Big bag fabric: woven polypropylene that protects your product
DIV Trades extrudes its own PP tape and weaves every fabric used in its big bags, so weight, coating, color and UV protection are matched exactly to the bag's SWL and the product inside.
Big bag bodies are woven PP fabric of 140 to 240 g/m², coated or uncoated, white as standard and UV-stabilized to 150 kly. All of it is woven by DIV Trades.
The body of a big bag (FIBC) is made from woven polypropylene (PP) fabric. Four properties define it: the fabric weight (standard body cloth 165, 180 or 200 g/m²), the coating (none or an additional 30 g/m² PP layer), the color (white as standard) and the UV stabilization (150 kly). DIV Trades weaves all of this fabric in its own plant in Bačka Palanka, Serbia, on around 50 circular and flat looms.
Fabric weight of the bag body
The fabric weight depends mainly on the SWL and SF of the bag. As a customer you normally do not have to choose it: DIV Trades selects the cloth according to the required SWL, SF and the respective test certificates. You can always order a heavier fabric for an even stronger bag. A higher weight (GSM) gives a smaller belly when the bag is full and makes the bag more resistant to physical damage.
| Part of the bag | Fabric weight | Coating |
|---|---|---|
| Body, standard | 165, 180 or 200 g/m² | uncoated or +30 g/m² |
| Body, full heavy range | 140, 165, 180, 200 or 240 g/m² | uncoated or +30 g/m² |
| Inlet spout, skirt, outlet spout | 70 g/m² (alternatively 85 or 100 g/m²) | coated by default |
| Flaps and closures | heavy body fabric | as the body |
Fabric for spouts and skirts
Inlet spouts, outlet spouts and skirts are made from lighter cloth of 70 g/m² or alternatively 100 g/m², and they are coated by default. Light cloth is smooth, so the spout is easy to fold, unfold and tie at the filling and discharging station.
Coated or uncoated fabric?
Coated fabric
An additional polypropylene layer of 30 g/m² is laminated onto the woven cloth. It makes the fabric waterproof, stops fine product sifting through the weave and glues the tapes together so no loose threads can contaminate the product. Coated bags usually also get dustproof seams.
- Moisture barrier
- No leakage of fine powders and granules
- No loose threads, important for food and chemicals
- Slightly higher cost
- The fabric cannot breathe
Uncoated fabric
Plain woven cloth. It lets air through, which some products need, and it is the economical choice for coarse, dry goods.
- Lower price
- Breathable, suited to products that must release air or moisture
- Not waterproof
- Fine products can sift through the weave unless an inliner is used
Need a breathable bag?
For products that must be ventilated, such as firewood or vegetables, choose uncoated fabric or a ventilated big bag woven with ventilation strips.
Color
White is by far the most common FIBC color, with a market share of almost 95 %. Black is the second color DIV Trades always keeps in stock, mainly for carbon black big bags. Any other color can be woven, but it is only economical for very large orders. Whatever the fabric color, it can be printed.
UV protection of 150 kly
All DIV Trades fabric is UV-stabilized to 150 kly as standard. This means that fabric exposed to sunlight for one year must retain 50 % of its initial strength. 150 kly corresponds to one year of sun exposure in the very south of Europe.
Special fabrics
Beyond standard white cloth we weave conductive fabric with carbon strips for Type C big bags, ventilated fabric for breathable bags, and fabric for food-clean big bags. Fabric, loop belts and welded PE liners are also supplied separately, see technical textiles.
What is big bag fabric made of?
Woven polypropylene (PP) tape. DIV Trades extrudes the tape, weaves it on circular and flat looms and, where required, coats it with a 30 g/m² PP layer, all in-house.
What fabric weight does a 1,000 kg big bag need?
That depends on the SWL, SF and bag design, so we select it from the 140 to 240 g/m² range, most often 165 to 200 g/m². You can order a heavier cloth if you want extra reserve.
What does coated mean on a big bag?
An extra 30 g/m² polypropylene layer on the woven cloth. It makes the bag waterproof and sift-proof and prevents loose threads from falling into the product.
How long can big bags be stored outdoors?
Our fabric is UV-stabilized to 150 kly, so after one year of sunshine in southern Europe it retains at least 50 % of its strength. Store filled bags covered where possible.
Can I get colored big bags?
White and black are standard. Other fabric colors are possible for large orders; for smaller runs we recommend colored loops or printing to identify products.
Fabric made to your specification
Tell us the product and the required SWL and we will specify the cloth weight, coating and color, or send a sample of your current bag and we match it.
Request a quote