PFAS70/ 100Good
Overall66/ 100Good
Duro Bag 25 lb Short Heavy Duty Kraft Grocery Bag

Duro Bag Manufacturing · Bakery Bags

Duro Bag 25 lb Short Heavy Duty Kraft Grocery Bag

Good

Lower concern as uncoated kraft is unlikely to contain PFAS, though Duro offers no transparency.

Verdict: BuyUnbleached kraft paper inherently avoids most chemical hazards; no significant safety record issues for Duro Bag in this category.

Duro's heavy-duty kraft grocery bags are made from kraft paper, a cellulose material with no inherent PFAS risk. Kraft is not typically treated with fluorinated coatings, though Duro provides no public disclosure of testing or treatment practices.

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We flunk more products than we pass. This one earned its grade. How we grade

Material

Unbleached kraft paper

Brand disclosure

Brand is silent on PFAS

Lab data

No public lab test

What’s concerning

♾️

Category baseline

PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.

75/ 100
♾️

No PFAS disclosure

The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.

85/ 100
⚠️

Mold or microbial growth on stored paper

Unbleached kraft paper can support mold if stored or used in high-humidity environments, particularly if bags are wet before or after use. This is an environmental contamination risk, not an intrinsic chemical hazard. Keep bags dry and in ventilated storage.

70/ 100

What’s reassuring

Safe base material

Made from ceramic, mineral, or natural fiber with no PFAS risk.

100/ 100

Ink or printing residues (if printed)

The 25 lb Short Heavy Duty Kraft Grocery Bag in standard listings shows minimal or no printing. If printing is present, food-grade inks are standard in this product class, and no contamination reports exist for Duro Bag products. Verify with supplier if custom-printed versions are being used.

95/ 100
💨

Formaldehyde / VOCs

Kraft paper production does not typically use formaldehyde-based resins or cross-linking agents. No known issues have been reported for standard Duro Bag kraft products in this regard.

Source: ATSDR
95/ 100
⛏️

Heavy metals

Unbleached kraft avoids chlorine-based bleaching, which historically carried dioxin concerns. Standard kraft pulp does not accumulate lead, cadmium, or other heavy metals at unsafe levels. No recalls or contamination reports exist for Duro Bag in this category.

Source: FDA
95/ 100

Grease-resistant chemical coatings (Teflon-type coating or wax)

This standard grocery bag is uncoated kraft with no disclosed grease-resistant treatment. If a grease-resistant variant exists, Duro has not disclosed the chemistry publicly, warranting inquiry before purchase for that specific SKU.

95/ 100

The full breakdown

What it's made of and why it matters

This bag is unbleached kraft paper, a relatively simple cellulose product made from wood pulp without chlorine bleaching. Unbleached kraft avoids the chemical residues (like dioxins) historically associated with bleached paper production. For food contact, unbleached kraft is inert under normal conditions, it does not leach plastic additives, heavy metals, or synthetic coatings unless a separate grease-resistant layer is applied, which Duro has not disclosed for this standard grocery bag.

The brand's record and disclosure

Duro Bag Manufacturing is a long-established U.S. paper bag producer with no known product recalls or safety controversies on record for standard kraft bags. However, the company provides no public transparency about PFAS testing, sourcing practices, or ingredient certifications. This silence is not unusual for commodity paper bag makers, but it reflects a lack of proactive disclosure rather than confirmed safety issues.

How it compares in its category

Standard unbleached kraft grocery bags like this one are among the safest single-use food contact papers available. They avoid the chemical burden of plastic-lined or heavily coated alternatives and sidestep synthetic polymer hazards entirely. Competitors using bleached kraft or plastic-laminated bags introduce additional processing residues; plain unbleached kraft is the simpler choice chemically.

If you buy it

Use these bags for dry goods, baked items, and room-temperature storage without concern. Avoid prolonged contact with oily or wet foods, as uncoated kraft will eventually soften and tear, this is a durability limit, not a safety one. Store in a dry place to prevent mold growth in humid conditions. These bags are fully compostable and biodegradable, making them suitable for composting programs if your facility accepts paper.

What we don’t know

Basis
Model estimate, 72% confidence, not a lab result
Lab test
None on record for this exact product
Brand statement
Duro Bag Manufacturing has made none

Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.

More bakery bags grades

How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.