All three lines have flat paper handles, but differ in paper quality and load capacity. Krafter is the cheapest economical option, ExtraKraft offers an ideal ratio of pricing and strength, while Topcraft is a premium German line with the highest load capacity for demanding use.

What is the difference between eco-luxury and luxury gift bags?

Eco-luxury bags are made of pure paper without lamination, so they are fully recyclable and create a natural impression. Luxury bags additionally have a polypropylene lamination, which increases resistance to moisture and creasing and offers a glossy or matte surface.

What does OEKO-TEX® certification mean for textile bags?

The OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 certificate confirms that the textile material of the bag has been tested for harmful chemical substances and meets strict health safety limits. Information about the certification can be found on the sewn-in label inside the bag, and printing is possible just as with the standard variant.

What is the difference between vector and raster graphics for printing on bags?

Vector data (PDF, AI, SVG) is made up of curves and can be enlarged without loss of quality, which is why it is required for screen printing and flexography. Raster data (JPG, PNG) is made up of pixels, and we only accept it for digital printing, such as DTG or digital printing of paper bags.

What does the print designation 4/0 or 4/4 mean for bags?

The first number indicates the number of colors on the front of the bag, the second number after the slash the number of colors on the back. A 4/0 print means full-color printing on the front only, while 4/4 means full-color printing on both sides – however, for screen printing and flexography, it is more appropriate to use the unambiguous designation CMYK/CMYK.

What is the difference between DTG and DTF technologies for printing on cotton bags?

DTG is direct printing, where the ink soaks into the textile fiber, making the print breathable and almost imperceptible to the touch – suitable for white and natural bags. DTF applies the design via a film and adhesive, creating a covering layer ideal for dark and black textiles with vivid colors.

Paper Bags from A to Z: A Guide to Their Terminology

Ordering packaging materials for a company or e-shop often requires you to navigate printing and technical terminology. Abbreviations such as CMYK, Twist, or OEKO-TEX® can unnecessarily complicate the selection process. At Easybag, we make it a priority for our clients to know exactly what product they are buying and what properties they can expect from it. In this clear guide, we'll explain the most common terminology you'll encounter on our e-shop and in communication with graphic designers.

Product Lines: How to Choose the Right Paper Bags?

While browsing the catalog on the easybag.com e-shop, you'll come across product line names that indicate a specific type of paper handle and material. These terms will help you navigate quickly:

Flat paper handle (Kraft line): Products with a flat folded handle carry the word "Kraft" in their name. This includes the ExtraKraft, Topcraft, and Krafter lines.

Twisted paper handle (Twist line): If the name contains the word "Twist" or "Twister", it refers to bags with an elegant twisted paper handle (e.g. ExtraTWIST).

Handles of machine-made bags — *ExtraKraft bags with a flat paper handle and ExtraTWIST bags with a twisted paper handle*

Differences Between the Krafter, ExtraKraft, and Topcraft Lines

Although all three of these lines feature a flat handle, they differ in the type of paper used, the length of the paper fibers, and the grammage:

Krafter: Represents the economical variant. It's the cheapest bag option available, where the type of material is fully reflected in the low price.

ExtraKraft: The golden middle ground. It offers an optimal balance between price, aesthetic appearance, and overall strength.

Topcraft: A premium line of German quality. It's characterized by high paper strength and above-standard load capacity for more demanding applications.

Note: Exact specifications, such as dimensions, grammage, and load capacity, are detailed on the product page of each specific product on our website.

Handles of ExtraKraft and Topcraft bags — *Comparison of the flat handle type of ExtraKraft (left) and TopCraft (right) bags*

Gift Bags: Luxury vs. Eco-Luxury Finish

If you're looking for representative packaging with a textile cord handle, we distinguish two basic categories based on the paper's surface treatment:

Eco-luxury bags: Made from pure paper without plastic lamination. They have a natural feel, and their key advantage is easy and complete recyclability. This group includes the white and brown Siena bags, the Napoli product line with a black handle, and the new arrival Monza Natura.

Luxury bags (laminated): These bags are coated with a layer of polypropylene film (lamination), which reinforces the paper, increases its load capacity, and protects it from moisture, staining, or wrinkling. You can choose between a high glossy shine (Monza LESK, Milano, Pálava lines) or a subtle matte surface (Monza MAT, Pálava MAT)

Monza glossy and matte — *Comparison of glossy and matte lamination. On the left, a bag with matte lamination Monza MAT, on the right, a bag with glossy lamination Monza LESK*

Specification of textile handles: PP, PES and cotton

For luxury bags with a cord handle, three different cord materials are used, which affect both the appearance and price of the product:

PP handle (Polypropylene): A standard and economically most advantageous solution for gift bags. The cords have a more pronounced knitted structure and show higher synthetic shine in light. The material is lightweight, tensile strong and stretches minimally.

PES handle (Polyester): A premium material intended for the luxury segment (fashion, cosmetics, jewelry). PES microfibers are fine, soft and flowing. They have a deep, discreet semi-matte sheen that appears natural and elegant.

