Product

FIBC big bags and PP woven sacks from Türkiye: what to specify

Lotvela · Gaziantep · Checked 29 October 2026

Türkiye exported $228.3 million of FIBC big bags (HS 6305.32) and $119.3 million of other polypropylene and polyethylene woven sacks (HS 6305.33) in 2025; 78% of the big bags went to the EU. No figure splits out Gaziantep's bag exports, but the south-eastern exporters' association that Gaziantep dominates registers 87.5% of Türkiye's polypropylene yarn exports, and the province is second to Istanbul in plastic packaging jobs. The one thing to get right is test evidence: an ISO 21898:2024 report that matches your bag's design, safe working load and safety factor and, for dangerous goods, a UN approval from an authorised body.

Türkiye and Gaziantep in numbers

Türkiye figures are customs data that Türkiye reports to the UN. No public source gives Gaziantep's bag exports, so the Gaziantep rows are proxies: they measure the industries around bag-making, not bag exports.

Measure	Figure	Period	Source
Türkiye: FIBC big bags (HS 6305.32)	$228.3 million (49,969 tonnes), up 16.3% from $196.2 million	2025	UN Comtrade, data reported by Türkiye
Türkiye: other sacks of PP or PE strip (HS 6305.33)	$119.3 million (30,964 tonnes), down 7.6% from $129.1 million	2025	UN Comtrade, data reported by Türkiye
Where the big bags went	Germany $66.9m (29.3%), France $26.8m, Italy $15.6m, Netherlands $14.7m, USA $13.9m (6.1%), Spain $12.4m, UK $10.8m (4.7%); EU 27 in total 77.9%	2025	UN Comtrade; shares computed
Where the woven sacks went	Germany $17.7m (14.8%), Saudi Arabia $10.2m (8.5%), France $6.5m, Iraq $6.3m, Spain $5.5m; EU 27 in total 52.9%; Gulf Cooperation Council 9.1%	2025	UN Comtrade; shares computed
Türkiye's place among FIBC exporters	4th of 106 reporting countries, after India, China and Viet Nam; about 7.6% of their combined exports	2023, the latest year with full reporting	Computed from UN Comtrade
Gaziantep proxy: plastic packaging, including bags and sacks (NACE 22.22)	84 firms, 9,673 workers; 2nd province after Istanbul	2025	TOBB industry database, in Akpirinç and Sandal (2025)
Gaziantep proxy: plastics in primary forms (NACE 20.16)	20 firms, 3,015 workers; 4th after Istanbul, Adana and İzmir	2025	Same study
Gaziantep proxy: polypropylene yarn exports	$304.5 million registered at the south-eastern textile exporters' association (GAİB), 87.5% of Türkiye's $347.8 million	2025	GAİB textile report; share computed
Gaziantep proxy: "other made-ups (tents, sacks etc.)"	$38.0 million (12,516 tonnes), up from $36.3 million	2025	GAİB product-group table
Industrial zone	136 of the 1,369 facilities in the Başpınar organised industrial zone (OSB) are plastic packaging plants	2025	OSB directorates, in Akpirinç and Sandal (2025)

GAİB figures are export registrations at one association and cover all south-eastern provinces, of which Gaziantep is the largest. The $38.0 million sacks line is a floor: many bag exporters register elsewhere or under plastics. NACE 22.22 also counts boxes and bottles, and the firm counts include only firms that file an industrial capacity report. See also what Gaziantep makes and plastic disposables and food packaging.

Large producers

The 2025 national rankings include three large firms whose own sites list woven bags or big bags; one is based in Gaziantep:

