1.Q: Are bulk bags water-tight or water proof? 

A:No, since a bulk bag's fabric is made from a woven material, the bag is not "water proof". Users usually want a coating or lamination as a moisture barrier, by moisture barrier we mean a light amount of condensation or light amount of water. Lamination is simply a moisture barrier, however the use of an internal poly liner works best in many typical applications, technically it still is not 100% water proof. The difference between using a coating/lamination or using a liner is in the amount of moisture that you are trying to keep out of the product, and how much you want to assure that this does not occur. Standard bulk bags are not water proof, and are not typically designed to carry wet products, however there are other type products in the market designed to hold liquid, i.e. liquid liners.

 

2.Q: Can I reuse a bulk bag? 

A: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 SF, 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, or have a small hole in the fabric, the loops could be unstable etc. Reuse of a 5:1 SF bulk bag, which covers the majority of bulk bags seen in the market, is not recommended.

 

3.Q: What does SWL mean?

A: Safe Working Load. A bulk bag's safe working load is the amount of weight that the bag is rated and tested to hold safely.

 

4.Q: Can I use a crane to lift a bulk bag? 

A:Yes, however you must use the correct type of lifting straps designed specifically for a crane lift. You must follow the correct manufacturer recommendations when lifting a bulk bag.

 

5.Q: What does sift proofing, or sift resistant sewing mean?

A: Sift proofing is designed to prevent product from leaking out of the bag. Since a bulk bag (FIBC) is a woven product, sewn together, there is the possibility of product leaking out of seams and areas where the bag has been sewn. Sift proofing or anti-sift sewing is a method of using a felt or a spongy type yarn in the sewing process. The sewing operator, feeds the sift cord along the seam of the bulk bag while sewing. The sift cord fills in the areas near the needle hole in the seam. When using felt as a sift resistant material, the felt is sewn either along with the threaded seam or in between the fabric panels. There are many ways to utilize sift proofing, these are some of the ways that sift proofing has been used to prevent product from sifting out of the seams

 

6.Q: What size bulk bag do I need for my product? 

A:In order to accurately determine the correct size, you will need to consider the following items: bulk density of product, filling and discharging spacial requirements, shipping and storage requirements.

 

 

7.Q: Can bulk bags be stored outside? 

A:If so, then how long? Yes, but bulk bags will degrade as a result 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 hrs. Although this is dependant upon where the actual bag is located on the globe. In other words, UV rays vary in strength and degree in different parts of the world.

 

8.Q: What is a bulk bag? 

A:A bulk bag is a large bag used for storing and transporting free flowing dry products. Usually made from woven polypropylene, with standard base dimensions of 35"x35" and a variable height generally up to about 96". Bulk Bag dimensions can vary widely, based on user need and usability. Bulk Bags typically hold about 2000-4000 lbs. of product. Bulk Bags can be placed on pallets or lifted by standard lift loops attached to the bags themselves.

 

9.Q: What does 5:1 SF mean? 

A:A standard bulk bag is rated at a 5:1 Safety Ratio, which means that the bag is specified to hold 5 times the amount of the bags safe working load. A 5:1 Safety Ratio is for single use or single trip bags. Bags that are designed for multi-use or multi-trip bags, are made with an increased SF ratio. The SF for a multi-trip bag is 6:1.

 

10.Q: Are bulk bags recyclable?

A: Yes, new bulk bags are made from 100% virgin polypropylene.

 

11.Q: How do I attach my documents to the bag? 

A:Typically documents are attached by use of a document pouch, which is usually a 10x12 polyethylene bag sewn to the seam of the bulk bag. A document pouch can have ziplock opening, or a standard opening and can be sewn where the users prefers.

 

12.Q: Can you print on to a bulk bag? 

A:Yes, bulk bags can be printed. Usually the printing is on the side panels of the bag. Print colors are usually one, two, or three colors, but we have the capability to print with more colors, which affects the cost of the bag. We can also print custom logos.

 

13.Q: What is a perimeter band? 

A:A perimeter band is a band sewn around the outside perimeter of the top of a bag, which is designed to give extra strength to loops when lifting.

 

14.Q: What color fabric can I choose from? 

A:The standard fabric color is white, however, we can make specific color fabric. Color fabric is considered a special order and has minimum requirements.

 

 

 

 

15.Q: What is a Type A, Type B, Type C and Type D bulk bag? 

A:Type A – plain coated fabric, no static protection–Used with non-flammable products. Type B – uncoated fabric or fabric with thin coating and with breakdown voltage < 6 kV–Used with less sensitive flammable powders. Type C – interconnected conducting yarns, resistance to ground < 108 W–Used with flammable powders and where flammable solvents are present–MUST BE GROUNDED (very dangerous when grounding fails). Type D – quasi-conductive yarns, not interconnected – does not require grounding–Used with flammable powders and where flammable solvents are present–Safe replacement for Type C

 

 

16.Q: What sizes do bulk bags come in? 

A:Bulk Bags come in many different sizes, they can be customized into just about any 3 dimension size possible. There are limits to the sizes of course, but usually you'll see standard bulk bags with a standard base dimension of 35" x 35". The heights 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.