Systems, devices, and methods are described for providing a bag having an internally reinforced header. A reinforcing material is combined with a bag material to provide strength to the reinforced header. The reinforcing material and the bag material are aligned during manufacturing such that the reinforcing material is positioned in a header area of a bag formed by folding the bag material. A seal that passes through both the reinforcing material and the bag material retains the reinforcing material within the bag header. A bag handle may then be punched into the header through the bag material and the reinforcing material.