Recently, a customer contacted us because they needed several custom plastic bags for a group of new products.

Since the products had not yet been officially launched, the customer did not want to order a large quantity immediately. They preferred to begin with a small batch, test the market, and see how the final packaging designs looked on the actual products.

At the beginning, we only discussed one plastic bag design.

The bag was relatively large. Although we could use digital printing and did not require a fixed high minimum order quantity, the cost per bag was still higher than it would have been for a smaller pouch or a larger production quantity.

The customer then asked us about the price.

We explained that two important factors have a significant effect on the cost of custom printed pouches:

• Bag size
• Order quantity

A larger bag uses more material and takes up more printing and production space. At the same time, when the quantity is very small, the fixed production costs are divided among fewer finished bags.

The customer then asked another question:

“If I add more designs to the same order, can the cost be reduced?”

The answer was yes.

Why Can Ordering Several Designs Together Reduce the Cost?

We use digital printing for many small-batch custom plastic bag orders.

Digital printing is suitable for startup brands, new product launches, and market testing because it does not require traditional printing plates and offers much more flexibility in order quantity.

However, printing is only one part of producing a finished plastic bag.

After the film has been printed, it still needs to go through the bag-making process.

Depending on the bag type, this may include:

• Material processing
• Cutting
• Zipper installation
• Gusset forming
• Heat sealing
• Bag forming
• Final inspection

These post-printing processes are similar to those used for traditionally printed pouches.

Before the bag-making process begins, the equipment still needs to be prepared and started. This creates a setup or machine-starting cost.

For example, if the machine is started to produce only 50 bags in one design, the customer still needs to cover one setup cost.

If two designs with compatible bag specifications are produced together and the total quantity becomes 100 bags, the machine may still only need one main setup for the same production run.

The setup cost can then be divided across more finished bags.

As a result, the average cost per bag becomes lower.

The Customer Finally Ordered Three Designs Together

After understanding how the post-printing production cost worked, the customer decided to produce three different designs at the same time.

This allowed the customer to test several new products without placing a large order for each individual design.

By combining the designs into one production arrangement, we were able to reduce part of the bag-making setup cost and spread it across the total order quantity.

This helped the customer lower the average packaging cost while still maintaining the flexibility of a small-batch order.

For customers with several products or SKUs, this can be a practical way to control the cost of custom printed pouches during the early stages of a product launch.

Important Condition: Keep the Bag Specifications Consistent

Ordering several designs together is most effective when the bags use the same or compatible specifications.

For example, the designs should ideally use the same:

• Finished bag size
• Bag type
• Material structure
• Zipper position
• Gusset size
• Surface finish
• Production process

If every design requires a different bag size or structure, the manufacturer may need to adjust the machinery separately for each one.

In that situation, the setup cost cannot be shared in the same way.

Therefore, if you plan to launch several products, it is worth considering the packaging specifications before finalizing each design.

How Can Small-Batch Plastic Bag Costs Be Reduced?

Based on this customer’s project, there are three practical ways to reduce the cost of small-batch custom plastic bags.

1. Use the Same Plastic Bag Size for Different Products

If several products can fit into the same bag size, try to standardize the packaging dimensions.

For example, a brand may have several product flavors, formulas, or variations.

Instead of creating a different pouch size for every product, the brand can select one suitable size and use it across multiple products.

This can make it easier to:

• Combine several designs into one order
• Share part of the bag-making setup cost
• Simplify material preparation
• Reduce packaging complexity
• Reorder bags more efficiently later

Using one bag size does not mean every product must have the same design.

Each product can still have its own colors, product name, flavor information, and graphics.

The important point is that the physical bag specifications remain consistent.

For small-batch digital printing, this can make the production arrangement more efficient.

2. Use a General Plastic Bag with Different Printed Labels

Some startup brands have a very limited packaging budget during the early stage of a product launch.

They may have several products but only need a small number of bags for each one.

In this situation, printing a separate custom pouch for every product may not be the most economical option.

A more flexible solution is to use one general plastic bag design for all products.

The general pouch can include information that remains the same across the product range, such as:

• Brand logo
• Company information
• General packaging design
• Social media or website
• Common instructions

Different printed labels can then be applied to identify:

• Product name
• Flavor
• Formula
• Weight
• Barcode
• Other product-specific information

This method allows the customer to order one larger quantity of the same plastic bag instead of dividing a very small quantity among several fully printed designs.

It is especially useful when:

• The products are still being tested
• The final design may change
• The quantity of each SKU is very small
• The customer wants to reduce the initial packaging investment

After sales become more stable, the brand can decide whether to change to fully custom printed pouches for each product.

3. Produce Multiple Designs in the Same Order

If the customer wants each product to have its own fully printed plastic bag, it is usually more cost-effective to place several designs together instead of ordering them separately at different times.

Even with digital printing, the finished bags still require post-printing processing.

Producing several compatible designs together can help reduce repeated machine setup costs.

For example:

• Producing 50 bags in one design requires one setup.
• Producing another 50 bags later may require another setup.
• Producing both designs together may allow the manufacturer to arrange one combined production run.

The more finished bags that can share the same setup, the lower the fixed setup cost becomes when calculated per bag.

This does not mean that adding designs always reduces the total order value.

The customer is still ordering more bags.

However, the average cost per bag may become lower because some fixed production costs are divided across a larger combined quantity.

Digital Printing Is Still Suitable for Small-Batch Orders

Digital printing is a good solution for customers who need:

• Small batch pouches
• Multiple designs
• New product packaging
• Market testing
• Several SKUs
• No traditional printing plate fees
• Flexible order quantities

There is no fixed high printing MOQ in the same way as traditional plate printing.

However, a low MOQ does not mean that every production cost disappears.

Bag size, material usage, order quantity, and the post-printing bag-making process still affect the final price.

This is why discussing all product designs with the plastic bag supplier at the same time can be helpful.

The supplier can review whether the designs can use the same bag size and whether several styles can be arranged together to reduce part of the production cost.

What Information Should You Provide?

If you want to know whether several custom pouch designs can be produced together, provide the supplier with:

• Number of designs
• Quantity required for each design
• Finished bag dimensions
• Bag type
• Material requirements
• Zipper or closure requirements
• Surface finish
• Product filling weight
• Artwork for each design

The supplier can then check whether the specifications are compatible and whether the designs can share part of the bag-making process.

Need several custom plastic bag designs in small quantities?

Send us the dimensions, quantity, artwork, and specifications for each design. We can review whether they can be produced together and suggest a more cost-effective production arrangement.

Website: www.custompackagingprint.com
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: +86 173 3600 3921