If you ship apparel, textiles, bedding or anything else in a clear or semi-clear poly bag, the bag itself carries a real safety risk that has nothing to do with the product inside it: a large plastic bag is a suffocation hazard, particularly to young children. A resealable bag with a printed suffocation warning is the standard way e-commerce sellers manage that risk, and for sellers on marketplaces such as Amazon, it is often a requirement rather than an option. This guide covers what the warning means, when it applies, and how to choose the right bag.
What a “suffocation warning” bag actually is
It is a standard poly bag, usually with a resealable adhesive strip, printed with a warning statement, typically along the lines of “To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this bag away from babies and children. Do not use in cribs, beds, carriages or playpens. This bag is not a toy.” The warning does not change the bag’s function. It sits alongside the resealable strip and any barcode or branding area, and is required to be printed clearly rather than added as a small sticker.
Why the warning exists
Large, thin plastic bags can cling to a child’s face and are a recognised suffocation hazard. Regulators and industry bodies, including the guidance behind ASTM F963 in the United States, have set out when a printed warning is expected on flexible plastic packaging film. Marketplaces adopted the same logic into their own seller requirements: Amazon’s packaging and prep requirements, for example, require a suffocation warning on poly bags above a certain size used in FBA shipments, and will reject or relabel non-compliant inventory.
The practical threshold most sellers work to is a bag with an opening 5 inches (127 mm) or larger on any side. Above that size, expect a warning label to be required by your marketplace or by general product-safety good practice, even if you sell direct rather than through a marketplace.
When you need one
- Selling on Amazon or a marketplace with FBA-style prep requirements. Check the current seller packaging and prep requirements for your bag size; marketplaces update these periodically.
- Shipping apparel, textiles, bedding or soft goods in a poly bag large enough to fit over a child’s head.
- Selling direct-to-consumer where you want to manage product-safety risk and reduce liability exposure, independent of any marketplace rule.
You generally do not need one for small bags well under the size threshold, or for rigid packaging that cannot cling to a face.
Choosing the right bag
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Resealable adhesive strip | Lets the customer reclose the bag, useful for returns and for retail display. |
| Printed warning | Clear, permanent print rather than a peel-off sticker that can be removed or lost. |
| Film clarity or opacity | Clear film for retail presentation; opaque or printed film where the contents should not be visible in transit. |
| Size range | Sized to the folded product with minimal excess, which also keeps postage and freight cost down. |
| Thickness (gauge) | Matched to the product weight so the bag does not tear or stretch out of shape. |
For heavier or bulkier items shipped in a poly bag with padding rather than a flat retail bag, compare against a recyclable honeycomb padded mailer, which removes the suffocation-warning question entirely because it is not a thin clinging film.
Amazon FBA and marketplace prep
If you prep inventory for Amazon FBA, poly-bagged items above the size threshold need the suffocation warning printed on the bag itself, and Amazon’s own prep guidance should be checked before every shipment, since size thresholds and required wording can be updated. Getting this wrong typically means inventory held at a fulfilment centre for reprep, which costs time and, often, a reprep fee.
How Carewell Group helps
Carewell Group is an Australian packaging manufacturer and supplier. We supply resealable poly bags with the suffocation warning pre-printed, so you are not adding stickers or relying on a supplier who has not built the warning into the film:
- Resealable bag with suffocation warning, in a range of sizes with a printed warning and resealable strip.
- FBA bags with suffocation warning, sized and labelled for Amazon FBA prep.
- Self-seal suffocation warning bags for Amazon FBA.
- Custom sizing and print for retail or subscription packaging that needs the warning alongside your branding.
For the outbound packaging around these bags, see ecommerce pick and pack packaging. Carewell can meet all your packaging needs for your business. Talk to our expert and we will work to your required MOQ. Call +61 (02) 8760 1491 or request samples.
Frequently asked questions
What is a suffocation warning bag?
A poly bag printed with a warning statement about the suffocation risk large plastic bags pose to children, usually combined with a resealable adhesive strip.
What size bag needs a suffocation warning?
The common working threshold is an opening of 5 inches (127 mm) or larger on any side, though marketplace-specific rules, such as Amazon’s FBA prep requirements, should be checked directly since they can be updated.
Do I need this if I do not sell on Amazon?
The marketplace requirement is Amazon-specific, but the underlying safety risk is not. Many direct-to-consumer sellers use suffocation-warning bags as standard good practice and to manage product-safety liability.
Can the warning be a sticker instead of printed on the bag?
Marketplaces generally expect the warning printed on the bag itself rather than added as a removable sticker, since a sticker can be lost or peeled off before the bag reaches the end customer.
Does Carewell print custom branding alongside the warning?
Yes. Carewell can supply custom-sized and custom-printed resealable bags with the suffocation warning included alongside your branding.
Sources
- ASTM F963, standard consumer safety specification relevant to plastic film and bag warnings: astm.org
- Amazon Seller Central, packaging and prep requirements (poly bagging): sellercentral.amazon.com
Written by Alif Vasaya, digital and content strategy, Carewell Group. Carewell Group is an Australian packaging, food packaging, tape, industrial safety and 3PL supplier serving all of Australia. Last updated 14 September 2026.