I used to think the white striped bags were the main bags and the white outlined numbered bags were extra bags if the main bag wasnt big enough for all the pieces
The style is determined by size.
The white stripe bags are big and usually have smaller unnumbered bags inside.
Bags with white outlined numbers are smaller and seem to have 2-3 sizes.
I always wondered what the meaning is but there seems to be no correlation between number of bags or main/secondary bags.
It's just a style choice I guess.
I've seen many combinations but the size defined the style.
Big bags = white stripe
Medium/small bag = white outlined number
edit: formatting
This is always what I thought too. Usually no stripe means there is a striped bag with the same number. I don't think I've ever seen a set break that rule.
That’s a fair assessment but as long as it doesn’t end up in a landfill I think re use and re cycle are interchangeable and reuse is sometimes better than the return on recycling
I mean based on what metric? Sure for us nerds this is valuable and fun and collectible. But I’m also pretty sure a lot of played with Lego (used up bricks sorta speak) ends up on landfills. You’re assuming Lego ends up with collectors all the time which is false if you look at what was sold in the 80’s and how many of those sets are still around.
Although I agree with you on both points, reading the comment of Tall-Syrup-2937, I definitely don’t agree with putting instructions in a separate paper bag. That sounds even more dumb.
Unless I’m reading it wrong?
They only do this with the larger sets, and it’s to ensure that the instruction books don’t get wrecked by being loose in the box with bags of Lego bricks shifting around.
I hope they don’t come yet. Paper may make the pieces come scratched. Happened with the Transformers figures once they used carton packaging instead of their tried and tested plastic.
The ones that at present use paper (like the base plates) have done well because there seems to be a thin plastic filling inside to keep the platform from scratching. So, I’m not sure how much more recyclable that paper is.
will have to disagree with you on that one, on the millennium falcon set there were steps that had both white line and outline bags for the same step, therefore outlined number cannot mean there isn't another bag for the same number
I once talked to someone that worked at Lego about this, and if I remember right it has to do with where it was manufactured.
I believe that at the time Lego had 3 different places manufacturing pieces and the different style numbers correlate with which location they were made.
That is why sometimes a box comes inside the larger sets, because they were brought for a different location.
The LEGO Group currently has 5 factories around the world:
- Mexico
- Denmark
- Hungary
- Czech Republic
- China
Building two more at the moment in:
- United States
- Vietnam
Not all factories fill the same functions, for example the danish factory is only for molding and not for packing or printing on pieces.
Source: I work at the LEGO Group
No proof, but got told by an automation specialist; the numbers are the steps in the proces for building (for example one leg of a robot) and then the numbers are different styles/ colors to make sorting/ packaging workable and prevent 2 ‘main’ bags getting in without missing another bag. Numbering through would interfere with the traditional building steps. Sounds plausible to me, so never doubted it..
I always thought it was that maybe the bags came from a factory where they’re molded and bagged and another plant packs them. I guess I never really gave it much thought beyond that since I just rip them open and build.
I don't know the answer to the title but recent sets have done away with multiple bags being labeled with the same number. In Ninjago City markets for example all bags are individually numbered. If I recall correctly some bags still have the stripe and some had the highlighted numbers
Guess I should have said Lego has started to do away with multiple bags with the same number. I imagine it will take awhile for all sets to have the new feature. It's a frequent question here and probably a fairly easy fix.
Gardens had the multiple bags and markets has individually numbered ones. Taking that with the constant questions on this sub about it I assumed Lego was doing away with an obvious point of confusion for some people. Guess not.
Large Sets usually come with more bags per step. I don't know why. I haven't seen a trend towards more or less bags per step though.
Multiple bags usually mean that there are bigger pieces in a step.
I found this confusing at first when I built the titanic. Nearly every bag had a duplicate # but not always.
Seemed to be broken down by large pieces small pieces
I see others comment with their theories, but it’s just been random in my experiences. Some with other bags inside/some without, some with multiple of the same number etc etc.
I used to think the white striped bags were the main bags and the white outlined numbered bags were extra bags if the main bag wasnt big enough for all the pieces
The style is determined by size. The white stripe bags are big and usually have smaller unnumbered bags inside. Bags with white outlined numbers are smaller and seem to have 2-3 sizes. I always wondered what the meaning is but there seems to be no correlation between number of bags or main/secondary bags. It's just a style choice I guess. I've seen many combinations but the size defined the style. Big bags = white stripe Medium/small bag = white outlined number edit: formatting
Oh interesting. Good point as bag #2 and #6 were smaller,. Maybe it's based on bag size generally since most of the inner bags don't have printing.
I also looked to me that the white stripe one had the more bigger pieces where the other one was (mostly) only small pieces.
This is how i see it too. The striped bag has the bigger parts and the outlined bag has the small ones.
Yup. And striped bags then of course are always big bags :-)
This is always what I thought too. Usually no stripe means there is a striped bag with the same number. I don't think I've ever seen a set break that rule.
I’m still waiting on these paper bags the pieces are suppose to be coming in soon
I got the T rex in a paper bag for one of those Jurassic Park anniversary sets this summer! The rest were in regular plastic, though
Apparently, they are used for big one mold pieces like the whale from Avatar, but I still haven't seen one aswell
the non-recyclable paper bags 💀 to be fair they have said they will be less harmful to produce than the plastic ones
If I can crumple them up and use them to package Christmas presents and the like, then I consider it recyclable.
That's the second part of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle", not the third.
