Rack Bag Design for Sewn, Reusable Fabric Dunnage

Rack bag design isn’t just about pocket size or material selection. It’s not just about computer aided design (CAD) software either.

Fabric Dunnage: How Dirty Rack Bags Muddy Your Costs

Fabric dunnage that’s cheaper may seem like a bargain, but there’s more to consider than just the purchase price. Dirty rack bags can muddy your true costs.

Work-in-Process Bags: Why the Pockets Sag on WIP Bags

Work-in-process bags are used for kitting and sequencing parts for assembly-line production. Learn how to design better pockets for WIP bags.

Three Ways to Cut Your Sewn Fabric Dunnage Costs

Sewn fabric dunnage costs are about more than just the purchase price of rack bags. Learn how to reduce your packaging costs and ensure rack bag ROI.

Fabric Dunnage Suppliers: Cost Isn’t the Only Consideration

Cost isn’t the only consideration with fabric dunnage suppliers. Hold-True explains what sourcing managers need to look for in reusable packaging partner.

Made in USA Fabric Dunnage

Made in USA fabric dunnage from Hold-True is about American know-how and a commitment to meeting your needs.

Sewn Fabric Dunnage: Four Reasons Why Rack Bag Seams Fail

Sewn fabric dunnage that fails can cost you time and money. Rack bag seams tear for many reasons, but there are four that relate to threads and stitching.

Fabric Dunnage Costs and Thread Selection

Fabric dunnage costs and thread selection are related. Lower-cost threads may seem like a bargain, but using a thread that’s too thin (and too weak) can cause rack bag seams to fail.

How to Design Fabric-Resistant Fabric Dunnage

Designing puncture-resistant fabric dunnage means following some basic guidelines for protective panels, structural members, bonding, and fabric. Learn what they are.

Fabric Dunnage Materials: Laminated Fabrics vs. Coated Fabrics

Laminated fabrics for sewn fabric dunnage are composite materials with a layered structure. Two of more materials are bonded together to impart benefits.

Fabric Dunnage Materials: Coated Fabrics vs. Laminated Fabrics

Coated fabrics are fabric dunnage materials that consist of a woven or non-woven cloth with a specialized coating. Woven coated fabrics are in rack bags.

Brushed Tricot Fabric for Reusable Packaging

Brushed tricot fabric for reusable packaging is a soft liner-material that can be used with Class A surfaces such as chrome parts or faux wood panels.

How to Choose Plastic Doors for Fabric Dunnage

Plastic doors for fabric dunnage need to protect parts and withstand the environment. Here’s what packaging engineers need to consider.

Custom Tyvek for Reusable Packaging Strengthens Fabric Dunnage

Custom Tyvek for reusable packaging (sewn fabric dunnage) combines the advantages of Tyvek with a reinforcing scrim and easy-to-clean surface.

Rack Bag ROI: Calculate Your True Dunnage Costs

What are your dunnage costs? If you don’t know what you’re really paying for sewn fabric dunnage, you might be spending too much on packaging.

Automotive Rack Bags: Advantages and Applications

Automotive rack bags provide important advantages over automated dunnage that’s made of corrugated cardboard, plastic, and all metal.

How to Get the Automotive Dunnage That You Need

Do you enjoy a good story? Then kick back, relax, and learn how Patrick the packaging engineer got the automotive dunnage that he needed.

Velcro Straps for Sewn Fabric Dunnage

Velcro straps are used to secure loads in sewn fabric dunnage. Velcro is easier to open and close than cams, buckles, zippers, or other hardware.

Sewn Fabric Dunnage: Seven Solutions to Packaging Problems

The benefits of sewn fabric dunnage are clear. Yet there are also seven challenges that require expert packaging solutions.

Reusable Packaging Design: Seven Common Challenges

With reusable packaging design, there are seven common challenges to avoid. Do you know they are? Read this article to find out.

Capital Planning for Returnable Dunnage

Capital planning for returnable dunnage can help you reduce your packaging costs over the long haul. Hold-True explains what capital planners need to know.

Reusable Packaging: A Buyer’s Guide for Capital Planners

Get the buyer’s guide that capital planners need for reusable packaging. Learn which questions to ask and which assumptions to question.

Reusable Packaging: How CFOs Make Better Budget Decisions

With reusable packaging, chief financial officers (CFOs) need to meet three challenges: changing the mindset, filling the vacuum, finding the right partner.

Returnable Packaging Basics: Digital vs. Analog Design

For packaging engineers, a sound knowledge of returnable packaging basics begins with digital vs. analog design. How well do you understand the difference?

Class A Surfaces and Reusable Packaging Materials

Class A surfaces need to be handled with care. To prevent scratching, a reusable packaging material like brushed tricot fabric is used.

What Will Be the Top Reusable Packaging Posts of 2018?

The new year isn’t even here yet, but you’ll find the top reusable packaging posts of 2018 here at Hold-True. In the meantime, contact us for more information about sewn fabric dunnage for the automotive, heavy truck, power sports, and aerospace industries.

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For packaging engineers, the challenges are four-fold:

• The seams tear and the bags fail.
• The packaging isn’t puncture-resistant.
• The bags get dirty and are hard-to-clean.
• There’s no design help or follow-up support.

Packaging managers face three challenges of their own.

• The bags don’t last long enough.
• Vendors don’t deliver on their promises.
• The total cost of ownership is too high.

Let’s take a closer look at the seven challenges that these packaging professionals face.

Packaging Engineers

Without strong seams, sewn fabric dunnage will fail in the field. In addition to thread type and thread weight, packaging engineers need to consider stitch count and stitch weight. Depending on the application, puncture-resistance may be required. To prevent sharp parts from tearing sewn bags, rack bags can incorporate protective panels and structural members. Proper fabric selection for the application environment is important, too.