Cotton handle: A 100% natural, biodegradable material with a matte surface. It feels substantial and soft to the touch, so it does not cut into the palm when carrying heavier contents.

cord handles of bags — Example of types of cord handles on luxury bags. On the left, the PP handle of the Monza bag, in the middle, the cotton handle of the Milano bag, on the right, the cotton handle of the Monza Natura bag

The significance of OEKO-TEX® certification for textile bags

In our range of cotton bags in natural color, you will find the standard natural model and the model labeled OEKO-TEX®. The dimensions and grammage (140 g) are identical, the key difference lies in demonstrable sustainability.

The STANDARD 100 certificate from the international OEKO-TEX® system guarantees that the textile has been tested for the presence of harmful chemical substances and meets strict health safety limits. Certification information is always stated on the internal sewn-in label of the bag. Printing is possible on both types of materials.

Shopping section: Sale, Sale-off and Save the bag

For effective budget management, you can use three specific categories on our e-shop:

Bags on sale: Fully functional products of first-class quality, for which a time-limited discount is provided. We standardly carry out custom printing on these products.

SALE: A section intended for clearing out warehouse stock of products whose production has already been discontinued. We often offer the possibility of ordering a smaller quantity than the usual limit of 100 pieces. Printing is also possible.

Bags for half price – Save the bag!: An ecological project aimed at minimizing waste. These are bags with a minor cosmetic defect from production (slight batch color inconsistency, minor surface unevenness), which, however, retain 100% strength and functionality. We sell them with a minimum discount of 50%. For technological reasons, we no longer carry out printing on these bags.

Pre-print preparation: Graphic terms you need to know

When ordering bags with your own branding, our graphics department requires specific formats of print data.

Vector graphics (curves) vs. Raster graphics (pixels)

Raster data (e.g. JPG, PNG): The image is composed of a grid of pixels. Enlarging it causes loss of sharpness and pixelation. We accept raster only for digital technologies (direct DTG printing or digital printing of paper bags).

Vector data (e.g. PDF, AI, SVG): Graphics are defined by mathematical curves. It can be enlarged infinitely without loss of sharpness. Vectors are strictly required for screen printing and flexography technologies, where it is necessary to precisely separate color separations for the production of printing plates.

Warning: Simply exporting a raster image to PDF format does not turn it into vector data.

Color spaces: RGB vs. CMYK

RGB: A color model based on mixing light. It is used exclusively for digital display on monitors and screens. Printing cannot be done in this mode.

CMYK: A model intended for printing using physical pigments (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). Since the monitor emits light and paper reflects it, a slight color shift occurs when converting from RGB to CMYK. The resulting print will always show differences compared to the display on an uncalibrated monitor.

Pantone C vs. Pantone U swatch books

The Pantone system defines precise spot colors that are not mixed on the machine from CMYK colors, but are supplied ready-made:

Pantone U (Uncoated): Colors intended for uncoated (natural) paper, used in flexography. They are less opaque, but more ecologically friendly.

Pantone C (Coated): Highly opaque and rich colors intended for coated surfaces, which we use in screen printing technology.

Warning: The letters U and C fundamentally change the resulting shade. For example, the red color Pantone 485 U will look different on the material than Pantone 485 C; they cannot be interchanged.

Notation 4/0, 4/4 or CMYK/CMYK?

When submitting an inquiry or configuring bag printing, you will often come across a numerical notation such as 1/0, 2/0, 4/0 or 4/4 (possibly in combination with the abbreviation CMYK, e.g. CMYK/CMYK). This notation indicates the number of print colors used on the front and back side of the bag.

The first number indicates the number of colors on the front (face) side of the bag.

The second number (after the slash) indicates the number of colors on the back (reverse) side of the bag.

Let's look at specific practical examples:

Print 2/0: Two-color single-sided print. Two spot colors are used on the front side, the back side is unprinted.

Print 1/1: One-color double-sided print. The same single print color is applied to both the front and back side of the bag.

Print 4/0 (or CMYK/0): Full-color single-sided print. The number 4 here represents the four basic print colors of the CMYK model. It is used for printing photographs, complex graphics or logos with color gradients on one side of the bag.

Print 4/4 (or CMYK/CMYK): Full-color double-sided print. This notation means that a full-color design (CMYK) will be printed on both the front and back side of the bag.

Attention: The designation 4/4 does not always mean full-color printing in CMYK mode. While this is the case with digital printing, for screen printing and flexography, the notation 4/4 means double-sided printing with four specific spot colors (e.g. Pantone). A separate printing plate must then be made for each color. For full-color printing, the unambiguous notation CMYK/CMYK is therefore preferably used.

Textile printing technologies: DTG vs. DTF

For cotton bags, we offer two modern digital methods of graphic transfer:

DTG (Direct-to-Garment): Direct printing, where the ink is absorbed directly into the textile fiber. The print is breathable and almost imperceptible to the touch. This method is ideal for full-color photorealistic designs on white and natural textiles.

DTF (Direct-to-Film): The design is first printed onto a transfer film, powder adhesive is applied, and it is then ironed onto the bag using a heat press. The resulting print forms a thin, slightly rubberized film that completely covers the structure of the fabric. The advantage is 100% coverage and high color saturation even on dark and black textiles.

DTF vs. DTG — *Comparison of digital technologies. DTG printing (top), DTF printing (bottom)*

If you are unsure about choosing the right product or the specification of print data, our team of specialists is fully available to you at [email protected].