Mil thickness: what survives what
| Mil | Feels like | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mil | Produce bag | Light parts, food prep, dust covers |
| 1.5–2 mil | Standard | Most retail & parts bags — the default |
| 3 mil | Heavy | Hardware, dense parts, vacuum & freezer bags |
| 4 mil | Very heavy | Metal parts, sharp edges, bulk product |
| 6 mil | Industrial | Bolts, castings, anything that punishes a bag |
Going one mil heavier than you need costs little; going one too light means split seams and re-bagging. When in doubt between two, take the heavier for anything with corners.
Pick the style
Flat open-top bags are the workhorse for products that get heat-sealed or taped. Reclosable zip bags suit parts counts and resale. Side-gusseted bags expand to wrap boxes, equipment and food pans. Tubing lets you make custom-length bags on demand with a sealer. All four, in hundreds of sizes, live on our poly bags page — plus specialty specimen, bait and vacuum bags.
Can liner sizing in two steps
Width: half the can's circumference (or width + depth for square cans), plus an inch. Length: can height + half its diameter + 3–4" overhang. For mil: office paper waste runs fine in 0.7–0.9 mil high-density; kitchen and general waste wants 0.9–1.5 low-density; construction debris and our high-visibility orange contractor bags run 3 mil. Compostable-certified liners are on our compostable bags page.
Frequently asked questions
What mil poly bag do I need?
1.5–2 mil covers most retail and parts bagging. Step up to 3 mil for hardware, freezer or vacuum use, 4 mil for metal parts and sharp edges, and 6 mil for industrial fasteners and castings. 1 mil is only for very light, soft contents.
How do I figure out what size trash bag liner I need?
Width = half the can's circumference plus one inch. Length = can height plus half the can's diameter plus 3–4 inches of overhang. Then match mil to the waste: ~1 mil for paper, 1.5 for kitchen waste, 3 mil for construction debris.
What's the difference between LDPE and HDPE bags?
LDPE (low-density) is soft, stretchy and puncture-resistant — the standard for visible, glossy bags and liners. HDPE (high-density) is thinner, stiffer and crinkly, carrying more weight per mil but tearing once punctured — common for economical liners and produce bags.
Send us your contents and sizes — we'll match the right bag at wholesale case pricing.
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