{"id":3239,"date":"2026-09-01T09:07:22","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T01:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.oryggisblod.com\/blog\/?p=3239"},"modified":"2026-09-01T09:07:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T01:07:22","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-to-print-on-paper-shopping-bags-468f-ae19f1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.oryggisblod.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/01\/how-long-does-it-take-to-print-on-paper-shopping-bags-468f-ae19f1\/","title":{"rendered":"How long does it take to print on paper shopping bags?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yo! I’m a supplier of paper shopping bags. One question I get asked a ton is, "How long does it take to print on paper shopping bags?" Well, let me break it down for you. Paper Shopping Bags<\/a><\/p>\n

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First off, there’s no one – size – fits – all answer. It depends on a bunch of factors. The complexity of the design is a huge one. If you’ve got a simple logo, like just a single color and a basic shape, it’s gonna be a lot quicker than a multi – colored, super detailed illustration.<\/p>\n

Let me tell you about a recent order I had. A local coffee shop wanted their logo printed on our paper bags. Their logo was just a brown coffee bean in a white circle, real simple. We were able to get that printed up in no time. We used a basic digital printing method. Digital printing is great for small – scale, simple designs. It doesn’t require a lot of setup. We just loaded the design into our printer, adjusted a few settings, and boom! The printing process itself took maybe 20 minutes for a batch of 50 bags. And that’s including the time to make sure the colors were right and the alignment was perfect.<\/p>\n

But then, there was this other order from a high – end fashion brand. Their design was crazy. It had multiple gradients, different textures, and a whole bunch of fine details. For a job like that, we had to go with screen printing. Screen printing is more time – consuming, but it gives a really high – quality finish.<\/p>\n

The setup for screen printing is a big deal. First, we have to create a separate screen for each color in the design. So, if there are five colors, that’s five screens. Making these screens involves a process of coating them with a light – sensitive emulsion, then exposing them to a UV light through a film positive of the design. This creates a stencil on the screen. Each screen has to be carefully made and checked. This setup process alone can take a day or two, depending on how complex the design is.<\/p>\n

Once the screens are ready, we start the actual printing. The printing process for screen printing is slower than digital. We have to manually align each screen over the bag, apply the ink, and then use a squeegee to push the ink through the screen onto the bag. For a batch of 200 bags with that complex fashion brand design, it took us around three days to print them all. And that was with a team of us working on it.<\/p>\n

Another factor that affects the printing time is the quantity of bags. If you’re only ordering a small number of bags, say 20 or 30, the setup time can be a big chunk of the overall process. But if you’re ordering in bulk, like 1000 or more, the setup time gets spread out over all the bags. So, in the long run, the per – bag printing time actually goes down.<\/p>\n

For example, when we printed those 50 coffee shop bags, the setup time for the digital printer was about an hour. But when we did an order of 1000 bags for a grocery store with a simple barcode and logo, the setup time was still about an hour, but the total printing time for all 1000 bags was only about two hours. So, the more bags you order, the more efficient the process becomes.<\/p>\n

The type of paper also plays a role. Some papers are more absorbent than others. If the paper absorbs the ink quickly, the drying time is shorter. But if the paper is more resistant to ink absorption, it can take longer for the ink to dry. And we can’t move on to the next step, like stacking the bags or packing them up, until the ink is dry. Otherwise, the ink can smudge and ruin the design.<\/p>\n

We usually test different papers with different inks to figure out the best combination for each order. For a job with a really fast – drying ink and a highly absorbent paper, we might be able to start packing the bags within an hour of printing. But for a more resistant paper and a slower – drying ink, it could take up to 24 hours for the ink to dry completely.<\/p>\n

Now, let’s talk about turnaround time in general. A normal turnaround time for a simple paper shopping bag printing order with a volume of a few hundred bags is usually about a week. This includes the time for design approval, setup, printing, and drying. But for a large – scale, complex order like that high – end fashion brand, it could take up to two or three weeks. And that’s assuming everything goes smoothly, without any unexpected issues like printer breakdowns or delays in getting the right inks.<\/p>\n

If you’re in a real hurry, we do offer rush services. We can bump up your order and work overtime to get it done faster. But there’s usually an extra fee for that. For example, if you need a small order of 50 bags printed in just two days, we’ll charge a bit more to cover the additional labor and any expedited costs for supplies.<\/p>\n

So, yeah, the time it takes to print on paper shopping bags can vary widely. If you’ve got a simple design, a small quantity, and the right type of paper, it can be done in a relatively short time. But if you’re looking for a detailed, large – scale order, be prepared to wait a bit.<\/p>\n

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If you’re interested in getting some paper shopping bags printed, don’t hesitate to reach out. We can work with you to figure out the best printing method for your design, the right paper type, and the most cost – effective solution for your order size. Whether you’re a local business just starting out or a big brand looking to up your packaging game, we’ve got the skills and experience to make it happen. So, drop us a line, and let’s talk about what you need for your paper shopping bags.<\/p>\n

Folding Carton<\/a> References:<\/p>\n