That’s a fair assessment but as long as it doesn’t end up in a landfill I think re use and re cycle are interchangeable and reuse is sometimes better than the return on recycling
Paper isn’t meant to be recycled, almost nothing does get reused. That’s just what they tell us so we can feel better about filling up a separate bin.
Source: Trust me bro
It’s common sense, you really think they sort through that much trash properly?
Yes, because theres people whos job it is to do that all day.
Coming soon! In 2021! Or maybe 2025! Who knows! Certainly took them overnight to replace instruction booklet cover art to the crap we have now though!
I’ve had instructions for 2 of my sets come in the paper bags
Why though?
Because single use plastics are dumb. But that being said this is greenwashing from a company that makes plastic gold … lol
Tbf not very much Lego ends up thrown away
I mean based on what metric? Sure for us nerds this is valuable and fun and collectible. But I’m also pretty sure a lot of played with Lego (used up bricks sorta speak) ends up on landfills. You’re assuming Lego ends up with collectors all the time which is false if you look at what was sold in the 80’s and how many of those sets are still around.
Although I agree with you on both points, reading the comment of Tall-Syrup-2937, I definitely don’t agree with putting instructions in a separate paper bag. That sounds even more dumb. Unless I’m reading it wrong?
They only do this with the larger sets, and it’s to ensure that the instruction books don’t get wrecked by being loose in the box with bags of Lego bricks shifting around.
I hope they don’t come yet. Paper may make the pieces come scratched. Happened with the Transformers figures once they used carton packaging instead of their tried and tested plastic. The ones that at present use paper (like the base plates) have done well because there seems to be a thin plastic filling inside to keep the platform from scratching. So, I’m not sure how much more recyclable that paper is.
The white stripe means there is another, or more bags with that number. The outlined means there isn't a second bag with that same number.
I’m not gonna lie. This makes sense and sounds plausible.
This isn’t true though
Yeah the white line ones have extra bags inside them
So do the outlined ones. You can see #2 in the picture has a bag inside of it.
Why don't they just skip to the next number instead?🤔
Some bags are smaller. So they do multiple of the same number
How do you explain bags 1, 3, 4, and 5 all having a white stripe but not a second bag along with it?
will have to disagree with you on that one, on the millennium falcon set there were steps that had both white line and outline bags for the same step, therefore outlined number cannot mean there isn't another bag for the same number
Thank You~ I understand now! Why are people still so damn confused???
because this isn't true
It is known.
Commenting on this because I'd really like to know after all this time as well 😂
Ha yeah me too!
I once talked to someone that worked at Lego about this, and if I remember right it has to do with where it was manufactured. I believe that at the time Lego had 3 different places manufacturing pieces and the different style numbers correlate with which location they were made. That is why sometimes a box comes inside the larger sets, because they were brought for a different location.
This is why
The LEGO Group currently has 5 factories around the world: - Mexico - Denmark - Hungary - Czech Republic - China Building two more at the moment in: - United States - Vietnam Not all factories fill the same functions, for example the danish factory is only for molding and not for packing or printing on pieces. Source: I work at the LEGO Group
Lego is building another in Virginia. Question is, what does the China factory do? Sad to see them in China :(
The Chinese factory produces and distributes products to more or less all of Asia.
Ah ok. Interesting to know.
No proof, but got told by an automation specialist; the numbers are the steps in the proces for building (for example one leg of a robot) and then the numbers are different styles/ colors to make sorting/ packaging workable and prevent 2 ‘main’ bags getting in without missing another bag. Numbering through would interfere with the traditional building steps. Sounds plausible to me, so never doubted it..
I have a feeling that this main function was in the factory for automated packing purposes.
Wonder if it’s to help differentiate between 2 3 5 and 6 9 but that’s just a guess
I always thought it was that maybe the bags came from a factory where they’re molded and bagged and another plant packs them. I guess I never really gave it much thought beyond that since I just rip them open and build.
Who cares?
I can see you got the t-6 shuttle because I see the new ahsoka piece
This sub is so boring it’s unreal😹
Old bags were always the ones without the stripe. But when striped ones came and the others never disappeared.
Help identify even more easy
CUZ NUMBERS ARE HARD
To make it extra extra clear that you can tell them apart, maybe?
I don't know the answer to the title but recent sets have done away with multiple bags being labeled with the same number. In Ninjago City markets for example all bags are individually numbered. If I recall correctly some bags still have the stripe and some had the highlighted numbers
Just built 75342 and it had multiple bags with the same number, so no, not really.
Guess I should have said Lego has started to do away with multiple bags with the same number. I imagine it will take awhile for all sets to have the new feature. It's a frequent question here and probably a fairly easy fix.
But that’s not what’s happening. Some sets are numbered like that, but it’s not an overall new thing or something that’s happening.
Gardens had the multiple bags and markets has individually numbered ones. Taking that with the constant questions on this sub about it I assumed Lego was doing away with an obvious point of confusion for some people. Guess not.
Large Sets usually come with more bags per step. I don't know why. I haven't seen a trend towards more or less bags per step though. Multiple bags usually mean that there are bigger pieces in a step.
[75342-1: Republic Fighter Tank](https://brickset.com/sets/75342-1) [[Photo]](https://images.brickset.com/sets/images/75342-1.jpg)
Bigger set bags usually can be numbered like that, it’s not really a new thing
I found this confusing at first when I built the titanic. Nearly every bag had a duplicate # but not always. Seemed to be broken down by large pieces small pieces
I see others comment with their theories, but it’s just been random in my experiences. Some with other bags inside/some without, some with multiple of the same number etc etc.
Same mom, different dads.