A standard bulk bag measures 35″ × 35″ × 40″, holds about 28 cubic feet, and is typically rated for a 2,200 lb safe working load. The 35″ × 35″ footprint is the common one because it sits on a standard 48″ × 40″ pallet with clearance to spare, and height is what varies most between sizes — but 36″, 42″ and mini 15″ footprints exist too, so confirm yours before sizing a pallet or rack bay.
This guide covers every common FIBC size with its capacity in cubic feet, empty and filled weights, pallet and truckload fit, and the density arithmetic that decides which bag you actually need.
Key takeaways
- Standard size: 35″ × 35″ × 40″ — about 28 cubic feet
- Footprint: 35″ × 35″ on nearly standard size, and height is what changes most — but 36″, 42″ and mini 15″ footprints exist, so confirm yours
- Safe working load: 1,000–4,000 lbs, most commonly 2,200 or 3,000
- Empty weight: 4–7 lbs for a standard woven PP bag
- The real limit: volume, not the SWL — most materials fill the bag before they reach the rating
Bulk bag size chart
Capacities below are nominal, calculated as length × width × height ÷ 1,728. The sizes Repackify lists and prices — 35 × 35 × 45, 35 × 35 × 50 and 37 × 37 × 55 — are included so the chart matches what you will see in the marketplace and the freight calculator. Filled weight assumes a mid-range bulk density of 40 lbs per cubic foot — see the density section for how to compute yours.
Dimensions (L × W × H) | Capacity | Filled at 40 lbs/ft³ | Typical SWL | Common use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
35″ × 35″ × 40″ | 28 ft³ (0.80 m³) | 1,134 lbs | 2,200 lbs | The default — resins, grains, aggregates |
35″ × 35″ × 43″ | 30 ft³ (0.86 m³) | 1,219 lbs | 2,200 lbs | Slightly taller standard |
35″ × 35″ × 47″ | 33 ft³ (0.94 m³) | 1,333 lbs | 2,200–3,000 lbs | Mid-density powders |
35″ × 35″ × 50″ | 35 ft³ (1.00 m³) | 1,418 lbs | 3,000 lbs | Light bulk goods, wood pellets |
35″ × 35″ × 55″ | 39 ft³ (1.10 m³) | 1,560 lbs | 3,000 lbs | Low-density materials |
35″ × 35″ × 60″ | 43 ft³ (1.20 m³) | 1,701 lbs | 3,000 lbs | Very light material, insulation, foam |
35″ × 35″ × 45″ | 32 ft³ (0.90 m³) | 1,276 lbs | 2,200–3,000 lbs | Repackify's listing default — the marketplace "Standard" |
37″ × 37″ × 55″ | 44 ft³ (1.23 m³) | 1,743 lbs | 3,000 lbs | Marketplace "Large" preset — wider footprint, check pallet overhang |
35″ × 35″ × 65″ | 46 ft³ (1.30 m³) | 1,843 lbs | 3,000 lbs | Tall preset for very low-density material |
41″ × 41″ × 50″ | 49 ft³ (1.38 m³) | 1,946 lbs | 3,000–4,000 lbs | Oversized footprint — overhangs a 48 × 40 pallet on the narrow side |
36″ × 36″ × 36″ | 27 ft³ (0.76 m³) | 1,080 lbs | 2,200 lbs | Cube bag — dense aggregates, sand |
42″ × 42″ × 42″ | 43 ft³ (1.21 m³) | 1,715 lbs | 3,000–4,000 lbs | Oversized — needs a 48 × 48 pallet |
15″ × 15″ × 26″ | 3.4 ft³ (0.10 m³) | 135 lbs | 500–1,000 lbs | Mini bulk bag — samples, specialty chemicals |
Sizing a bag from your material density
This is the calculation most buyers skip, and it is why bags get ordered in the wrong size. A bag has two independent limits — how much it can physically hold, and how much it is rated to carry. Whichever you hit first is your real capacity.
Material | Bulk density | Fills 28 ft³ bag at | Binding limit |
|---|---|---|---|
Dry sand | ~100 lbs/ft³ | 2,836 lbs | Weight — exceeds a 2,200 lb SWL first |
Portland cement | ~94 lbs/ft³ | 2,666 lbs | Weight — exceeds a 2,200 lb SWL first |
Granulated sugar | ~53 lbs/ft³ | 1,503 lbs | Volume — bag fills before the rating |
Wood pellets | ~40 lbs/ft³ | 1,134 lbs | Volume |
Coffee beans (green) | ~40 lbs/ft³ | 1,134 lbs | Volume |
Plastic resin pellets | ~35 lbs/ft³ | 992 lbs | Volume — a taller bag is usually the fix |
Wheat flour | ~35 lbs/ft³ | 992 lbs | Volume |
Activated carbon | ~30 lbs/ft³ | 851 lbs | Volume — often needs a 55″ or 60″ bag |
The pattern: dense minerals weigh out, light organics and plastics cube out. If you are shipping resin and buying 2,200 lb bags in the standard 40″ height, you are paying for a rating you will never use — a 50″ or 55″ bag moves meaningfully more material per bag, per pallet position, and per truckload.
Weights: empty and filled
Empty bag weight matters in three situations: gross truckload and axle calculations, where 15 bags filled to a 3,000 lb rating already spend the entire 45,000 lb allowance before the bag and pallet tare push it over; calculating return freight on reconditioned bags, and net-weight verification when the product inside is sold by weight. For everything else it rounds away against a 2,200 lb payload.
