Flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBC) or simply, big bags, can lift hundreds of times their weight. In fact, the “Lift Loops” on FIBC are made from high tensile strength woven poly, giving them a tensile strength of 5,000lbs!
Now, choosing the right loops for jumbo bags serves to make them stronger and transportation and storage easier. Though lift loops come in various sizes and styles they perform the same basic function: they serve as a handle for raising and lowering a bulk bag.
Loop construction is one of the most versatile features of FIBC, so it pays to customize them to fit your application and operation.
Also known as ‘loop over loop’ lift loops, they are perhaps the most commonly used type of lift loop. Corner seam loops are usually found on 4-Panel bag constructions.
Here, each corner has a loop sewn into the bag’s seam, which makes it easily portable with a forklift. The loop is shaped like a teardrop, beginning and ending at the same point on the bag. This kind of loop is strong and durable and cost-effective. The only perceivable challenge here is that loading can become tedious as all four loops must be used in lifting.
These are constructed with loops in each corner of the bag but instead of sewn into the seams, they are sewn into points at opposite corners of the bag. They are usually found on tubular or circular bags and form an “arch” over each corner.
The biggest advantage of this type of loop is that it stands upright, making it easier and more timesaving when it comes to picking up and transporting the bags in a forklift. But these loops require that the bag be made from circular fabric and are a little more expensive to construct.
These are a special type of loop made from bulk bag body fabric and can be designed to be at the top or bottom of the bag depending on the application. For instance, lift loops on the bottom of the bag can help when height clearance is an issue.
In this type of loop, polypropylene fabric is woven in a way the forks of a forklift fit into the sleeves making it easier to pick up and move. These bags offer stability in lifting and transport.
But the challenge with these bags is that they are only usable by forklifts because of their unique design.
These are an additional lifting component to a cross-corner or corner seam loop. There are different types of Stevedore Straps. For example, one Stevedore loop has a loop pulled through the four standard corner loops to connect all of them.
The double Stevedore loop option has two loops that connect each parallel loop at the corners. Supporting Stevedore loops are loops that are attached to each corner loop. The advantage here is that these bags offer multiple ways to lift these bulk bags, but the disadvantage is that because they are a specialty loop, they can be a little more difficult to construct.
FIBC with single or double loops are seen as the most cost-effective, as they offer the best price-to-carrying weight ratio.
Another advantage with single and double loop big bags is that they can be lifted at the same time with a hook or with similar devices, unlike the four loop FIBC where a forklift is needed and only one big bag is handled at a time. This makes loading easier.
With two loop FIBC, the loops are formed by the body of the fabric which increases its tensile strength and makes lifting easier. Two loop bags are mostly used if a wider opening is needed for filling the bag. The loops are then tied together for lifting as a single loop. These bags are mostly used for packing fertilizer as well as grains, seeds etc.
We hope this guide helps you in understanding the different loops available for FIBC.Virgo Polymer has a cost-effective alternative to the traditional 4 Loop FIBC bag in the form of Single Loop and Two Loop FIBC bags, which besides being economical are the best packaging solution for granular and powdered bulk material. They also offer the convenience of handling up to six sacks at a time by a forklift or a crane. For more information, contact us today!
