Packaging FAQs  

A. This depends on what product you are buying. Custom printed bags that are made in our U.S. or Canadian factories take between 2 to 4 weeks. Bags that are made in Israel take between 6 to 9 weeks. Bags that are made in the far-east take between 10-12 weeks. We do our best to rush each and every job.

A. Simply put, an over-run is when you get more bags than you ordered, and an under-run is when you get less. Under-runs and over-runs are a characteristic of the custom-printed bag and box industry. Under-runs and over-runs can range from 5% to 25%, depending upon the complexity of the custom job and the quantity ordered. All printed orders are subject to a range of a 5% to 25% under-run or over-run and are billed pro-rata.

A. A Proof of your design is supplied for all printed orders and must be approved by the customer. They can be sent via e-mail, fax or regular mail/UPS service.

A. Currently, we are offering sample proofs only for paper euro-shoppers. For all other bags, it would be far too time consuming and costly to produce just 1 or a few bags for approval purposes. Instead, we can guarantee the accuracy of your bag based on your signed proof, and we can match pantone colors for the printing.

A. Plates can be either rubber or metal (flexography or rotogravure). One plate is required for each color you are printing on the bag. The plate is engraved with the image and then used for the transfer of ink from the machine onto the plastic or paper that will later be made into a bag.

A. Flexography is the most common method for printing bags. It involves rubber or polymer plates. Rotogravure is a much more intricate method of printing that uses metal plates. It is recommended for, but not limited to, bags with heavy ink coverage, fine screens, and certain 4 color process jobs.

A. Plates are billed at cost for your first order only. Camera-ready art is preferred but if you do not have it we will work with you to create it. Again, we do NOT charge for artwork and/or design services, unlike our competition. If you are a repeat customer who is adding (or removing) a location to the address portion, we provide the slug-in plate free of charge. If you are a repeat customer who is changing your design completely, then we must charge for the new set of plates.

A. This depends on the type of bag. Please select a bag type to view its minimum order amount and other information or just Contact an Alef Custom Packaging specialist to learn more about our selection of plastic bags and other packaging solutions, call us toll-free at 1.800.453.2212.

A. Yes. We actually specialize in 4 color process bags and are considered one of the leading companies for this type of printing. We’d be happy to send you samples and know you will be impressed with our quality.

A. The four colors known as CMYK, (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) are used to create specific colors through various combinations of the four. This is used for photographic images and complicated print jobs.

A. We prefer to receive your logos/designs in Adobe Illustrator (.eps) format CS2 or earlier. If you do not have this program, the next best is usually Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). We can try and work with jpegs, gifs or other formats if that is all you have. If you do not have your design done electronically, we can usually use it from paper, a business card or other ways. Send your art to art@alefcustom.com or fax it to 215.355.2577.
Read more about the Art Submissions Guidelines.

A. Alef Custom Packaging’s headquarters are just outside Philadelphia, PA but we serve many customers all across the country and globe. In order to best serve customers further away geographically, we have additional warehouses in Illinois, California and Texas. We also enjoy some of the best shipping rates available, which we pass on to you at our cost.
Also, as a manufacturer we are able to give you much more sound advice then a distributor whose only job is to sell you. We give advice based on what will make the best bag for your brand.

A. NO. We enjoy up to 74% discounts off of shipping company’s regular rates and provide those to you at cost. That enables us to have customers across the U.S. and in many other countries as well. We work with 5 different trucking companies (some regional, some national) and compare rates whenever more than 1 goes to the same location to give you the best possible rate.

A. Fancy and elaborate designs do not always mean a more effective bag. Our graphic designers can simplify your picture to save you money and keep the bag attractive and effective.

A. Yes we offer that service and it is free! Most orders should not be broken up into smaller shipments because the total cost for shipping will go up. But in the case that you have a large order and want to break it up into shipments, we’ll take care of it for you – on the house.

A. In the unlikely event your merchandise is somehow damaged or defective, please contact us immediately at info@alefcustom.com, or phone 800-453-2212, or fax 215-355-2577. DO NOT throw away damaged bags, we will most likely need to see samples in order to rectify the problem.

A. No. Your confidential information, such as your name, address, or credit card data, is only used to fill your order with us. We do not disclose any of this personal information to any third party unless required by law to do so.

A. One (1) day shipping to CT, DE, MD, NJ, and PA; two (2) days shipping to IN, MA, NC, NH, NY, OH, RI, TN, VA, VT, and WV; three (3) days shipping to AL, FL, GA, IA, IL, KY, ME, MI, MN, SC, and WI; four (4) days shipping to AR, KS, LA, MO, MS, NE, OK, and SD; five (5) days shipping to AZ, CO, ID, MT, ND, NM, NV, TX, UT, WA, and WY; six (6) days shipping to CA and OR. DON’T FORGET THAT ON CUSTOM ORDERS MADE IN CHINA, MERCHANDISE CAN BE SENT DIRECTLY FROM OUR LOS ANGELES AREA WAREHOUSE TO SAVE TIME AND MONEY FOR OUR WEST COAST CUSTOMERS.
Contact an Alef Custom Packaging specialist to learn more about our selection of plastic bags and other packaging solutions.