Company	List, rank and year	What its own site says
Gülsan Sentetik Dokuma San. ve Tic. A.Ş. (Gülsan Holding)	İSO 500, rank 158 (2025). TİM top 1,000 exporters, rank 216 (2025), sixth in the textiles and raw materials sector, with $146.0 million of exports	Head office in Gaziantep's 1st OSB. The group lists polypropylene bags: block-bottom valve, open-mouth, laminated, lined and wide-format bags. It does not say which plant makes them and does not list big bags
İşbir Sentetik Dokuma Sanayi A.Ş.	İSO second 500, rank 180 (2025). TİM top 1,000 exporters, rank 632 (2025), 49th in the apparel and made-ups (hazırgiyim ve konfeksiyon) sector, with $51.6 million of exports	Address in Altıeylül, Balıkesir. Lists four-loop and one- or two-loop big bags, Type C, Type D and UN big bags, and big-bag fabric. Says it holds ISO 22000 and BRC IoP certificates
Abdioğulları Plastik ve Ambalaj Sanayi A.Ş. (ABCO)	İSO 500, rank 390 (2025)	Address in Hacı Sabancı OSB, Sarıçam, Adana. Lists flat woven sacks, block-bottom bags, BOPP-printed bags, PP mesh products and big-bag fabric

İSO ranks industrial firms by sales from production; TİM ranks exporters by export value at their head office. Both lists are incomplete, because some firms withheld their names or did not take part. The specialised big-bag makers we searched for, in Gaziantep and elsewhere, do not appear by name.

Product types and what to specify

"Big bag", "bulk bag" and "jumbo bag" are trade names for the flexible intermediate bulk container (FIBC). ISO 21898:2024 covers FIBCs for non-dangerous solids that are lifted from above.

FIBC big bags

Body: circular (a seamless woven tube) or sewn panels, such as U-panel or four-panel. Baffle bags have panels sewn inside across the corners so the filled bag stays square.
Top, base and lifting: open top, skirt (duffle) top or filling spout; plain base, discharge spout, conical or full open base; four-, two- or one-point lifting and the loop length.
Load and class: the safe working load (SWL) in kilograms, for example 500, 1,000 or 2,000 kg, and one of three ISO 21898 classes: single-trip, standard-duty reusable or heavy-duty reusable. The label states the safety factor as 5:1, 6:1 or 8:1; a single-trip bag must carry at least five times its SWL in the cyclic top lift test.
Electrostatic type under IEC 61340-4-4:2018, for flammable dust, vapour or gas. Type A has no protection. Type B prevents sparks and propagating brush discharges. Type C uses conductive fabric or threads and must be earthed during filling and emptying. Type D uses static-protective fabric and needs no earth connection.
Fabric and liner: g/m², coated or uncoated, UV stabilisation for outdoor storage, colour, sift-proof seams for fine powders, a document pouch, and any loose or fitted PE liner.
UN code, for dangerous goods only: 13H1 (woven plastic, no coating or liner), 13H2 (coated), 13H3 (with liner), 13H4 (coated, with liner) or 13H5 (plastic film), and the packing group.

PP woven sacks

Use: flour, sugar, feed, fertiliser, cement or sand. The product decides the fabric, liner and closure.
Build: width, length, g/m², colour and UV stabilisation; open mouth or valve; sewn, heat-sealed or block bottom; PE liner or none; coated, uncoated or BOPP-laminated with a printed film.
Printing and bundling: colours, sides and artwork; sacks per bale.

Quality, and how to check a producer

ISO 21898:2024 test report for the bag type: cyclic top lift and stacking tests. The bag label must name the laboratory, test date, SWL, safety factor and class, and the standard says a statement of conformity should be valid for three years. Check the tested bag matches yours; a type may grow up to 10% in circumference, and adding a liner does not change the type.
UN approval for dangerous goods. Türkiye's 2022 road regulation requires packaging tested and type-approved by bodies authorised by the Ministry of Transport or by another ADR country's authority; where a Turkish plant holds a foreign approval, the ministry or its authorised bodies inspect the site. US rules for the same bags require a top lift at six times the maximum net mass, tear and topple tests, and requalification at least every 12 months.
Electrostatic test report to IEC 61340-4-4:2018 for Types B, C and D, for the fabric and liner you order.
Food grade: a BRCGS Packaging Materials or FSSC 22000 certificate, checked in the BRCGS Directory or the FSSC 22000 public register, plus the food-contact declarations below.
Site visit: whether the plant extrudes its own tape and weaves its own fabric (this decides traceability); looms, coating and sewing lines; a separate clean area for food-grade bags; test equipment, retained samples and batch labels linking each bag to its fabric lot.
Recycled content: ask for proof of any claim. For UN bags, US rules allow no used material other than production residues or regrind from the same process, and the EU's recycled-content rules exempt packaging for dangerous goods.

