Kandora Bag Sizes: The Complete Guide for Traditional Arabic Garments

A 60-inch kandora will not fit in a 110-centimeter suit bag. We hear that from buyers every season, usually after the first sample arrives too short.

The fix is ordering the right size the first time. This guide covers kandora bag sizes, fabrics, and the details Gulf customers ask about most — the extended flap, the zipper, the gold logo. We have sewn these bags since 2012. Here is what we know.

How long is a kandora, really?

A standard suit jacket hangs around 75-80cm from collar to hem. A kandora runs 135-160cm. That is roughly double, plus the fold-over flap that covers the hanger hook.

Measure the garment before you measure the bag. Lay the kandora flat, collar to hem, and add 5-8cm of clearance so the hem never presses on the bottom seam. Then add the flap.

Real numbers from our order books:

• 54-58 inch kandora (135-145cm) — 150cm bag, 25cm flap
• 58-62 inch kandora (145-160cm) — 165cm bag, 30cm flap
• Bag width 35-45cm, depending on how much fabric the buyer wants to breathe

Nine times out of ten, buyers order the 150cm and regret skipping the 165cm. If you are not sure, go up one size. The cost difference is pennies per bag. The exchange at the store counter is not.

Which bag size fits which garment?

Here is the chart we send new clients. Lengths are for the garment, not the wearer.

That last row matters more than it looks. Thobes with embroidery or printed hems need the 42cm width, or the detail folds into a crease that will not press out.

Why the extended flap matters

The flap is the fabric over the hook that lets the bag close fully. Skip it and the top stays open. Dust settles on the collar, and the bag looks unfinished on a retail rack.

We cut the flap 20-30cm long, more than most suppliers use. Here is the reason: when a bag hangs, the fabric slides down the hook. A short flap pulls the zipper taut. A long flap keeps the closure straight.

Some buyers ask for velcro at the hook opening. We make it, but we usually talk them out of it. Velcro wears down after a few hundred opens and collects lint in a dusty warehouse. A metal zipper under a covered flap does not.

Material: dark, heavy, or both

White 60gsm nonwoven is the cheapest bag we make. It is also the wrong choice for a kandora, and we say so to the buyer’s face.

• The garment is white or light. A thin white bag lets dust and store light hit the fabric.
• Gulf buyers want dark bags — navy, black, deep brown — because they photograph well and hide marks.
• Dark fabric needs higher grammage. At 100gsm a navy bag stops light and dust. At 80gsm you can see through it.

So we run kandora bags at 100-120gsm spunbond nonwoven, OEKO-TEX certified, in dark shades. RPET recycled polyester (GRS-certified) at the same weight when the brand has sustainability targets. That lands about 10-15% above the base white bag. Clients pay it without arguing, because this bag is the packaging their product ships in.

Transparent PEVA is a different animal. It shows the garment, which suits retail display. But a clear bag with a gold logo reads cheaper than a solid dark one. For a premium thobe brand, go dark. That is the pattern we see from Kuwait to Dubai to Doha.

Zipper and closure: what buyers actually request

Metal zipper is the default ask. We use brass and nickel finishes. Brass matches a hot-stamped gold logo; nickel looks right on black.

Other details on almost every order:

• Soft inner flap behind the zipper so metal never touches the fabric
• A 3-4cm gusset on each side so a folded kandora does not bulge
• Reinforced hanger opening, double-stitched at the top seam
• Logo 8-12cm wide on the chest area

Hot stamping is what the premium houses ask for. We run foil stamping in gold and silver on nonwoven, about 200 bags an hour per machine. Silk-screen costs less and works fine on 100gsm. Embroidery we only recommend on fabric bags — stitches can weaken thin nonwoven.

The abaya is not a thobe

Abayas run longer: 155-165cm, with sleeves and trim that catch on zippers. We cut abaya covers 160-170cm, 42-45cm wide, with a gentler closure, because a metal zipper can snag delicate embroidery at the hem.

It is the one case where we push the full flap with velcro. Abayas hang on round hooks or wide hangers, and the velcro panel is easier to close one-handed. For retail display we still recommend the zipper. Our thobe and abaya covers page breaks down both styles with photos.

Three ways these bags fail in the market

After a decade of returns and complaints, three mistakes come up again and again:

• The flap is too short. The zipper ends under tension and pops open in the store.
• The fabric is too thin. White 80gsm shows every mark and lets light through onto the garment.
• The bag is a generic 110cm suit bag. The kandora folds at the hem, and the crease will not press out.

Every one of these is a spec problem, not a factory problem. Write the size and grammage into the PO and they disappear.

How we test a run before shipping

The way we run it: we cut a sample, hang a real kandora in it, and photograph the fit. We check that the flap covers the hook, the zipper runs smooth twice, and the hem has 5cm of air. Then we fold the bag flat, put it in a carton, and ship it to the buyer at their address — not ours. That is the sample they sign off on.

The test takes 7 days. Bulk runs 20-30 days after approval. MOQ is 500 pieces per size, and mixed colors are fine in one order.

Shipping and terms

We quote FOB, CIF, or DDP. DDP is growing every year among Gulf importers — we handle customs and inland delivery, and the buyer’s only job is unloading.

Packing: 100 bags per carton, flat-folded, roughly 28-30kg per carton. A 40HQ holds about 2,200 cartons if you want to plan container economics before you order.

We do not quote until we know the size breakdown. A 165cm bag costs more than a 150cm bag. Being honest about that up front saves a renegotiation later.

Short answers we email every week

Three questions come back from buyers more than any others:

Does the bag fit a kandora with a longer hem? Yes, if the bag is 165cm and the flap is 30cm. Beyond 62 inches, tell us the exact length and we cut to measure — 170cm and 175cm bags exist on our line.

Can we use a drawstring instead of a zipper? We can. Drawstrings cost less and work fine for packs of five. They also let dust in around the neck. Zipper for retail, drawstring for internal transport — that is the honest split.

Do you print in Arabic? Every season. We set Arabic logos on the same hot-stamp plates as English, and we proof the artwork with the buyer before the plate is cut.

Get a quote

Send us your thobe measurements and your logo artwork, AI or PDF. We reply inside 48 hours with a spec sheet, a price, and a sample date. Start on the customization page, or compare our standard suit bags and suit covers first.