What You Need To Know About Custom Tote Bagswww.epromos.com

Welcome to ePromos’ overview of custom tote bags! Here, we’ll share everything

you’d want to know about tote bags – from styles and materials to decoration options and

trends.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................What is a tote bag?

• Quite simply, a tote is a large bag with parallel handles emerging from the pouch. It can be fastened or open.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Why use tote bags in a promotion?

1. Tote bags are ready-made for logos and messaging. Three top reasons marketers turn to them:

2.

3. 1. Large imprint space2. Reusability3. Versatility

4. Fact: Custom bags imprinted with a logo get nearly 6,000 impressions – more than any other promotional item.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Top three styles

1. 1. Grocery totes 2. Convention/meeting totes

3. Boat totes

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Top three materials

1. Choosing a material for custom tote bags depends largely on the purpose of the promotion (for example, will they be tradeshow giveaways or client gifts?) and your budget. The top three materials for totes are:

2. 1. Polypro 2. 600d polycanvas 3. Cotton

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................What are some other material options?

• 1680d ballistic nylon – Tough, thick, synthetic nylon fabric

• 210d polyester – Light, supple fabric

• Bamboo – Light, strong fabric that boasts antibacterial and antimicrobial properties

• Canvas – Strong and durable with a soft feel

• Cotton canvas – Tightly woven and heavier weight for durability and strength

• Cotton duck – Weighty but strong material

• Faux leather – Less expensive, more durable alternative to real leather

• Felt – Resilient fabric that retains its strength and properties for years

• Leather – Natural fabric that’s soft and features interesting textures

• Mesh – Thin material with an open-weave, net-like construction

• Microfiber – Durable, lightweight and strong material

• Neoprene – Stretchable, waterproof, protective material

• Nylon – Strong, lightweight material that can withstand a lot of wear and tear

• Paper – Ideal for gift or shopping bags

• PET – Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), one of the most common plastics, is strong and lightweight

• Polyester – Extremely durable and strong material

• Polypropylene – Lightweight, recyclable, plastic fabric

• PVC – Low-cost, clear plastic

• Rayon – Cost-effective alternative to cotton

• Vinyl – Low-cost, strong and durable material

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Top decoration methods

• A variety of factors – such as the material of the bag and number of colors to be printed – come into play when choosing the best decoration method for custom bags. Here’s a look at the top three customization methods along with pros and cons for each.

• 1. Silkscreen: This method, which uses a piece of mesh stretched over a screen, is cost-effective and produces a colorful imprint, but it’s not as crisp and clear as some other options.

•  • 2. Transfer: In this process, images are put on to special paper and then transferred to

the fabric via a hot press. It’s cost-effective and produces a highly detailed image, but it can sometimes have the appearance of a sticker.

•  • 3. Embroidery: This method creates a high-end look, but it can only be done on certain

fabrics and it’s more expensive than other decoration options.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Other decoration options for tote bags

• Four-color process: A color image is separated into four different color values (called a color separation) via filters and screens. This process is typically done by transfer.

• Deboss: Certain bags are made with patches that can be debossed. Here, the material around the die impression is raised and the logo is sunken into the surface of the fabric.

• • Hot stamp: The logo or design is transferred to the surface of the material at a high

temperature.

• Image bonding: The imprint is reproduced onto the material’s surface layer in an infinite number of colors in perfect registration. This is a form of transfer.

• • Screenprint: In this technique, a woven mesh supports an ink-blocking stencil to receive the

logo. A fill blade or squeegee is moved across the stencil, forcing ink into the mesh openings

for transfer.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Top sizes for tote bags

• Although they vary slightly from style to style, there are three classic sizes for tote bags:

•  

1. 1. Grocery/shopper: 15”H x 13”W x 10”L

2. 2. Convention: 15”H x 15”W x 3”L

3. 3. Leisure: 13”H x 19”W x 9”L•  • Handle lengths vary from 10” to 14.” Cross-body styles, which

are especially trendy now, have much longer lengths.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Top colors for tote bags

• Whether you want to make a bold statement or you want to be more subdued, there’s a color for every campaign when it comes to promotional tote bags. Here’s a look at some of the top color options:

•  • The classics: Black, royal and red• The jewel tones: Cobalt, emerald and magenta

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Top trends

Here are the top three trends in the tote bag market:

1. Clear PVC 2. Mobile technology features

3. Patterns, prints and pops of color

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Want more?

• 1. Read ePromos’ article on custom tote bags. • 2. Watch an interview with ePromos’ CEO, Jason Robbins,

and Nicole Ruccio, Category Manager for Leed’s, a top supplier in the promo products industry.

...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

• Check out all the options • for promotional tote bags and more

• at ePromos.com • or speak to a Brand Consultant

• at 877-377-6667.