Bulk Bag FAQ's: Dimensions, Sizes, Specifications and more

The most common material used in a bulk bags construction is 100% virgin polypropylene, petroleum based product which is a tough relatively inert thermoplastic.

Bulk bags come in many different sizes and styles,and can be customized into almost any 3 dimensional size possible for your product. There are limits to the sizes, but a standard bulk bag base dimension is 35" x 35”, while the height of a bulk bag can range up to 96” plus inches tall. Again, the size and dimensions of bulk bags are determined by safety, functionality, and usability by the customer.

Yes, however, bulk bags will degrade because of UV exposure. A standard bulk bag has a UV inhibitor added into the fabric at the manufacturing level. Manufacturers add enough UV inhibitor to resist UV rays for approximately 1600 hours. Although this is dependent upon where the actual bag is located and what type of weather conditions may occur. UV rays vary in strength and degree in different parts of the world, and some areas can have extreme weather conditions. Therefore, storing bulk bags outside is not recommended, but we do realize that it happens.

Yes, bulk bags can be reused. This requires a multi-trip bulk bag, which is made with a 6:1 Safety Factor. This type of bag is designed to be used for a specific amount of uses. Some users reuse bulk bags with a 5:1 safety factor. In fact, it is a common occurrence. We do not recommend this practice, as reusability must also take into consideration the reality that the bag may be worn, have a small hole in the fabric, the loops could be unstable, etc. Reuse of a 5:1 SF bulk bag, which covers most bulk bags seen in the market, is NOT recommended. Global-Pak, Inc. does not guarantee a certain number of uses for a 6:1 safety factor multi-trip bulk bag. We recommend inspection in between uses and retiring a bag with any tears, rips, abrasions, etc. An additional bag tag is included for tracking usage if a bag is approved for further use after inspection. Global-Pak does not recommend using any bag more than 10 times.

Yes, new bulk bags are made from 100% virgin polypropylene. See our FIBC recycling program page.

Bulk bags are lifted by one of several types of lifting applications. Some examples are standard 10" lift loops, lifting sleeves, single point crane lift, and stevedore straps. There are other designs that are made to lift bulk bags as well. Lifting options can vary and are all custom-tailored, i.e. 15" lift loops.

No, because a bulk bag's fabric is made from a woven material, so the bag is not technically "waterproof", but it can be water resistant by adding a moisture barrier component. Users generally want a coating or lamination as a moisture barrier from condensation or a light amount of water. The use of an internal polyethylene liner works best in many applications but is still not 100% waterproof. Liners and lamination are designed to keep water away from the product. The difference between using a bulk bag with coating/lamination or using a bulk bag with PE liner is in the amount of moisture that you are trying to keep out of the product. For more specific requirements, such as oxygen barrier, co-extruded, or liquid liners, we suggest a specialized liner.

ITo accurately determine the correct size, you will need to consider some of the following items: bulk density of a product, filling and discharging spatial requirements, shipping and storage requirements. You can use our capacity calculator to help determine the size, or contact our sales team for assistance!

Bulk Density measures the weight of a material per unit volume. For packaging in FIBCs, this is important to determine the volume of space a product will take up in a filled bag. We utilize pounds per cubic food (lbs/ft3) to when calculating the weight of a product and have a bulk density chart available to easily look up the bulk density of some common items. Once you have the bulk density, you can add these details into our capacity calculator to determine the size of FIBC you require.

We cannot provide a MSDS for a bulk bag, but we can provide an MSDS for the resin used to make the fabric of a bulk bag.

Most common designs of FIBCs have a very long shelf life of more than five years. However, the common construction materials used in the production of FIBCs do have the potential to exhibit creep or stress relaxation over time. This means that the packages may not act as originally designed if stored for very long times or if they are exposed to more harsh storage environments with elevated temperatures, humidity swings, etc. Some FIBCs, such as those that contain special chemical coatings, may in fact have relatively short shelf lives due to the chemical breakdown of that coating. This includes some designs of antistatic liners and even the FIBC fabrics themselves. It is important to ask the shelf-life question if you are considering using antistatic packages or have electro statically sensitive environments.

Call Global-Pak, Inc. at 1(888)225-9828 and talk to a customer service or sales representative to determine which of the following best suits your needs for your product:

• Style of bag
• Fabric weight
• Type of top and bottom openings
• Dimensions of the FIBC
• Safety ratio desired
• Weight you desire in the bag
• How many times will the bulk bag be used
• Any extra information that you feel is important

There are a number of things that we would recommend you consider when evaluating an FIBC supplier. Below is just a list to get you started.

• Expert resources available throughout the organization from sales associates, account management, design, production, quality control/assurance, and supply chain management.
• Cost-effectiveness of goods and value added in the form of service & support. In the FIBC world, you get what you pay for; it helps to understand and prioritize your key technical and financial needs.
• Reasonable mechanisms in place to mitigate risk of supply interruption.
• Capability to track production and quality control throughout the life of individual FIBCs or each individual production lot.
• Adherence to appropriate quality control standards for your application including ISO, AIB, SQF, HACCP, etc.
• Other satisfied clients. Feel free to ask your prospective FIBC supplier for references.