Courier Bag Buying Guide: Sizes, Micron Thickness & POD Explained
Choosing a courier bag looks simple until you're staring at a dozen sizes, three thicknesses, and a POD-or-no-POD decision — all before you've even placed the order. This guide walks through every real decision point, so you can pick the right bag the first time instead of guessing and re-ordering.
1. Choose the right size
Match the bag to what you're actually shipping. These are the sizes we keep in stock, based on what sellers most commonly ship in each:
| Size (W x L, inches) | Best for |
|---|---|
| 4.5 x 10 | Documents, cheques, invoices, earphones, cables, memory cards |
| 6 x 6 | Jewellery, small jewellery boxes, screen guards, pen drives |
| 7 x 10 | Mobile cases, wallets, watches, belts, CDs/DVDs, small accessories |
| 8 x 10 | Small electronics, mobile boxes, hard disks, routers, cosmetics |
| 10 x 12 | A4-size items, brochures, tablets, books, magazines |
| 12 x 16 | Clothing (tees, shirts, jeans), small shoe boxes, handbags, laptop accessories |
| 14 x 18 | Heavier shoe boxes, towels, laptop sleeves, kitchen appliances, multi-item shipments |
This chart is a general guide — always check your product's own box dimensions before ordering. Need a size that isn't listed? We manufacture custom sizes on request.
Not sure which size fits your product? Order the assorted sample pack and compare sizes in hand before committing to a bulk order.
2. Choose the right thickness (micron)
Thickness determines how much weight and rough handling a bag can take. We stock three grades:
| Thickness | Best for | Shop |
|---|---|---|
| 51 micron (Economy) | Light to mid-weight items — garments, accessories, small parts, documents. Best cost per bag. | With POD · Without POD |
| 60 micron (Premium) | Our best-seller — heavier or higher-value items where the extra film thickness matters, while staying lighter than a box. | With POD · Without POD |
| 75 micron (Elite) | Bulky or high-value shipments needing the thickest, most puncture-resistant film we offer. | Shop 75 micron |
Rule of thumb: if you're unsure, 60 micron is the safe default — it's what most of our customers order, and it works for the vast majority of e-commerce shipments.
3. POD or no POD — which do you need?
POD stands for Place of Delivery — it's the clear document pocket on the back of the bag for slipping in an invoice, airway bill, or shipping label.
- Choose a POD bag if you or your courier partner attach a printed invoice or airway bill to the outside of the parcel.
- Choose a no-POD bag if you print your shipping label directly (common with A4 sticker sheets or thermal barcode labels) and stick it directly onto the bag.
Both options come in 51 and 60 micron — see the thickness table above for direct links.
4. Choose your material
| Material | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Standard poly (LDPE) | The default for most e-commerce shipments — tamper-evident, tear-resistant, weatherproof. |
| Bubble-lined | Semi-fragile items — electronics, small glass or ceramic pieces, anything that needs cushioning as well as a tamper-evident seal. |
| Paper | Sellers prioritising a plastic-free, recyclable option for lighter items. |
| Compostable (starch-based) | Brands committed to a fully compostable packaging line, not just recyclable. |
5. Selling on a marketplace? Check this first
Meesho sellers: most Meesho sellers print labels directly and don't need a POD pouch. See our Meesho packing material — no-POD, with QR, in clear or opaque.
Amazon, Flipkart and other marketplace sellers: check your specific marketplace's current packaging guidelines before ordering in bulk, as requirements occasionally change and vary by category.
6. Want your brand on the bag?
Coloured and custom-printed bags help your parcel stand out and reinforce brand recall on delivery:
- Coloured courier bags — red, yellow, blue, black, green and white, 51 micron with POD.
- Custom printed courier bags — your logo, your colours, low minimum order quantities.
7. Ordering in bulk
All courier bags on this site are available from 100 pieces up to 5,000-piece packs, with free shipping across India and a GST invoice on every order — add your GSTIN at checkout to claim input credit.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a courier bag and a packing bag?
Nothing — in India, "courier bag," "packing bag," and "packaging bag" are used interchangeably for the same tamper-evident poly mailer.
Can I mix sizes or thicknesses in one order?
Yes — contact us for a mixed bulk order if you need multiple sizes or thicknesses in one shipment.
How do I know if my current bags are single-use-plastic compliant?
As of current rules, courier bags above 75 microns are the safest choice for compliance. See our plastic ban explainer for the full breakdown.
Still not sure what you need? Order the sample pack, or browse the full courier bags collection to compare everything side by side.