Pallet and truckload fit
A 35″ × 35″ bag sits on a standard 48″ × 40″ GMA pallet with about 2.5″ of clearance on the narrow sides — one bag per pallet, one pallet per floor position.
Configuration | Per 53′ trailer | Limiting factor |
|---|---|---|
Filled, 2,200 lb bags | ~20 bags | Weight — hits the ~45,000 lb cargo cap |
Filled, 1,000 lb bags | 26–30 bags | Space — one per floor position, 26 straight or 30 turned |
Empty, folded and banded on pallets | 500–1,500 bags | Cube — depends on size and liners |
Mini bulk bags, filled | The lesser of 45,000 lbs ÷ gross weight per bag, and bags-per-pallet × 26–30 positions | Either can bind: six 136 lb bags per pallet across 30 positions is 180 bags and only ~26,000 lbs, so space runs out first; four 750 lb bags per pallet would be 78,000 lbs, so weight runs out first |
Which dimensions actually appear on the spec sheet
FIBC spec sheets are not standardized between manufacturers, so confirm which measurement you are being quoted:
Body dimensions — length × width × height of the bag itself, excluding loops. This is what the size chart above lists.
Lift loop length — usually 10″–14″, added on top of body height. Your total lifting clearance is body height plus loop length plus tine height.
Spout dimensions — fill spouts run 14″–20″ diameter and 18″–24″ long; discharge spouts similar. These add to the height on a spout-top or spout-bottom bag.
Filled height — the number your racking actually cares about, and it moves in both directions. A light material fills a non-baffle bag to its volume and bulges past nominal; a dense one hits the safe working load part-filled and sits shorter and squatter than the spec. Measure a filled sample of your own material rather than working from the body dimensions.
Sizing and construction are different decisions
Everything above is about how much a bag holds. Whether that bag is U-panel, 4-panel, or baffle construction, what safety factor it carries, and whether it can be reused are separate questions with real safety consequences — a single-trip 5:1 bag must never be reused, regardless of how sound it looks. Our bulk bag (FIBC) buying guide covers construction styles, safe working load versus safety factor, fill and discharge options, and when reconditioned bags are appropriate.
For condition standards when buying or selling used FIBCs, see buying used packaging and acceptable condition standards.
Frequently asked questions
What are the dimensions of a standard bulk bag?
The most common FIBC bulk bag is 35″ × 35″ × 40″ (length × width × height), which holds about 28 cubic feet and is typically rated for a 2,200 lb safe working load. Height is the variable that changes most between sizes, and the 35″ × 35″ footprint is the common one because it fits a standard 48″ × 40″ pallet with clearance on all sides — but 36″ × 36″, 42″ × 42″ and mini 15″ × 15″ bags exist, so confirm the footprint before sizing a pallet or rack bay.
How many cubic feet is a bulk bag?
A 35″ × 35″ × 40″ bag holds roughly 28 cubic feet. Taller bags on the same footprint scale directly: 35″ × 35″ × 50″ is about 35 cubic feet and 35″ × 35″ × 60″ is about 43 cubic feet. Divide length × width × height in inches by 1,728 to convert to cubic feet.
How much does a bulk bag hold?
A full-size FIBC is rated for 1,000 to 4,000 lbs depending on its safe working load, with 2,200 lbs and 3,000 lbs the most common; mini bulk bags run 500 to 1,000 lbs. But capacity is usually limited by volume, not the SWL — a 28 cubic foot bag filled with plastic resin at 35 lbs per cubic foot holds only about 992 lbs before it is physically full.
How much does an empty bulk bag weigh?
About 4 to 7 lbs for a standard 35″ × 35″ × 40″ woven polypropylene bag. Baffle bags and bags with liners sit at the higher end; heavier-duty UN-certified bags for hazardous materials can reach 9 lbs.
Do bulk bags fit on a standard pallet?
Yes. A 35″ × 35″ footprint fits a 48″ × 40″ GMA pallet with roughly 2.5″ of clearance on the narrow sides. Be aware that U-panel and 4-panel bags bulge when filled and can measure several inches wider at mid-height — baffle bags hold closer to their nominal footprint.
How many bulk bags fit on a truck?
Take the lesser of two limits: 45,000 lbs ÷ gross weight per filled bag, and bags-per-pallet × the 26–30 floor positions a 53-foot trailer has. Weight binds on dense fills — at 2,200 lbs a bag you reach the cap at about 20. Space binds on light ones — a 1,000 lb bag fits all 26–30 positions. Empty bags fold flat and ship by the pallet; ask your supplier for the banded bundle count and multiply by floor positions rather than assuming a figure.
How do I choose the right bulk bag size for my material?
Divide the weight you need to move by your material's bulk density in pounds per cubic foot to get the required volume, then pick the smallest bag that exceeds it. Dense materials like sand at 100 lbs per cubic foot fill a bag's weight rating long before its volume; light materials like plastic resin at 35 lbs per cubic foot fill the volume long before the weight rating.
What is the difference between a bulk bag and a super sack?
"Super Sack" is a registered trademark of BAG Corp that has become a generic term in the trade, the way "Dumpster" did. The industry name is FIBC — Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container. Bulk bag, super sack, tote bag, and FIBC all refer to the same product.
Bottom line
Start from your material’s bulk density, not from the bag catalogue. Divide the weight you need to move by density to get required volume, pick the smallest bag that clears it, then confirm the weight sits inside the safe working load and that filled dimensions — plus loop length — clear your pallet, racking, and door headers. For most dense minerals the 35″ × 35″ × 40″ standard is right. For resins, pellets, and powders under 40 lbs per cubic foot, a taller bag on the same footprint moves more material for the same pallet position and the same freight.