T-Shirt Bag Production Line — From HDPE Film to Finished Vest Bag
A T-shirt bag line is short and fast: HDPE film in, printed or plain web through a heat-seal and cut machine, stacked vest bags out. Output is decided by lane count and cycle rate, not by machine size. This page covers film gauge, lane options, sealing and punching, and how waste returns to the extruder.
What the line consists of
- 1 · Blown film — HDPE at 0.008–0.03 mm, wound into rolls; LDPE/LLDPE blends for a softer bag
- 2 · Printing (optional) — flexo, usually 1–4 colours, on a corona-treated web
- 3 · T-shirt bag making — the web is sealed, cut, punched for handles and stacked in one cycle
- 4 · Waste recovery — handle punch-outs and trim return to pellets and go back into the film line
Output: lane count beats cycle rate
A T-shirt bag machine makes one bag per lane per cycle. Two lanes double the output of a single-lane machine at the same cycle rate, and six lanes multiply it again — that is why lane count, not headline speed, is the first question to settle.
The trade-off is bag width: lane count and maximum bag width compete for the same web width. Decide the bag size range before choosing the machine.
| Specification | T-Shirt Bag Making Machine (GFQ) | T-Shirt Bag Making Machine (DFR-400×2) |
|---|---|---|
| Bag width | 550–1,150 mm | 180–320 mm |
| Bag length | 700–1,800 mm | 280–650 mm |
| Speed | 60–720 bags/min | 100–300 bags/min |
| Film thickness | 0.01–0.15 mm | 0.01–0.05 mm |
| Materials | HDPE / LDPE | HDPE / LDPE |
| Indicative price | $9,000 – $35,000 | $9,000 – $35,000 |
The four-line option: GFQ-800
When the bag is narrow and the volume is high, four lines beat one wide line. The GFQ-800 runs four webs through one machine and punches the T-shirt handles automatically.
A two-line setup of the same machine takes the cutting width to 750 mm, so one machine covers both a narrow four-line run and a wider two-line run. Price for this machine depends on the line configuration (four-line or two-line, cutting width and options), so it is quoted on request rather than from a published range.
| Specification | GFQ-800 Four-Line Automatic Punching Bag Making Machine |
|---|---|
| Cutting width | 160–300 mm |
| Cutting length | 300–650 mm |
| Speed per line | 40–120 bags/min per line |
| Cutting thickness | 0.006–0.10 mm |
| Materials | HDPE / LDPE |
| Installed power | 11.5 kW installed |
The film line feeding the bag machines
One film line normally feeds two to three T-shirt bag machines; sizing the film line to the bag machines, not the reverse, is what keeps the plant balanced.
| Specification | Mini Film Blowing Machine | Monolayer Blown Film Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Film width (folded) | 100–800 mm | 600–1,200 mm |
| Output | 35–50 kg/h | 30–120 kg/h |
| Film thickness | 0.01–0.12 mm | 0.008–0.10 mm |
| Materials | LDPE / LLDPE / HDPE | LDPE / LLDPE / HDPE |
| Installed power | 20 kW installed | 46–74 kW installed |
| Indicative price | $12,000 – $28,000 | $18,000 – $45,000 |
Other bag formats in the same plant
Rolls of flat or star-seal bags and BOPP loops are usually made on separate machines rather than by changing over the T-shirt machine.
| Specification | ES-L-500X2 Star Sealing & Flat Bag Making Machine | HF Circular BOPP Bag Making Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Bag width | 80–300 mm | 50–990 mm |
| Bag length | 100–1,200 mm | 10–1,150 mm |
| Speed | 120–410 bags/min | up to 240 bags/min |
| Bag thickness | 0.005–0.02 mm | 0.01–0.10 mm |
| Materials | HDPE / LDPE / PP | BOPP / OPP / PE |
| Indicative price | $27,000 – $31,000 | $20,000 – $70,000 |
Choosing between the GFQ and DFR machines
Most factories that make both T-shirt bags and flat bags on roll install two machines rather than changing over one — the sealing geometry is different.
| Machine | Best for | Width and speed |
|---|---|---|
| GFQ T-shirt bag machine | Wide bag size range, multi-line output, general factory work | 550–1,150 mm · 60–720 bags/min |
| DFR-400×2 high-speed machine | One narrow bag size run at very high cycle rate | 180–320 mm · 100–300 bags/min |
| Star sealing flat bag machine | Flat and star-seal bags on rolls (bin liners, produce rolls) | 80–300 mm · 120–410 bags/min |
| HF circular BOPP machine | BOPP/OPP loops and circular bags outside the PE route | 50–990 mm · up to 240 bags/min |
Film specification for T-shirt bags
HDPE film for vest bags is blown thin and stiff. Thickness is normally 0.008–0.03 mm, and the bag holds its shape because of resin stiffness rather than gauge.
