If you sell apparel — whether it ships from your own site, goes out to retailers, or lists on marketplaces like Amazon — the poly bag your shirts go into almost certainly needs a printed suffocation warning. NFC stocks suffocation warning poly bags at wholesale, case and pallet quantities, in the resealable and open-top styles clothing brands, print shops, and 3PLs use every day.
What a suffocation warning bag is (and why apparel needs one)
A suffocation warning bag is a clear poly bag pre-printed with the standard warning language — “To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this bag away from babies and children…” — usually paired with a “do not remove this tag” notice under the seal. Most major retailers and online marketplaces require the warning on any bag with an opening of roughly 5 inches or more, which covers essentially every folded-garment poly bag. Buying them pre-printed means you stay compliant without running your own print job or applying stickers by hand.
For folded shirts, knitwear, and soft goods, the workhorse is the resealable lip & tape bag with suffocation warning — a self-seal poly bag the customer can reopen and reclose. For lighter picking-and-packing or bagging on a line, open-top printed bags move faster.
Options we carry
- Resealable Lip & Tape Bags with Suffocation Warning — self-seal, 1.5 mil, sizes from 9×12 up to 12×18, ideal for folded apparel.
- 6×9 & 6×8 Suffocation Warning Printed Open-Top Poly Bags — 2 mil, for accessories and smaller garments.
- Clear Layflat Poly Bags — a plain-bag alternative in 1 to 4 mil when the warning is printed elsewhere on your packaging.
- Merchandise Bags — for over-the-counter retail apparel sales.
Sizes and specs
Stock suffocation-warning apparel bags run 1.5 to 2 mil in clear low-density film, in the sizes that fit standard folded garments: 9×12, 10×13, 11×14, 12×15, and 12×18 are the most common for t-shirts and mid-weight tops, with larger sizes available for bulky knitwear and sets. Lip-and-tape styles include a self-adhesive seal strip; open-top styles are designed for quick bagging or heat-sealing on a line.
Who uses them
Clothing brands and boutiques, screen printers and embroidery shops, print-on-demand and e-commerce sellers, Amazon and marketplace apparel sellers, uniform and promotional-products companies, and 3PLs and fulfillment houses bagging garments on behalf of brands. If a folded shirt goes into a clear bag anywhere in your process, this is the bag.
Custom printing and custom sizes
Need your logo, care instructions, or a specific warning layout on the bag? We manufacture custom-printed, U.S.-made poly bags to your exact size, film, and artwork, with low minimums for growing brands. Stock suffocation-warning bags ship fast from inventory; custom runs let you turn packaging into part of the unboxing. Request a custom quote and we’ll spec it with you.
Why buy from NFC
NFC is a flexible-packaging manufacturer and wholesaler — you’re buying from the source, not a reseller. That means real case and pallet pricing, deep stock across sizes and mils, fast shipping on stock items, and the ability to move you onto custom-printed, U.S.-made bags when you’re ready to scale. Ordering a pallet or need a volume quote? Talk to us.
Frequently asked questions
Do I legally need a suffocation warning on my apparel bags?
There’s no single federal law mandating the warning, but most major retailers and online marketplaces — including Amazon — require a printed suffocation warning on any poly bag with an opening of about 5 inches or more. Since nearly all folded-garment bags exceed that, pre-printed warning bags are the safe standard for anyone selling clothing.
What’s the difference between lip-and-tape and open-top suffocation bags?
Lip-and-tape bags have a self-adhesive seal the customer can open and reclose — the standard for folded retail apparel. Open-top bags have no seal and are meant for quick bagging or heat-sealing on a packing line. Both come pre-printed with the suffocation warning.
What size bag do I need for a folded t-shirt?
A standard folded adult t-shirt fits comfortably in a 10×13 or 12×15 bag; lighter or youth garments fit 9×12, and bulkier tops or sets go into 12×15 or 12×18. If you’re unsure, tell us your garment and we’ll recommend a size.
Can I get my logo or brand printed on the bag?
Yes. We manufacture custom-printed, U.S.-made poly bags to your artwork, size, and film with low minimums. Stock warning bags ship from inventory; custom runs are quoted per job.
Do you sell by the case or the pallet?
Both. Stock suffocation-warning bags are sold by the case, and we offer pallet and volume pricing for higher quantities — request a quote for pallet-level orders.
Shop suffocation warning bags
Browse in-stock resealable lip & tape suffocation warning bags, or request a wholesale or pallet quote. Also see our lip & tape bags wholesale and merchandise bags wholesale guides.