FIBCs is called Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers, also known as “big bags”, “bulk sacks”, having body made of flexible polypropylene woven fabric.

They are first manufactured in the late 1950s or early 1960s in America, Europe and Japan. The first FIBCs were constructed with heavy-duty PVC-coated polyester fabric and the initial cost of these heavy-duty PVC containers is extremely high. They are mainly used for multi-trip in rubber industry with average loading capacity of 2 metric ton per bag. Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers manufactured with polyolefin fabrics were experimented in England, Japan, Canada, and the United States at about the same time in the late 1960s to the early 1970s. It was the development of these high-strength light weight fabrics (i.e., polypropylene) and the specialized weaving technology that spurred the growth of the Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers that are universally used today.

They have the following characteristics:

• Cannot be handled manually when filled. FIBCs make it possible for operators to move large quantities of material easily and efficiently around the working area by using hoists or forklifts.
• Is intended for shipment of solid material in powder, flake, or granular form, convenient for transportation and storage.
• Does not require further packaging. The cost of FIBCs is competitive with other forms of packaging as it is usually utilized without pallets.
• It can be folded flat and bailed for shipment to the user. It can also be folded and thus take up little storage space in the working area after their contents have been discharged. The weight of a bulk bag used to ship one metric ton of product weighs only 3.5-4.5kgs, offering a low package product weight ratio. So it is easy for handling and cost-effective.
• FIBCs can be manufactured to meet specific requirements of the end- users. The height of the container, the diameter and length of the spouts, coated or uncoated fabric, and whether a polypropylene liner is necessary will be specified according to the type of product that will be shipped. It is user-friendly.

Generally, FIBCs is the ideal economical and durable packaging material, which have been widely used in various industries such as chemicals, minerals, construction, plastics, agriculture, food and pharmaceuticals, etc.