Have you ever experienced this “shipping shock”?
You order 500 backpacks from China. The total weight of the products is only 300kg. You calculate your budget based on this weight. However, when the freight forwarder sends you the invoice, they charge you for 500kg!
You might think you are being cheated, but you are likely not. This is due to Volumetric Weight.
For bag importers, shipping costs can sometimes kill your profit margins. As a factory based in Baigou, we don’t just manufacture bags; we also help our clients pack them smartly to save money.
In this guide, we will explain why shipping bags is expensive and share our two proven packing methods that can reduce your shipping volume by up to 30%-50%.
Why Are You Paying to Ship “Air”?
In international logistics (whether by air, express, or sea), carriers charge based on whichever is greater: the Actual Weight or the Volumetric Weight.
What is Volumetric Weight?
Backpacks and school bags are typical “Bulky Cargo” (or Puffy Goods). They are light but take up a lot of space. A standard school bag is 90% air and foam padding inside.
The standard formula for Express and Air Freight is:
- Length (cm) x Width (cm) x Height (cm) / 5000
Example:
- Actual Weight: One carton of backpacks weighs 15kg.
- Dimensions: The carton size is 60cm x 50cm x 60cm.
- Volumetric Weight: $60 \times 50 \times 60 / 5000 = $ 36kg.
In this case, the courier will charge you for 36kg, not 15kg. You are paying double simply because the bags are puffy!
Our Solutions to Reduce Volume
To fix this, we need to squeeze the air out. At BagMakerPro, we use different packing strategies based on your product type and budget.
Solution A: Mechanical Press + Woven Sacks (Best for Budget Bags)
Suitable for: Low-cost promotional bags, basic school bags, canvas totes, or simple nylon backpacks with little padding.
If you are buying large quantities of affordable bags, the packaging cost matters. Cartons are expensive, and they add weight. For these orders, we use a Hydraulic Press Machine.
The Process:
- We stack 50-100 bags neatly.
- We place them inside a durable woven sack (also known as a snakeskin bag or gunny sack).
- Our hydraulic press machine slowly squeezes the stack to remove all the air.
- While under pressure, we secure the sack with multiple heavy-duty strapping belts.
Pros:
- Lowest Cost: Woven sacks are much cheaper than cardboard cartons.
- Maximum Compression: Reduces volume significantly.
- Safety: The strapping belts ensure the bundle stays tight during sea shipping.
Solution B: Vacuum Compression Packing (Best for Mid-to-High End Bags)
Suitable for: Laptop backpacks, padded travel bags, or retail-ready products.
For bags that sell at a higher price point, we recommend Vacuum Compression. This method uses clear plastic vacuum bags and a high-power suction machine.
The Process:
- We lay the backpack flat in a specialized compression bag (individual or small batch).
- The machine sucks out the air, making the bag as flat as a pancake.
- We seal the bag immediately.
- These flat packs are then placed into high-hardness corrugated cartons to prevent them from expanding and bursting the box during transit.
The Result (Data Comparison): Let’s look at a standard 20-inch backpack order:
- Standard Packing: One carton holds about 20 pieces.
- Vacuum Packing: The same carton holds about 35 pieces.
Conclusion: By fitting more bags into one box, your shipping cost per unit drops by nearly 40%.
Will Compression Ruin the Bags? (Recovery Test)
This is the #1 question we get from new clients: “If you squash my bags, will they look bad when they arrive?”
The honest answer is: They will have some wrinkles initially, but they are easy to fix. Here is why:
1. For Budget Bags (Canvas/Nylon)
Bags made of polyester, nylon, or canvas naturally relax. Since budget bags usually have very thin sponge padding (or no padding), there is no internal structure to damage. Once your customers start using the bag, gravity and the items inside will push the fabric back to its original shape within a day.
2. For Mid-High End Bags (Padded)
We use high-quality EPE foam or High-Resilience Sponge in our manufacturing. Cheap sponge collapses and stays flat, but our quality materials have “memory.”
Pro Tip for Retailers: When you receive the vacuum-packed goods, the bags might look a bit flat.
- Step 1: Open the package and shake the bag.
- Step 2: (Optional) Use a handheld garment steamer on the surface for 10 seconds. The heat instantly relaxes the fabric and expands the foam back to 100% thickness.
Conclusion
Shipping doesn’t have to be a deal-breaker. By choosing a factory that understands logistics, you can save a huge amount of money.
Whether you choose our economical woven sack method for bulk orders or our vacuum carton packing for boutique items, BagMakerPro ensures your goods arrive safely and cost-effectively.
Stop paying to ship air.
[Contact Us Today] for a free quote. Send us your order quantity, and we will calculate the packing volume and shipping savings for you immediately.