Illustrative situation
A brand packs T-shirts in clear polybags and sells through a marketplace. The marketplace flags the listing for a missing suffocation warning, and the brand wants to know when a warning is needed and what it should say.
Main answer
Some places and marketplaces require a suffocation warning on larger, thin plastic bags, so check the bag’s size and thickness against the rules where you sell and print the warning on the bag clearly if it applies. New York State has a rule for certain bags, and marketplaces set their own thresholds, which can be stricter.
What the rule says
New York State’s Section 12.12 requires a warning label on certain plastic bags, with the rule depending on bag thickness and dimensions, such as bags under a stated thickness with a stated minimum size and opening. The text sets the required wording and how it must appear. Read the current section for exact thresholds.
Marketplaces and retailers
Marketplaces and retailers often add their own packaging rules, including a warning on bags above a certain opening size, and may ask for a minimum bag thickness. These are conditions of sale, not laws, but they can block a listing. Check each marketplace’s current seller rules for polybags.
What to print
Print the warning in clear, legible type on the bag, in the language of the market, with the wording the rule or marketplace requires. Put it where it is visible, not hidden by a fold. Use ink that does not rub off. If you switch bag sizes, review the requirement again.
Document your decision
Keep a note of the bag size, thickness, the rule you checked and the warning text chosen for each product. If a marketplace or authority asks, this record shows you checked. Update it whenever you change bags or enter a new market.
Reducing risk
Use bags with ventilation holes or no larger than needed, and choose thicker film if rules allow it. Keep bags away from children, and consider paper or cardboard packaging for children’s items. Ask your factory to quote bags with the warning printed. See polybag packing options and retail-ready packing.
Fact, recommendation, uncertainty
- Established fact
- New York State Section 12.12 requires a warning label on certain plastic bags, with thresholds based on thickness and size, and marketplaces add their own rules.
- Recommendation
- Check bag size and thickness against each market’s rule, print the exact wording clearly and review it when bags change.
- Uncertainty
- Rules differ by jurisdiction and marketplace and may change, so confirm current wording.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked on 24 October 2026. Standards bodies sell the full texts; we cite what their public pages state. General information, not legal or technical certification advice.
More perspectives from the team
Three further views on the same question, each by function. They add conditions and limits to the main answer; they are editorial notes, not customer reviews.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Sourcing
Ask the bag supplier to confirm thickness and size and to print the warning on the film. Limit: a stock bag may not carry a warning unless you ask. Ask the bag maker for a specification sheet that lists thickness and dimensions.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Product selection
Pick bag sizes that avoid the thresholds where practical. Limit: a tight bag can crease the garment. Choose the smallest bag that holds the garment without creasing. Offer larger sizes in cartons rather than loose bags where possible.
Sino Finetex Editorial Team Quality & care
Check a sample of bags for warning text and legibility at inspection. Limit: printing can rub off, so check after handling. Photograph the printed warning on a bag from each production lot.
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