For registry, export-record and document checks, see how to check a Turkish factory.

Rules by market

European Union

Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR) applies from 12 August 2026 to all packaging, including industrial packaging, placed on the market empty or filled. Lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium together may not exceed 100 mg/kg (Article 5). The manufacturer must run the conformity assessment, keep technical documentation and issue an EU declaration of conformity (Articles 15, 38, 39); an EU importer must check this was done (Article 18).
Later PPWR dates: a harmonised material label from 12 August 2028 at the earliest (Article 12); recyclable design from 2030 at the earliest (Article 6); 35% post-consumer recycled content in most plastic packaging from 2030 at the earliest, with dangerous-goods packaging exempt (Article 7). From 1 January 2030, firms using transport packaging within the EU, including flexible intermediate bulk containers, must make at least 40% of it reusable within a re-use system; dangerous-goods packaging and flexible packaging in direct contact with food or feed are exempt (Article 29).
REACH: bags are articles; ask for a statement that they contain no Candidate List substance above 0.1% by weight.
Food contact: bags and liners for food must meet Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 (overall migration limit 10 mg/dm²) and come with a written declaration of compliance.
Dangerous goods: road transport follows ADR under Directive 2008/68/EC, so these bags need a UN approval and mark.

United Kingdom

Plastic Packaging Tax: £228.82 per tonne from 1 April 2026 on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled plastic; register if you import or make 10 tonnes or more in 12 months. The exemption for transport packaging on imports does not cover unfilled packaging or intermediate bulk containers, including FIBCs. HMRC treats plastic as virgin unless you have evidence of recycled content.
Food contact and dangerous goods: Great Britain keeps its own version of Regulation 10/2011, and the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations 2009 apply ADR.

United States

Anti-dumping and countervailing duties: when we checked on 29 October 2026, no US order or investigation on woven sacks or FIBC from Türkiye appeared in the Federal Register. The orders on laminated woven sacks cover China (continued February 2025) and Vietnam (continued November 2024).
Hazardous materials: 49 CFR 178.710 sets flexible IBC standards (codes 13H1 to 13M2, UV resistance, 56 to 3,000 litres); Subpart O sets the tests.
Food contact: polypropylene and polyethylene must meet 21 CFR 177.1520 (olefin polymers); ask for a compliance statement for resin and additives.

Gulf

Saudi Arabia: imports go through SASO's SABER platform, which issues product and shipment certificates. SASO's degradable-plastics regulation requires oxo-biodegradable PE and PP for its Annex 1 products, such as carrier bags, films and single-use bags under HS 3923.21; HS 6305 sacks and big bags are not on that list. Ask your importer which SABER route your HS code takes.
Sea freight of dangerous goods to Gulf ports follows the IMDG Code, mandatory under SOLAS chapter VII.

HS codes and proof of origin

Codes: FIBC 6305.32; other sacks of PP or PE strip 6305.33; woven fabric from strip 5407.20; plastic film sacks 3923.21 and 3923.29. The UK tariff puts woven big bags of PP or PE strip at 6305 32 19 and woven sacks at 6305 33 90. Confirm codes for laminated or film-lined sacks with your broker.
EU: these are industrial products inside the EU–Türkiye customs union, which has zero customs duties. The shipment needs an A.TR movement certificate proving free circulation in Türkiye; Turkish chambers issue and approve it.
UK: duty on 6305 32 19 and 6305 33 90 is 0% under the UK–Türkiye trade agreement, against 6% without preference, if the bags meet its rules of origin. The exporter makes out an origin declaration on the invoice or another commercial document (not the bill of lading), valid 24 months for UK imports, and you claim preference with it. No EUR.1 or A.TR is used for the UK.
US: HTS 6305.32.00 and 6305.33.00 carry 8.4% general duty, with no trade-agreement rate for Türkiye. Chapter 99 additional duties have changed several times since 2025; check them on your entry date. Bags must be marked with the English name of the country of origin. CBP ruled in March 2022 (H323767) that "Made in Türkiye" and "Made in Turkiye" do not meet US marking rules, so ask for "Made in Turkey".

