Three kinds of branded bag, three very different prices. What each is for, how long it lasts, and what the plastic and non-woven rules mean for a buyer.
A shop owner wants a branded bag for the till. An events team wants something to hand delegates. A brand wants a gift bag that says "quality". All three ask for a "branded bag", and all three are pointed at the same price list. The three main options are very different things, and one of them comes with rules you should know before you order.
The three bags, side by side
| Bag | Price each | Minimum | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-woven, D-cut | KSh 30 | 200 | Shop counters, high volume |
| Non-woven, 3D (gusseted) | KSh 40 | 200 | Bulkier goods, delegate packs |
| Printed tote | KSh 400 | 50 | Events, merchandise, everyday carry |
| Jute | from KSh 650 | 50 | Gift hampers, premium brands |
The price gap is large, and it buys two things: how many times the bag can be reused, and what it says about the giver.
Non-woven: the counter bag
Non-woven carrier bags are KSh 30 for the simple D-cut with a punched handle and KSh 40 for the 3D bag with a gusset and a box bottom, with a minimum of 200. At that price a pharmacy, a bookshop or a boutique can give one with every sale and treat the logo on it as advertising.
This is the bag the rules apply to, so read the next section before ordering in volume.
What the bag rules say
In 2017 the government banned plastic carrier bags and flat bags used for commercial and household packaging. NEMA's own page dates the gazette notice to 28 February 2017, with the ban in force from 28 August 2017. Non-woven polypropylene bags filled the gap.
Then a second problem appeared. NEMA found that many non-woven bags on the market were very thin, "low gauge" in its words, and were being thrown away after one use like the plastic bags they replaced. It directed that non-woven bags stop being manufactured, imported, supplied and used from 31 March 2019, until the Kenya Bureau of Standards gazettes a standard for their quality. That directive is still shown on NEMA's page.
KEBS did prepare a standard. News reports from September 2019 describe it as setting a minimum weight of 50 grams per square metre (50 gsm) and requiring each bag to be marked with details such as the manufacturer, the dimensions, the country of origin and disposal instructions. We have not found an official notice confirming when, or whether, it was gazetted, so treat that detail as reported rather than settled.
Tote: the bag people keep
A printed tote bag is KSh 400 with a minimum of 50. It is a flat, strong bag with a large face for printing, and it is carried for years: to the supermarket, to campus, to the office. Book fairs, creative markets and conferences use totes because people choose to carry them again, which is what you want from a bag with your name on it.
For a conference, a tote is the natural home for everything else in the pack. The delegate pack checklist covers what to put in it.
Jute: the bag that signals care
Jute bags start at KSh 650 with a minimum of 50. The natural woven fibre gives the branding a crafted look that synthetic bags do not have, which is why coffee, farm and organic brands use jute when the packaging has to match the story. As a gift hamper bag it lifts whatever is inside it.
Jute is the most expensive option per piece, and for a brand that wants to be seen as careful about quality and the environment, that is the point.
Shops that send goods out by courier rather than over a counter have a different packaging question, which branded packing tape for online shops works through.
Choosing in one minute
- Giving a bag with every sale? Non-woven, and confirm the gsm.
- Handing packs to delegates or guests? A printed tote.
- Wrapping a client gift or a hamper? Jute.
Sources: NEMA, ban on plastic carrier bags (read 13 Oct 2026); Capital FM, KEBS non-woven bag standard (news, 2019) (read 13 Oct 2026).
Common questions
Are non-woven bags allowed in Kenya?
Plastic carrier and flat bags were banned in 2017. In 2019 NEMA ordered poor-quality non-woven bags off the market until KEBS gazettes a quality standard, and that directive is still on NEMA's page. Ask your supplier for the bag weight and markings, and check with NEMA if you will use them in large numbers.
What gsm should a non-woven bag be?
News reports of the 2019 KEBS standard describe a minimum of 50 gsm. Heavier bags last longer and are reused more, which is the purpose of the rules. Ask for the gsm in writing before you order.
Which branded bag lasts longest?
A good jute or cotton tote bag will be reused for years. A non-woven bag lasts as long as its weight allows; thin ones may only survive a trip or two, which is why the weight matters.
What is the minimum order for printed bags?
Non-woven carrier bags have a minimum of 200. Printed tote bags and jute bags have a minimum of 50, which suits a single event or a first retail run.
