Tissue Paper Size Chart: Sheet Sizes, Weights, Sheets Per Ream and Cost Per Sheet
Packaging tissue comes in five sheet sizes, and 15 x 20 inches (gift bags and boxes) and 20 x 30 inches (wrapping and lining) cover most jobs, in 10 lb gift grade or 18 lb heavy weight. The chart lists every stocked size by weight, grade and color with sheets per case and lowest cost per sheet, plus how many sheets a bag, box or wrap uses.
Sheet sizes
Tissue paper for packaging comes in five stock sheet sizes, and two of them do most of the work: 15 x 20 inches for gift bags and boxes, and 20 x 30 inches for wrapping and lining larger items. Weight is quoted as basis weight in pounds: 10 lb (about 17 grams per square metre) is the standard gift grade that folds crisply and shows color; 18 lb is a heavier, more opaque sheet for wrapping and cushioning.
| Sheet size | Ream | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 10 x 15 in | 960 sheets | Small gift bags, jewelry boxes, single small items |
| 12 x 18 in | 960 | Medium gift bags, folded apparel, cosmetics |
| 15 x 20 in | 960 (480 for recycled kraft) | The standard retail sheet: most gift bags and boxes, e-commerce inner wrap |
| 18 x 24 in | 960 or 4,800 economy | Larger gift bags, wrapping shoes and home goods |
| 20 x 30 in | 480 | The standard bulk sheet: wraps most retail items in one piece, apparel boxes, void fill |
Stocked tissue by size, weight and grade
| Sheet size | Weight | Grade | Color | Sheets per case | Cost per sheet (lowest) | Stocked variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 x 15 in | 10 lb | gift grade | white | 960 | 2.55 cents | 1 |
| 12 x 18 in | 10 lb | gift grade | white | 960 | 3.03 cents | 1 |
| 15 x 20 in | 10 lb | gift grade | colored | 960 | 5.62 cents | 6 |
| 15 x 20 in | 10 lb | recycled kraft | kraft | 480, 960 | 4.05 cents | 2 |
| 15 x 20 in | 10 lb | tissue | white | 960 | 3.51 cents | 1 |
| 15 x 20 in | 10 lb | void fill | colored | 9,600 | 3.25 cents | 1 |
| 15 x 20 in | 18 lb | heavy | colored | 4,800 | 3.02 cents | 1 |
| 18 x 24 in | 10 lb | gift grade | white | 960 | 4.12 cents | 1 |
| 18 x 24 in | 10 lb | tissue | colored | 4,800 | 4.56 cents | 1 |
| 20 x 30 in | 10 lb | gift grade | colored | 200 | 36.44 cents | 2 |
| 20 x 30 in | 10 lb | gift grade | white | 480 | 6.64 cents | 1 |
| 20 x 30 in | 10 lb | recycled kraft | kraft | 480 | 8.36 cents | 1 |
| 20 x 30 in | 10 lb | tissue | colored | 480 | 11.21 cents | 30 |
| 20 x 30 in | 10 lb | tissue | white | 4,800 | 5.97 cents | 1 |
| 20 x 30 in | 18 lb | heavy | colored | 2,400 | 6.04 cents | 1 |
| 20 x 36 in | 18 lb | heavy | colored | 1,700 | 8.53 cents | 1 |
| 24 x 36 in | 10 lb | tissue | white | 960, 2,880 | 9.12 cents | 2 |
How many sheets a job uses
| Job | Sheets | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Line a small gift bag with tissue showing | 2 to 3 | 15 x 20 |
| Wrap a folded shirt in an apparel box | 2 | 20 x 30 |
| Wrap a mug or candle before boxing | 2 to 3 | 15 x 20 or 20 x 30 |
| Interleave plates or glassware | 1 per item | 15 x 20 |
| Void fill in a 10 x 8 x 6 mailer box | 4 to 6 crumpled | 20 x 30 |
| Brand reveal layer over products in a mailer box | 1 to 2 | 20 x 30 |
Cost per sheet is the number to compare; a 960-sheet ream of white 15 x 20 costs a few cents a sheet, and colored gift-grade about twice that. For pure void fill, the kraft paper roll chart is cheaper per cubic foot; tissue is the choice where the wrap is seen. The peanuts calculator and bubble wrap chart cover the cushioning behind it.
Grades and colors
- Gift grade is machine-glazed on one side, holds a fold and takes print; it is the sheet in retail bags and boxes.
- Recycled kraft tissue is unbleached, slightly heavier and comes in 480-sheet reams; it reads as natural and is the choice for kraft mailer box programs.
- Economy and void fill grades are unglazed, packed by the thousand and used purely as interleaving and fill.
- Colored tissue is dyed through; deep colors (black, cerise, midnight blue) can transfer under moisture, so keep them off unfinished wood and light fabrics.
Storing and using tissue
- Keep reams flat and dry; tissue absorbs humidity and then wrinkles and tears on the fold.
- Fold on the short axis first for bags so the sheet fans above the rim.
- Use two sheets minimum for opacity when wrapping; one sheet of 10 lb tissue shows the product through.
- Seal with a sticker, not tape, when the wrap is part of the unboxing; a 2 in round label peels clean.
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Frequently asked questions
What size is standard tissue paper?
20 x 30 inches is the standard bulk wrapping sheet and 15 x 20 inches the standard gift bag sheet. Both are stocked in 10 lb gift grade; 10 x 15, 12 x 18 and 18 x 24 cover the smaller and larger bags.
How many sheets of tissue paper are in a ream?
480 or 960 depending on size and grade: 15 x 20 white gift grade is 960 sheets, 20 x 30 is 480, recycled kraft 15 x 20 is 480. Cases hold one to ten reams.
What does 10 lb tissue paper mean?
Basis weight, the weight of a ream of 480 sheets at 20 x 30 in, about 17 grams per square metre. It is the standard gift-grade weight; 18 lb is heavier and more opaque.
How many sheets of tissue paper do I need per gift bag?
Two to three 15 x 20 sheets for a medium bag lined with tissue showing above the rim; one 20 x 30 sheet to wrap a folded garment in a box.
Is tissue paper good void fill?
For light items and as a presentation layer, yes; crumpled 20 x 30 sheets fill a small mailer box. For heavier items or larger voids, kraft paper or peanuts are cheaper per cubic foot.