Some liner materials (like brushed tricot) that protect Class A surfaces become dirty easily, but are hard-to-clean. Rack bag cleaning and maintenance adds to total costs, but the challenges don’t end there. Packaging engineers often have questions about product design and prototyping. Suppliers of sewn fabric dunnage who don’t offer expert services during design and manufacturing are unlikely to provide the type of follow-up support that packaging engineers need. That’s why vendor selection is so important.

Packaging Managers

Packaging managers face some challenges, too. If sewn fabric dunnage doesn’t last long enough, the solution usually requires better materials and superior manufacturing. Rack bag suppliers who don’t deliver on their promises are problematic, however, so vendor quality and responsiveness are critical. Finally, packaging engineers aren’t the only ones concerned about costs. To reduce the total cost of ownership, packaging managers can work with vendors to reduce rack bag replacements.

Sewn Fabric Dunnage from Hold-True

Packaging engineers and packaging managers face their share of design and manufacturing challenges. These problems aren’t insurmountable, however. For sewn fabric dunnage that solves the seven common challenges faced by packaging professionals, ask Hold-True. To learn more about our Made in the USA manufacturing company and how we can help you, contact us.

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For example, automotive racks bags are recyclable, collapsible, and stackable. By contrast, other types of automotive dunnage generate significant waste, take longer to setup, and require more space for fewer parts. Automotive rack bags also reduce inbound product damage while lowering the number of strapped parts. Sewn fabric dunnage weighs less than all-steel racks and some types of corrugated cardboard, too. In addition to saving you time and money, reusable rack bags reduce the size of your carbon footprint.

Automotive Rack Bags vs. Other Automotive Dunnage

Cardboard packaging consists of corrugated boxes and plastic dividers. Because these materials are expensive and the packaging is custom-made, companis are reluctant to discard this dunnage even when it’s damaged. When cardboard packaging reaches the end of its useful life, however, workers need to separate the cardboard boxes from the plastic dividers. Disposal is a messy, labor-intensive process that generates significant waste. Corrugated cardboard takes time to setup and can be heavy, too.

Plastic tubs and totes are relatively expensive. Some products collapse to save space, but other plastic dunnage does not. Plus, plastic tubs can require more room for the same number of parts. Some plastics are susceptible to cracking, too. Plastic totes are often used with smaller-sized parts, but putting a large number of totes on a pallet requires careful tracking. Disposing of plastic totes generates waste, and the foam inserts need to be separated from the tote itself.

All-steel racks are used with doors, windshields, engines, and other large parts. To protect surfaces such as windshield glass, custom-molded foam blocks are used. Other types of surfaces can be wrapped in plastic, but all of this expendable dunnage won’t help your sustainability initiatives. Automotive rack bags can integrate with metal racks and provide a reusable, recyclable alternative. With proper design and testing, sewn fabric dunnage can even accommodate large parts such as the crowns on heavy trucks.

Made in the USA Rack Bags

Would you like to learn more about automotive rack bags for your shipping, packaging, and assembly application? Hold-True, a Made in the USA manufacturer of sewn fabric dunnage, is ready to help. To get started, contact us.

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For example, a thread that won’t withstand water isn’t a good choice for reusable packaging that’s kept outdoors in the rain. Threads that won’t support rack bag cleaning can muddy your true costs, too. Choosing the right thread is just one of many design considerations, but rack bag buyers need to pay close attention to material selection to avoid problems like pockets that sag on WIP bags.

Hold-True, a Made in the USA manufacturer of rack bags, can help you to select the right materials for your returnable packaging. Importantly, we also create sewn fabric solutions that meet your specific needs. Here at our manufacturing center in Mansfield, Ohio, we’re ready to answer your questions about thread fibers, coatings, colors, and manufacturers. It’s just one of the ways that we add value.

Thread Fibers and Thread Coatings

Threads for sewn fabric dunnage can be made of Kevlar, nylon, polyester, cotton, or cotton blends. Kevlar thread is significantly stronger than nylon or polyester. Nylon thread is fine for general-purpose use, but it can’t withstand prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun. Polyester thread looks like nylon, but has better sunlight and moisture resistance.

Cotton thread is soft and durable, but it’s not as strong as polyester. Plus, cotton thread will rot in the elements. To maximize your fabric dunnage ROI, Hold-True uses thread with a UV inhibitor to reduce damage from sunlight when your rack bags are outside. UV inhibitors also prevent fading or spotting in the thread color.

Thread coatings can increase your sewn fabric dunnage costs, but these substances impart properties that can improve thread life and performance. For example, polyester and nylon threads that are bonded have a smooth, protective coating that strengthens the thread and makes it less abrasive. To reduce friction during winding, polyester threads are treated with a lubricant.

Thread Color and Thread Manufacturers

Most rack back threads are either white or black. White threads tend to be newer because they’re sold as they are, or dyed different colors to meet customer demand. Black threads tend to be older because some thread manufacturers re-dye their old, unsold colored thread so that it’s black. This business practice saves the thread supplier money, but it can cost the rack bag designer in the long run.

Unlike wine, rack bag threads don’t improve with age. Rather, older threads tend to be weaker. That’s why Hold-True only buys thread from suppliers who don’t re-dye old colored thread so that it’s black. Thread from the best suppliers costs more, but dunnage that lasts longer saves you money in the long run. Remember: if you’re not buying the best black thread, you’re better off buying white thread instead.

To avoid problems caused by improper thread selection, it pays to choose the right fabric dunnage supplier.  At Hold-True, we add value to your sewn fabric dunnage through design assistance, help with material selection, and Made in the USA manufacturing. For the highest quality, our thread comes from Europe or is Made in America.

To learn more about fabric dunnage costs and thread selection, please contact us.

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