The Great Debate: Poly Bags vs. Cello Bags for Cookie Packaging
Poly vs. Cello Bags: Yes There's a Difference
As you progress in your cookie business, you’re sure to run into a few of the classic cookier debates: Wilton vs. Americolor gel food coloring. Metal cutters vs. 3D-printed plastic cutters. And, of course, poly vs. cello bags.
I find that people either think poly and cello bags are the exact same thing, OR they have very strong opinions about using one material over the other. Poly bags (short for polypropylene or polyethylene bags) and cello bags (short for cellophane bags) are not the same thing, and I have a favorite when it comes to packaging up treats.
In this post, I’ll break down the difference between polypropylene and cellophane bags and share some packaging tips!
Poly Bags
Poly (polypropylene) bags are made from new, food-safe plastic material. They are air-tight when properly heat-sealed. The bags come in several different thicknesses depending on their intended use. Poly bags have comparable clarity to cello bags, allowing you to show off your beautiful cookies. Poly bags are also flexible and tear-resistant. And Poly is a slightly smoother material (i.e. less crinkly sounding).
Pros:
- Poly bags are cost-effective and durable.
- They keep cookies fresh longer since the material is not air-permeable.
Cons:
- Because they are created from human-made materials, they are not often fully biodegradable, although, in some cases, they can be recycled.
Things to Know:
Because poly bags are air-tight, any moisture inside the bag will remain inside the bag after sealing. So if your cookies are underbaked or your icing is not fully dry before you bag and seal your cookies, there is potential for ink bleed/smearing. This problem is easily solvable by ensuring your cookies are well-baked and completely dry before packaging.
Some cookiers claim that poly bags stick to their dry royal icing, but if you fully and properly allow your icing to set, this should not be an issue!
Cello Bags
Cello (cellophane) bags are made from cellulose, an organic material found in the cell walls of plants. Like poly bags, they are food-safe. Cellophane is a breathable material, so while it can be used for food packaging, it's not ideal since air exposure can shorten the shelf-life of food products.
Pros:
- Because they are made of organic material, cello bags are biodegradable.
- They have a high level of clarity.
Cons:
- Cello bags are typically more expensive than poly bags.
- Their thinness can make them susceptible to tearing.
- They are air-permeable, so they don't keep treats as fresh as poly bags.
Things to Know:
If outside moisture permeates the bag, there is a potential for ink bleed/smearing of your beautiful designs.
Why Poly Bags are My Choice for Packaging Baked Goods
Now that you know the main differences between poly and cello bags, it’s time to talk about why poly bags are my top choice for packaging baked goods. It really comes down to three main things.
Poly bags are:
- Cost-Effective
A lot of little expenses go into making, packaging, and selling baked goods. These little things add up, from ingredients and embellishments to bags and labels! At Miss Cookie Packaging, we're always looking for ways to help you make your cookies look their best and make the most profit from every sale. - Durable
Keeping your cookies safe matters to us! We always use high-quality, durable materials to ensure that
your goodies make it to your customers’ hands unharmed. - Air-Tight When Heat-Sealed
This is the big one. If you've gone through all the work of baking delicious cookies and making them
beautiful, you want them to stay as fresh as possible for as long as possible. Poly bags are the clear
winner for freshness!
All of Miss Cookie Packaging’s clear heat-seal bags are made of 1.5 mil thick polypropylene, a little thicker than the standard, to protect your treats better and longer. They come in a range of sizes and are seamless for a polished look.
A Few Tips When Packaging With Poly Bags
First, get your sizing right.
Remember that your treats are three-dimensional, and you'll want your bag to have a little extra space but not too much.
Here are some general recommendations to get you started:
- Small Bags (3” x 4” bags) are perfect for all 2" minis.
- Large Bags (4” x 6” bags, 4” x 7” bags, and 5” x 7” bags) are the most common for single fullsized cookies. Always measure to be safe. A 4” wide cookie will be too large for a 4” wide bag because you need to account for the cookie’s thickness and the thickness of the icing.
- Tall Bags (3” x 13” bags, 3” x 12”bags, 5.25” x 10.5” bags) are ideal for taller treats or for sealing
multiple mini cookies, or chocolate covered pretzels. - Gusseted Bags (3" x 2" x 8" bags, 3" x 3" x 8" bags, 3.5" x 3.5" x 8 bags, and 4" x 4" x 8" bags) are perfect for packaging drop cookies, macarons and other thicker or larger baked goods.
Presentation matters just as much as freshness.
We JUST ADDED gusseted bags to our clear bag lineup (show in the photo above)! We have 4 new sizes available—perfect for everything from delicate macarons to stacked drop cookies and everything in-between!
And for an extra-special finishing touch, our Double Loop Pre-Tied Bows make holiday packaging look instantly polished and professional.
Invest in a quality heat sealer (also called an impulse sealer).
Remember, it's critical to heat seal instead of using adhesives or twist ties to keep your cookies fresh and well-protected. Trust me—it's worth investing in a well-made heat sealer. When you have a heat sealer and the right bags, your treats will look clean and professional and have a longer shelf life.
I'm not affiliated with these brands, but here are my personal favorites that I recommend to new cookiers:
- Tabletop Impulse Sealer with Cutter - 8”, model Number H-161
While purchasing a heat sealer with a cutter is a slightly bigger investment, it will make your life so much easier and save a bunch of time when sealing your cookies into clear poly bags. The heat sealer that I use is from uline.com. It’s the Tabletop Impulse Sealer with Cutter - 8”, model Number H-161. While this one can be on the higher end price-wise, it’s the one that I personally use. - BOX USA Heat Sealer WITH Cutter
This is a version with a built-in cutter, available on Amazon. - METRONIC Heat Sealer WITHOUT Cutter
A heat sealer without a cutter will save money, but you’ll need to manually cut the bags using sharp scissors. If you plan to tie your clear poly bags with bows after you seal them, you won’t mind less-than-perfect bag edges.
One last thing to know before you shop bags.
Plenty of sellers, especially on big sites like Amazon, list all bags as “Cello” bags or call their bags "Poly Cello Bags" when, in reality, only one of those materials is used. The bags you may be buying are not both poly AND cello.
Too many sellers out there put both terms in the product name to ensure that their product will show up in customer searches. But this is problematic because it just adds to the confusion.
To truly know what material you are purchasing look further down in the product description, the seller (if they are an honest one) should list the material used.
If the description lists polypropylene or PP or OPP or BOPP anywhere then it is polypropylene and not cello. Bottom line? Proceed with caution and read the full description, so you know what you're buying.
Eddie the Edible Ink Printer Users
There is a great debate, and dare I say divide among the Eddie users on which bag type is best for Eddie printed cookies. Some swear by their cello bags, and others say they will only ever use poly bags. But I wonder if some that are using ‘cello’ bags are actually using poly bags and they just don’t know it because of the misinformation and confusion that sellers on Amazon and other stores continue to create?
Primera, the manufacturers of the Eddie printer strongly advise against using cello bags because cello bags allow the air and humidity through the bag causing bleed. They highly recommend heat sealing your cookie in poly bags so no outside moisture can get in.
My recommendation is that you do your own testing. What works for you, in your environment, level of humidity, etc. may or may not work for someone else.
There’s a great post in the Eddie Facebook group that covers this topic, and goes into depth about how to do your own experimenting and troubleshooting if you find yourself having issues with printed cookies, which you can read HERE
Of course, if you want to be confident that you have the highest quality, crystal clear poly bags to keep your treats safe and fresh (for less!), shop our selection today!
