- Karaca Çanta
- 6 min read
Short answer: For gift product sets, bag size is calculated from three values: the height is set by the longest product, the width by the total width of the products arranged side by side, and the gusset by the thickest or deepest product. An allowance, depending on the stiffness of the products and the way the bag closes, is added to each dimension. Sizes are written in centimetres in the order width x height x gusset; the allowance is settled on a sample set.
You have prepared the gift set, but when you put it in the bag the lid will not close, or the products slide around inside. Because the bag size is often chosen by guesswork, these two situations are common. Yet the size can be calculated from the set's own dimensions in a few steps.
This guide shows how to calculate bag size for gift product sets using an example set. It then moves on to bag design for gift shops and a decision matrix that makes it easier to decide between several models.
In What Order Is Bag Size Calculated?
Start the calculation not with the size of the bag but with the size of the set. Lay the products out on a table in the arrangement in which you will put them in the bag and look at three values: how wide are the products standing side by side in total, how long is the longest product, how thick is the deepest product? These three values are the raw width, height and gusset of the bag; add an allowance and you reach the final size.
- Take the width, height and depth of each product in the set.
- Decide whether the products will stand side by side or stacked in the bag.
- Determine the height: if the products stand upright, the longest product is the basis; if they are stacked, the sum of the heights.
- Determine the width: add up the widths of the products arranged side by side.
- Determine the gusset: the deepest or thickest product is the basis.
- Add an allowance to each dimension and compare the result with a sample bag or a ready-made model.
How Is the Size Worked Out for an Example Set?
The values below are examples chosen only to show the calculation. Assume the set consists of a mug (e.g. 9 cm diameter, 10 cm height), a chocolate box (e.g. 18 x 12 x 4 cm) and a notebook (e.g. 15 x 21 cm); the mug and the box stand side by side, with the notebook upright at the back.
The raw values come out at 21 x 21 x 9 cm; once the allowance is added the size goes above this. If your result matches one of the sizes in the catalogue, a ready-made model is considered; if it does not, a custom size. Among the 171 products in our catalogue that list a size, 95 models are gusseted and 76 have no gusset; the most common gusset sizes are 8 and 10 cm.
Raw size calculation for the example set (values are examples)
| Dimension | What it is based on | Raw value in the example |
|---|---|---|
| Width | Total width of the mug (9) and the box (12) standing side by side | e.g. 21 cm |
| Height | The longest item in the set; in the example the upright notebook | e.g. 21 cm |
| Gusset | The deepest item; in the example the diameter of the mug | e.g. 9 cm |
| Allowance | Set according to the stiffness of the products and the way the bag closes | Settled on the sample set |
How Much Allowance Is Added to the Size?
There is no centimetre value that suits everyone for the allowance; the structure of the product decides. With soft, flexibly packed products the allowance can be tight. With glass, ceramic or boxed pieces, a more generous allowance is needed so that the products do not rub against each other. Space must also be left at the mouth for the closure and the handle; neither product nor print should come to the area where the handle is attached.
It is best to set the allowance by sample rather than by guesswork. Describe or show a sample of the set at the quote stage; let us settle together the arrangement in which the products will sit in the bag, where the handle will run and how the closure will work.
How Is a Cotton Tote Bag Designed for a Gift Shop?
In a gift shop the products vary widely in size and fragility: from magnets and key rings to ceramics and frames. A single size does not suit everything; identify the best-selling product group and the largest product and think of the bag according to these two. If the variety is large, more than one size, small and large, can be planned.
In the design keep the shop name and logo simple; a single, well-placed logo is often more legible than a crowded pattern. Because the bag carries the gift and the shop's name together in the customer's hand, it also gains the quality of a keepsake. If you sell fragile products, a gusseted model lets the products sit side by side.
How Is a Decision Matrix for Choosing a Model Prepared?
A decision matrix has four steps: write the criteria, give each criterion a weight, evaluate the options criterion by criterion and compare the results. You set the weight; if fitting a bulky product matters to you, that row gets a high weight. The same method works in corporate bag selection: you just change the criteria to intended use, recipient group, print surface, delivery schedule and budget.
The table below is an example matrix filled in for a gift set. Change the weights and evaluations to suit your own situation; the budget row is filled in when the quotes arrive, because the price is not a fixed list but a quote prepared for each order.
Example decision matrix for a gift set
| Criterion | Weight | Gusseted cotton tote bag | Flat cotton tote bag | Paper bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitting bulky pieces | High | Strong; the gusset gives depth | Limited; suits thin products | Depends on size; box size is critical |
| Print surface | Medium | Wide front and back faces | Wide front and back faces | Wide body; the side face can also be used |
| Gift perception | High | Warm, natural look | Plain look | Elegant presentation; single use |
| Use after the event | Medium | Can be carried again | Can be carried again | Mostly single use |
| Budget | High | Confirmed in the quote | Confirmed in the quote | Confirmed in the quote |
How Do You Write the Bag Size in the Quote?
On the quote form, write the size in centimetres in the order width x height x gusset; you can also pass on the product type, material, number of print colours, print sides, desired delivery date and your logo file. If you are not sure of the size, it is enough to write the raw values you calculated and the set's product list; we settle the allowance together.
If one of the ready-made models fits your size you can choose it; if not, you can request a custom size. You can find how to describe a custom size, how to prepare the logo file and how design approval works in our custom production guide; for size details you can also look at our size guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Know the Right Bag Size for a Gift Set?
Lay the products in the set side by side in the arrangement in which you will put them in the bag; measure the total width, the length of the longest product and the depth of the thickest product. These three values are the raw width, height and gusset of the bag; an allowance depending on the stiffness of the product and the way the bag closes is added on top. There is no fixed rule for the allowance; it is settled on the sample set.
Should a Gift Shop Use a Single-Size Bag?
If the product variety is large, instead of a single size, more than one size, small and large, can be considered; the best-selling product group and the largest product determine the size. The same design can be prepared in different sizes. We can settle together at the quote stage how many sizes are needed if you share your product list and estimated quantities.
How Do I Set the Weights in a Decision Matrix?
First put the criteria in order of importance; the most important get a high weight and secondary ones a medium or low weight. Set the weights together with the people involved in the purchasing decision so that the result is not left open to dispute. Do not expect the matrix to have the last word; the sample and design approval you see in the quote also contribute to the decision.
Should I Choose a Gusseted or a Flat Bag for a Gift Set?
If your set includes products with depth such as a box, jar or mug, choose a gusseted bag; if there are only thin, flat products, a bag without a gusset is enough. Among the 171 products in our catalogue that list a size, 95 models are gusseted and 76 have no gusset. Set the gusset size according to the deepest product.
