A flexible bulk container (big bag, FIBC) for fertilizers is chosen by four parameters. Get any of them wrong and you either get a torn bag during handling, or you overpay for fabric that adds nothing.
1. Safe working load and safety factor
Standard options are 500, 1,000 and 1,500 kg. For fertilizers the answer is almost always 1,000 kg: it matches a pallet and the capacity of a forklift.
Safety factor (SF):
| SF | When to use |
|---|---|
| 5:1 | Single trip, one or two handlings (plant → railcar → buyer's warehouse) |
| 6:1 | Export through a port, several handlings, stacking 2–3 high |
For export shipments of urea and ammonium nitrate through ports we recommend 6:1 — the price difference is small, and there are no claims for torn bags.
2. Fabric weight
Fabric weight is measured in g/m². For 1,000 kg, 160–180 g/m² is enough; for 1,500 kg with SF 6:1 — 200–220 g/m². Heavier fabric does not make the bag "better" — it makes it heavier and more expensive.
Important: the fabric must be virgin polypropylene. Recycled PP is 10–15 % cheaper, but loses strength in frost and after storage in the sun.
3. Loops and construction
- 4 loops (four-loop bag) — the standard for fertilizers: a forklift can pick it up from any side.
- 1–2 loops — cheaper, but require crane handling; suitable for in-plant logistics.
- Top: filling spout — if you fill on an automatic line; open top with tie — if by hand.
- Bottom: discharge spout — if you empty into a hopper; flat bottom — if you cut the bag.
4. Product protection
Ammonium nitrate and urea are hygroscopic. Protection options:
- Laminated fabric — basic moisture protection, +5–8 % to the price.
- Polyethylene liner — full seal, for sea freight.
- UV stabilisation 1–3 % — mandatory if the bags stand outdoors for more than a month.
What to write in your request
To get an exact price within one day, specify:
- Size (e.g. 90×90×120 cm) and safe working load.
- Safety factor — 5:1 or 6:1.
- Top and bottom (spout / open / flat).
- Lamination, liner, UV — needed or not.
- Print (logo, number of colours).
- Monthly volume and delivery terms (FCA, CPT to your warehouse).
Deliveries from Turkmenistan to CIS countries are duty-free with an ST-1 certificate of origin. Minimum order — one truck.