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 Tbs                                                 TDC3  (6308 ) P3 
 
           
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
Textiles –  Sisal bags – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ii 
 Foreword  
 
The objective of this  second edition  Draft Tanzania Standard  is to assist trade between manufacturers, 
buyers and users of sisal bags, by providing a mutually understood basis for specifying the characteristic 
requirements of different sisal bags for packing various products.  
 In the preparation of this Draft Tanz ania Standard  experience from manufacturers, traders and the views 
from the consumers were taken into consideration. Assistance was also derived from:  
 
 
EAS 156 -1:2000, Textiles – woven bags from natural fibres – Specification Part: 1 Woven bags 
for cerea ls.  
 
BS 113, Packaging code – Section 9:1967, Textile bags, sacks and wrappings , published by 
British Standards Institution.  
 
EAS 221: 2001 – Woven bags (100% Sisal), for clean coffee beans – Specifications.  
 
For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this specification is complied with, the 
final value, observed or calculated, expressing the result of a test shall be rounded off in accordance with 
TZS 4 (see clause 2) .   
 
 
 
  
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 1. SCOPE  
 
This Draft Tanzania Standard  specifies requirements and test methods for 100% sisal bags  
 
2. NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this Draft Tanzania n 
Standard.  
 
TZS 4:  Rounding off numerical values  
 
TZS 20:  Textiles – Woven fabrics – Determination of number of threads per unit length and per 
unit width  
 
TZS 21:  Textiles – Woven or knitted fabrics – Determination of mass per unit length and per unit 
area  
 
TZS 22: Textiles – Determination of breaking load and extension of strips of woven fabrics  
 
TZS 44:  Textiles – Woven or knitted fabrics - determination of width and length  
 
3. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
 
For the purpose of this Draft Tanzania Standard  the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
3.1 Sisal  
long pale -cream hard fibre obtained from the leaf of a sisal plant ( Agave Sisal  anaperrine ) and other 
agave hybrids.  
3.2 Sacking  
coarse fabric made from sisal yarns  
 
3.3 Ends  
warp yarns running along the length of the sacking and parallel to the sacking selvedge.  
3.4 Picks (shots)  
weft yarns running across the width of the sacking and perpendicular to the sacking selvedge.  
 
3.5 Bale  
rectangular, pressed, rigid package containing 100 per cent sisal bags, covered with a bale covering with the 
outer layer securely bound.  
 
3.6 Contract mass (bale)  
mass obtained by multiplying the nominal mass of a bag by the specified number of bags in that bale  
 
3.7 Corrected net mass (bag)  
mass that a bag would have, if the recommended allowance for moisture in the bag was added to the oven -dry 
mass of the bag u nder standard atmosphere (see EAS 2401).  
 
3.8 Moisture regain  
mass of moisture in a bag expressed as a percentage of the oven -dry mass of the bag (see EAS 240).  
 
3.9 Bag cloth  
Woven textile cloth made from sisal in various constructions.  
 
3.10 Sisal bag  
Sacks or bags made from materials as defined in 3.1 and used for packing various products such as 
grains, vegetable s, fruits  and flour  
 
3.11 Hessian or plain weave  
Single warp, single weft plain woven fabric.  
                                                      
  
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 3.12 Twilled sacking or just twill  
fabric with diagonal lines in the weave running from selvedge to selvedge. This usually has a double 
warp.  
 
3.13 Sisal, paper lined  
Laminated fabric with paper united by adhesive.  
 
3.14 Cropping  
process whereby the short protruding fibres on the fabric surface are removed by sharpened, spiral blade.  
 
3.15 Calendaring  (also known as cylindering)  
A process for flattening the threads, carried out from the machine known as calendar , in which the fab ric 
is run under pressure between two or more alternate steel cylinders (bowls).  
 
3.16 Chesting  
 
A process which reduces the intersections between threads more effectively than calendaring . Fabric 
after calendaring is rolled on a steel pin and rotated bac kwards and forwards under pressure between two 
steel bowls, in a machine known as a mangle.  
 
3.17 Make up  
 
The fabric after finishing or in loom state shall be delivered made up  or unmade up. (i.e. FWR and S for 
Full Width Rolled and Stitched, marked with Land W I.e. Length and Width).  
 
 
4. BAG CONSTRUCTION AND SIZE  
4.1. Sisal fabric materials for packing can range from light - weight open weave to the heaviest and closest 
of weaves depending on the intended end -use. Bag construction can also vary, as can bag size.  
 
4.2. To comply  with this Draft Tanzania Standard  buyer an d supplier shall agree upon bag cloth, bag 
construction and size. These shall then constitute the Standard Patterns.   
 
