The majority of bags used in hospitals and morgues are made of thick black, dark blue or grey impermeable plastic or Oxford fabric. These fully light-blocking materials cannot be seen through at all. They are designed to protect the dignity of the deceased, avoid accidental exposure during transfer and storage, and prevent onlookers from seeing the remains. This is the mainstream type for daily medical and mortuary use.

For criminal investigation and forensic autopsy work, white or partially transparent corpse bags are widely adopted. The thin, clear film lets investigators observe stains, wounds and physical evidence on the body without opening the bag. This design protects trace clues such as hair, fibers and blood spots from contamination while allowing visual inspection at crime scenes.

A small clear plastic viewing window is embedded on the upper part of some specialized funeral bags. Only the face of the deceased can be seen through this narrow transparent area, and the rest of the bag remains opaque. They are occasionally used for brief family identification without fully unzipping the whole bag.