Facility supply is a spec-and-repeat business: the janitorial distributor who specs can liners correctly once gets the reorder every month for years. The two decisions that spec everything are resin (high-density versus low-density) and fit (bag to can), and the packaging format, cored rolls, coreless rolls or flat pack, decides shelf and storage economics. We extrude both resin families and convert them into the roll formats US janitorial distributors expect. Here is the working guide.
High-density or low-density: the one-line answer
High-density film is thin, strong and economical: it carries heavy, sharp-edged, dry trash (paper, cans) at 6 to 12 microns per gallon class, and it is the standard for office and paper-stream cans. Low-density film stretches: it absorbs wet, irregular waste (kitchens, restrooms with towels) without puncturing, at heavier gauges. Facilities that run one resin everywhere are always overpaying somewhere; the well-specced program mixes them by zone.
The roll formats, and why coreless grew
Cored rolls (with inner tube) feed dispensers and hang on janitor carts cleanly. Coreless rolls drop the tube: more bags per case cube, less packaging waste, and the interfolded roll starts exactly like a tissue box, which crews like. Flat-pack still suits some programs. Coreless has become the US volume choice precisely because the case math is better and nothing on the floor changes.
Size and mil matching without guessing
| Can | Liner size | Typical resin / gauge |
|---|---|---|
| 7-10 gal | 24x24 in | HD, 6-8 micron |
| 12-16 gal | 30x36 in | HD, 8-10 micron |
| 32-44 gal | 40x46 in | LD, 1.5-2 mil |
| 55 gal | 38x58 in | LD, 2-3 mil |
Indicative FOB: high-density liners in the fractions of a cent per bag, low-density 1.5 to 2 mil liners $0.06 to $0.14 each, 3 mil contractor class above that. Cases run 250 to 500 liners depending on spec, and containers move millions of bags, so freight lands near noise. Production 2 to 3 weeks stock; ocean 4 to 6 weeks East Coast.
Distributor questions
Can cases mix sizes for one facility?
Yes, mixed-size pallets are routine; send the facility's can census and we will propose the liner mix with case counts, which usually closes the sale for you.
Do you hold color consistency for branded programs?
Yes, color and gauge lock per PO with formulation records, so repeat cases match; consistency is what makes facility managers stop re-quoting.
Roll formats and case counts are on the Trash Bags and Rolls page. For construction duty see heavy duty contractor bags, and for regulated streams red biohazard bags.
