SolutionIt is the first decision on almost every packaging project: kraft paper or white card? The answer shapes your cost, your print quality and how customers perceive your brand on the shelf. Here is how the two materials actually differ — and a simple way to decide.
The short answer
Choose kraft if your brand leans natural, rustic or sustainable, if the bag needs to carry serious weight, or if you want the lowest cost per piece. Choose white card if your product lives on sharp, colourful print — cosmetics, fashion, electronics, premium gifts — and the bag is part of the unboxing experience. If you are still unsure after reading, the honest move is to price both: at quotation stage the difference is usually smaller than buyers expect.
What is kraft paper?
Kraft paper is made from unbleached wood pulp, which gives it the familiar brown colour and its name — Kraft is simply German for "strength". It is available from roughly 100–200 gsm in brown, white or black, and recycled content can go as high as 100%. Because the fibre is never bleached, kraft keeps a naturally high tear resistance and tensile strength, which is why it has been the workhorse of shopping bags for decades.
- Look: natural, matte, slightly textured — reads as "eco" instantly.
- Strength: excellent tear resistance for its weight.
- Print: best with simple 1–2 colour logos; fine detail and photo printing are possible but less vivid.
- Food contact: food-grade kraft grades are widely available (with wet-strength options for cold drinks).
What is white card (ivory board)?
White card — often called ivory board or FBB — is a bleached, coated board ranging from about 210–400 gsm. The coated surface is what photographers would call a "clean canvas": ink sits on top instead of soaking in, so edges stay crisp and colours stay where you put them. This is the standard for luxury retail bags and printed cartons for a reason.
- Look: bright, smooth, premium — the bag itself feels like part of the product.
- Print: full-colour CMYK, fine line work and photographic images all reproduce cleanly.
- Finishing: takes hot foil, embossing and spot UV beautifully.
- Sustainability: FSC® chain-of-custody certified grades are readily available.
Side-by-side comparison
| Kraft paper | White card / ivory | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical weight | 100–200 gsm | 210–400 gsm |
| Base colour | Brown / white / black | Bright white |
| Print quality | Simple logos, 1–2 colours shine | Full CMYK, photos, fine detail |
| Strength | High tear resistance | High stiffness and rigidity |
| Brand feel | Natural, eco, artisan | Premium, polished, retail |
| Relative cost | Lower | Higher (bleaching + coating) |
| Best for | Takeaway, grocery, fashion basics, eco brands | Cosmetics, jewellery, premium fashion, gifts |
Choose kraft if…
Your brand story is sustainability
Kraft signals "recycled and natural" before a customer reads a single word. Pair it with soy-based inks and a paper handle and you have a bag that supports a plastic-free claim.
The bag needs to work hard
For takeaway, grocery or heavier retail loads, kraft's tear resistance gives you safety margin without jumping to a heavier (and pricier) board.
Budget leads the brief
Unbleached fibre skips two costly steps — bleaching and coating — so kraft is almost always the cheaper route at the same order quantity.
Choose white card if…
Colour is the brand
If your packaging must match a specific pantone or carry photographic artwork, the coated white surface is non-negotiable. On kraft, a bright design fights the brown base; on white card it simply works.
The unboxing moment matters
Cosmetics, jewellery and premium fashion buyers judge the bag as part of the product. Stiffness, a clean snap and premium finishing all favour white card.
You want finishing effects
Hot foil stamping, embossing and spot UV all show at their best on a smooth coated surface.
How we quote it
We are the export team behind a publicly listed Chinese paper packaging manufacturer, working with partner factories that hold FSC® chain-of-custody, ISO 9001, ISO 22000, BSCI and SEDEX certifications. Send us your bag size, board preference (or just your product), print colours and quantity, and you will have a written quotation and a material recommendation within one working day — MOQ from 5,000 pcs, with a free pre-production sample in about 7 days.
Still deciding? Price both.
Tell us your product and size — we will send back a side-by-side kraft vs white card quotation within one working day.
More buying guides
- How to Custom Print Paper Bags— coming soon
- Paper Bag Handle Types Compared— coming soon
- FSC® Certification: What Buyers Need to Know— coming soon