Packing, loading and shipping

Bags travel folded and pressed into strapped, wrapped bales or on pallets. Agree the count per bale, wrapping and bale labels; the producer confirms the container load per order.
Keep food-grade bags wrapped until use, and send UN certificates and test reports with the first shipment.
Capacity, lead time and minimum order are confirmed per producer and per order.

Questions buyers ask

Who are the largest FIBC manufacturers in Turkey?

On the 2025 national rankings, İşbir Sentetik Dokuma in Balıkesir (İSO second 500, rank 180) lists finished big bags, including Type C, Type D and UN bags. Gülsan Sentetik Dokuma in Gaziantep (İSO 500, rank 158) lists woven PP bags, and Abdioğulları in Adana (İSO 500, rank 390) lists woven sacks and big-bag fabric. Many specialised makers are unranked, so check each plant against your design.

Can a Turkish supplier make UN certified big bags?

Yes, if the design has passed the UN tests and holds a type approval from a body authorised by Türkiye's Ministry of Transport or by another ADR country's authority. Ask for the certificate, the test report and the UN mark on the bag, and check that the approval covers your exact fabric, coating, liner and loops.

Are big bags from Turkey duty-free in the EU and the UK?

In the EU, yes: they are industrial goods inside the EU–Türkiye customs union, and the shipment needs an A.TR movement certificate. In the UK, duty is 0% under the UK–Türkiye agreement if the bags meet its rules of origin and the exporter puts an origin declaration on the invoice; otherwise the UK charges 6%.

Do I need a 5:1 or a 6:1 safety factor?

It depends on use. ISO 21898:2024 marks the factor as 5:1, 6:1 or 8:1. A single-trip bag must carry at least five times its safe working load in the cyclic top lift test and must not be reused; reusable bags carry a higher marked factor. Choose the class first, then check that the test report states it.

Is there a US anti-dumping duty on Turkish woven sacks?

Not when we checked on 29 October 2026. The US orders on laminated woven sacks cover China and Vietnam, and we found no order or investigation on woven sacks or FIBC from Türkiye in the Federal Register. The 8.4% general duty applies, plus any chapter 99 duties in force on your entry date.

Do I pay UK Plastic Packaging Tax on imported big bags?

Yes, if you import 10 tonnes or more of plastic packaging in 12 months and the bags contain less than 30% recycled plastic. HMRC excludes intermediate bulk containers, including FIBCs, from the exemption for transport packaging on imports. The rate is £228.82 per tonne from 1 April 2026.

What to put in your brief

Item	What to state
Product and use	Big bag or woven sack; the contents, their bulk density, and how you fill and empty
Size and build	Dimensions; circular, U-panel, four-panel or baffle; top, base and spouts; loops, or valve and bottom type
Load and class	SWL in kg; single-trip or reusable class; safety factor; ISO 21898:2024 test report
Fabric and liner	g/m², coated or uncoated, UV stabilisation, colour; liner; BOPP lamination for sacks
Electrostatic type	Type A, B, C or D under IEC 61340-4-4:2018, with test report
Dangerous goods	UN number of the contents, packing group, UN code and approval body
Food grade	BRCGS Packaging Materials or FSSC 22000; EU 10/2011 declaration or 21 CFR 177.1520 statement
Printing and labels	Colours, sides, artwork; document pouch; origin wording for your market
Recycled content	Whether you need it (for example 30% for UK Plastic Packaging Tax) and the evidence you accept
Market and documents	EU: A.TR and PPWR declaration of conformity; UK: origin declaration on the invoice, no EUR.1 or A.TR; US: "Made in Turkey" marking
Quantity and packing	Bags per order and per year, delivery window, bales or pallets, count per bale

Sending a brief to Lotvela

Lotvela is a sourcing intermediary based in Gaziantep, one of the cities where these mills operate. Send a brief and we contact and visit the producers that fit it, large or mid-size: we check product fit, a free production window, export record and documents, then send a dated shortlist with every claim marked confirmed or not confirmed. It is free for buyers: the producer pays a commission at the same rate for every producer, invoices and ships, and money never passes through Lotvela.