If the bag must feel soft or carry more weight, the line moves to LDPE or an LDPE-rich blend — the same film line, different resin and settings. Confirm the blend when ordering so the die gap and air ring are set correctly.
Waste and yield
Handle punch-outs are the largest single waste stream in a T-shirt bag plant — typically a few percent of film area, continuously. Recovering them is the fastest yield improvement available.
A granulator rated 150–500 kg/h handles punch-out and trim from multiple bag machines and returns the material to the extruder as pellets. On an ABA 3-layer film line the recovered resin runs in the core layer, so surface print quality is unaffected.
The same film line also feeds shopping bag production and, with a different bag machine, the garbage bag production line.
Layout and utilities
- Bag machines fed directly from the film line winder to avoid double handling of rolls
- Web path straight from unwind to seal bar — every idler roller adds registration error
- Compressed air at the punch station and for stackers
- Granulator and conveyor sited under the punch-out chute
- Stacker or roll winder at the discharge end sized to your packing method
Machines in this line
Machines referenced on this page: the monolayer film line that blows the HDPE web, the star sealing flat bag machine for flat and star-seal bags on roll, and the HF circular BOPP machine for BOPP loops outside the PE route.
Watch them run
High-Speed DFR Heat Sealing & Cutting Bag Making Machine
DFR T-Shirt Bag Making Machine — Factory Footage
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
What machines are needed to make T-shirt bags?
An HDPE blown film line, optionally a flexo press for printing, a T-shirt bag making machine that seals, cuts, punches handles and stacks, and a granulator to recover handle punch-outs. E-SHION builds all of them, so lane count and web width are matched to the film line before shipment.
How fast is a T-shirt bag production line?
The GFQ machine family runs 60–720 bags/min depending on how many lines are fitted, and the high-speed DFR-400×2 runs 100–300 bags/min. Because each lane makes one bag per cycle, a six-line machine produces six times a single-line machine at the same cycle rate.
What film thickness do T-shirt bags use?
Typically 0.008–0.03 mm HDPE. The stiffness that lets a vest bag stand open comes from the HDPE resin and the bubble cooling, so producers reduce gauge rather than increase it when resin prices rise. The monolayer line runs 0.008–0.10 mm in total, which covers both vest bags and heavier products on the same machine.
How much does a T-shirt bag production line cost?
Indicative factory-direct ranges run from about $9K to $70K depending on film width, output, layer count and automation — request a quote for your exact configuration. Indicative ranges by machine type — T-Shirt Bag Making Machine: $9,000 – $35,000; T-Shirt Bag Making Machine (DFR-400X2): $9,000 – $35,000; Dr Garbage Bag Making Machine: $15,000 – $60,000; DRW Thermal Cutting Bag Making Machine: $15,000 – $60,000; Automatic Zipper Bag Making Machine: $15,000 – $50,000; Garment Bag Making Machine: $12,000 – $45,000; Express Bag Making Machine (DHL-800): $15,000 – $60,000; Heavy Duty Bag Making Machine: $20,000 – $70,000; Flower Bag Making Machine: $12,000 – $45,000; DRW Side Sealing Bag Making Machine: $12,000 – $45,000; ES-L-500X2 Star Sealing & Flat Bag Making Machine: $27,000 – $31,000 (base machine + optional label attachment); HF Circular BOPP Bag Making Machine: $20,000 – $70,000.
Can I make both T-shirt bags and flat bags on the same line?
The film line is the same; the bag machine differs. T-shirt bags need handle punching and a folding stacker, while flat bags on roll need a rewinder and different sealing geometry. Factories producing both normally run two bag machines fed by one film line rather than changing over a single machine.
How do I reduce waste in T-shirt bag production?
Recover the handle punch-outs. They are a continuous, clean, single-material stream — ideal granulator feed. Returned as pellets they go into the core layer of an ABA film line, so the material is bought once. Set the punch tooling correctly as well: worn punches tear instead of cutting and produce more waste than the punch-out itself.
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