Paper bags are no longer a niche product — retail brands, food chains and e-commerce sellers are all switching from plastic, and many printers are adding paper bags as a second revenue line. The most common question we hear: “What machines do I actually need for a paper bag production line?”
This guide walks through the complete process flow, machine by machine, and shows three proven line configurations — from a one-machine inline setup to a full factory layout.
The Process Flow at a Glance
A square-bottom paper bag with handle goes through four stages:
- Flexo printing — print your brand and artwork onto the paper roll (1–6 colors)
- Slitting — cut the printed roll to bag width, and slit the handle patch paper
- Handle making — twisted or flat paper handles, made from paper rope and patch paper
- Bag forming — the bag making machine folds the tube, glues the bottom, applies the handle and delivers finished bags
For V-bottom food bags (bread, snack, pharmacy), the flow is simpler: printing → tube forming with V bottom → finning. V bottom bags carry no handle — the forming machine delivers handleless food bags directly.
Rule of thumb: the fewer manual steps between printing and finished bag, the lower your labor cost and defect rate. That is what separates an inline line from a two-step line.
Machine by Machine
1. Flexo Printing — VFP-E / VFP-H (1–6 Colors)
Paper bags are printed on the roll, before forming. The VFP-E and VFP-H flexo printing machines handle 1 to 6 colors on kraft paper, white cardboard and art paper, with registration that holds up to bag-making tolerance.
Pairs naturally with the slitting line that cuts the printed roll to width.
2. Slitting — Roll to Width + Handle Patch
Two slitting jobs feed the line: the printed roll is slit to the bag tube width, and plain kraft paper is slit into handle patch strips. The VPS-1600G paper slitting machine is dedicated to handle patch production — patch length and width adjust quickly for different bag sizes.
3. Handle Making — Two Handle Styles
Paper bag handles come in two styles: twisted rope handles and flat handles. The machine chain covers both:
- VTY paper rope machine (single/double station) — twists kraft paper into the rope that twisted handles use
- VPH-T twisted handle machine — makes twisted rope handles (no pasting)
- VPH-F flat handle machine — makes flat paper handles at up to 6,000 pairs/hour
- VAH-T / VAH-F handle making & pasting machines — the automatic versions that make the handle and paste it onto the bag in one pass
The VPH paper handle making machine page covers the twisted model in detail.
4. Bag Forming — Square Bottom or V Bottom
This is the heart of the line, and the choice depends on the bag you sell:
Square bottom bags (shopping bags, retail bags, gift bags):
- VFD-T / VFD-AF series — fully automatic square bottom machines with twisted or flat handle applied inline. One machine takes the printed roll in and delivers handle-finished bags out. Available in 330 / 450 / 540 mm web widths.
- VFD-190 / 290 / 330 / 460 series — standard square bottom machines (YASKAWA servo) without inline handle, for bags that use separately made handles or no handle.
- VFD-F economy series (SCHNEIDER drives) — the same architecture tuned for tighter budgets.
- CY-180 / 290 / 460 — compact square bottom options for smaller bag sizes.
V bottom bags (bread bags, snack bags, pharmacy bags) — no handle, by design:
- VJD-400 / 650 / 850 — servo-driven V bottom machines, widely used for food packaging
- VJD-270 / 350 — high-speed versions with 7 servo motors
- VJD-M mechanical series — no servo, no PLC: the entry point for the lowest machine investment
Three Proven Line Configurations
Configuration A — One-Machine Inline (Premium)
Flexo printer → VFD-T / VFD-AF inline handle machine → finished bags
One operator, one machine, finished bags with handles straight off the delivery unit. The shortest path from roll to sellable bag, and the configuration most retail-bag factories choose when volume justifies it.
Configuration B — Standard Two-Step Line
Flexo printer → slitter → VPH handle machine → square bottom machine → handle finishing
Lower machine investment than inline, more flexible for mixed bag sizes. Handles are made in parallel on the VPH-T / VPH-F machines and joined to the formed bags with the VAH pasting units. The most common configuration for factories starting out.
Configuration C — V-Bottom Food Line
Flexo printer → VJD series V bottom machine → finning and packing
For food-grade paper bags: bread, snacks, pharmacy. No handle step, high output, and the JD models pair the V bottom machine with a separate flexo printer for printed rolls.
Bag Type → Machine Mapping
| Bag you sell | Recommended machine | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Retail / shopping bag, twisted handle inline | VFD-T series | 330 / 450 / 540 mm web widths |
| Retail / shopping bag, flat handle inline | VFD-AF series | Flat handles applied inline |
| Retail bag, handles made separately | VFD standard + VPH / VAH handle units | Two-step configuration |
| Food bag, V bottom (bread, snack) | VJD-400 / 650 / 850 servo | Handleless by design |
| Food bag, tightest budget | VJD-M mechanical | Entry investment |
| Compact square bottom, small sizes | CY-180 / 290 / 460 | Smaller bag range |
| Fruit protection bags | VFB-300G / 420G | 1–2 layers |
Raw Materials to Plan For
- Paper: kraft paper 40–200 gsm (food bags need food-grade certification), white cardboard and art paper for premium retail bags
- Paper rope: twisted or flat, for handles — supplied on spools to the handle machines
- Glue: food-safe adhesive for V bottom food bags
- Handle patch paper: slit on the VPS-1600G to match handle length
FAQ
Which configuration should a new factory start with?
Most start with Configuration B (two-step): lower machine investment, and the VPH handle machine also sells handles to other bag makers. Upgrade to inline when a single bag size runs at high volume.
Can one machine make both square and V bottom bags?
No — square bottom and V bottom forming units are mechanically different. Choose by the bag type your market demands.
Twisted or flat handles — which one?
Twisted rope handles are the classic kraft look and the most common for retail. Flat handles feel wider and softer in the hand and carry more print. Your VPH-T (twisted) or VPH-F (flat) handle machine decides the style; the inline VFD-T / VFD-AF machines apply the matching type automatically.
What web width do I need?
It follows your largest bag: a 330 mm machine covers bags up to roughly 330 mm width; step up to 450 or 540 mm for shopping bags. Tell us your bag size range and we will size the machine.
Get a Production Line Quote
Send us: bag type, bag size (W × L × bottom), paper weight, and whether you need printed bags — we will return a complete line configuration: printing, slitting, handle and bag forming machines matched to your product, with lead time and delivery terms.
Start from the paper bag making machine overview or the flexo printing machine page, or message us on WhatsApp for a fast reply.
Browse the full machine catalogue for the complete VIE range.