4.3. The Standard Patterns shall then be the reference for all the characteristics described in this Draft 
Tanzania Standard .    
 
5. REQUIREMENTS  
5.1  Sacking  
 
The sacking shall be woven with uniform construction and shall comply with the requirements specified in 
Table 1  
 
5.2  Sewing  
 
5.2.1 Stitching thread — The stitching  thread shall be 100% sisal. The number of stitches per 10 cm shall be 
at least 8. The stitch line shall pass completely and continuously through all the folds of the sacking leaving no 
gaps in stitches.  
 
5.2.2 Seams — The side seams of each bag (and the bottom seam, if any) shall be sewn in such a way that 
they (seams) comply with the requirements of Table 1  
 
5.2.3 Hemming at the Mouth — The raw edges of the sacking at the mouth of each bag shall first be turned 
over to a depth of at least 1.5 cm with double fold and shall be firmly hemmed with the stitching thread.  
 
5.3 Freedom from defects  — The sacking shall be free from defects such as holes, cuts, tears, floats, 
crushed selvedge , spots and stains.  The bag shall be free from sewing defects such as gap stitches, loose 
ends and frayed ends.  
 
 
  
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 5.5 Bag cloth  
 
The bag cloth shall be specified by the following characteristics.  
 
a) Fibre content  – This shall be of 100 % sisal fibre hydrocarbon free for food packing.  
 
b) Weave  – This shall be plain weave, DW Tarpaulin, DW bagging, Twilled sacking or Twill, or 
sisal paper lined (see clause 3).  
 
c) Dimensions  – The Length and width of the piece shall be s tated.  
 
d) Weight  – The average weight per square meter shall be stated.  
 
e) Threads per 10cm – The average number of threads per 10 cm shall be stated.  
 
f) Finish  –The type of finish e.g. cropping, calendaring , chesting or mangling shall be stated (see 
clause 3) .  
 
g) Make -up – The make -up shall be stated (see clause 3).  
 
 
5.4 Capacity  
The capacity of the bag cloth  shall not exceed 100kg.  
 
Table 1 — Requirements for 100 % sisal bag and its sacking  
 
S/N Characteristics  Requirement  Method of 
test  
1 Dimensions of a bag  
(i) Inside length  
 
(ii) Inside width   
 
Agreed upon buyer and 
seller  but subjected to 
the tolerance of ±2 of 
the declared nominal 
value   
 
TZS 44  
2  Mass  per bag in grams, min 950  TZS 21  
3 Mass per unit area, g/m2, min 738 TZS 21  
4 Number of threads per dm.  
a) Ends, min 
b)  Picks, min 
(i) Single  
(ii) Double   
24 
 
26  
34   
TZS 20  
5 Breaking load of sacking in N  (20 cm x 5 cm 
strips ),min 
(i) Warp -way  
(ii) Weft-way   
 
1100  
1100   
 
TZS 22  
6  Moisture regain, %, Max 14  IS 9113:1992  
Clause 2  
7 Oil content o n dry de -oiled material, %, Max 5  IS 2969:1974  
Clause 2  
 
 
  
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 5.6 Recommended packing of food grains (Informative).   
This Draft Tanzania Standard  gives a guideline from Weights and Measures for recommended quantities 
in which certain food grains shall be packed (See table below).  
 
Table 2  – Example of products and the recommended packing  
 
S/N  Products  Recommended packing  
1  Beans,  coffee 
beans  250 g, 500 g, 1 kg thereafter by steps of 1 kg  to 10 kg to  90 kg  
2  Dengu  250 g, 500 g, 1 kg thereafter by steps of 1 kg  to 10 kg to  90 kg  
3  Pease  250 g, 500 g, 1 kg up to 10 kg to 90 kg  
4  Wheat grains  250 g, 500 g,  1k g,  thereafter by steps of 1 kg  to 20 kg, 50 kg, 
90 kg  
 5  Maize grains  1 kg. thereafter by steps of 1 kg, 10 kg,20 kg, to  90 kg  
6  Millet  90 kg  
7  Sorghum  90 kg  
8  Ground nuts  90 kg  
9  Simsim  90 g  
 
6. MARKING AND  PACKING  
 
6.1 All bales of sisal bags shall be marked to indicate bag cloth, bag construction and what products may 
safely be packed in the bag.  
 
6.2 This marking may be in words, letter code or by colour coding.  
 
7. STORAGE  
 
Bag cloth and bags shall be stored under a cover in a well ventilated storage preferably on wooden racks 
raised above floor level.  
 
NOTE – It is particularly important in tropical conditions to consider the possibilities of bacterial attack which 
can be p romoted by poor storage conditions.