FAQ

1. Types of Paper bags

a. Kraft paper bags: Made from a chemical pulp produced in the Kraft process. Pulp produced by the Kraft process is stronger than that made by other pulping processes; acidic sulfite processes degrade cellulose more, leading to weaker fibers, and mechanical pulping processes leave most of the lignin with the fibers, whereas Kraft pulping removes most of the lignin present originally in the wood. Low lignin is important to the resulting strength of the paper as the hydrophobic nature of lignin interferes with the formation of the hydrogen bonds between cellulose in the fibers.  Kraft pulp is darker than other wood pulps, but it can be bleached to make very white pulp. Fully bleached kraft pulp is used to make high quality paper where strength, whiteness and resistance to yellowing are important.

b. Wood free paper bag: is paper created exclusively from chemical pulp rather than mechanical pulp. Chemical pulp is normally made from pulpwood, but is not considered wood as most of the lignin is removed and separated from the cellulose fibers during processing, whereas mechanical pulp retains most of its wood components and can therefore still be described as wood. Wood-free paper is not as prone to yellowing as paper containing mechanical pulp.  Even though the name says wood free wood is still used to make these bags.

c. Art paper bag: Thicker, stronger, and more stylish than other types of paper bags, these more expensive bags often have ribbon handles and are used in high end shops.

2. Advantages of Paper Bags

-Recyclable                                         -Many sizes, styles, shapes, and colors available

-Easy to print on                                 -Can be made from recycled materials

-Biodegradable                                   -Can be laminated for extra strength

-Collapsible                                         -Can be printed on all sides

-Stack-able                                           -Can have twisted paper, rope, or ribbon handles

-Economical                                        -Takes less energy to produce than PET bags

-Can be printed with up to 4 colors -Can be glossy or matte (if laminated)

-Can be embossed

Disadvantages of Paper Bags

-Damaged easily                                             -Flammable

-Disintegrates when wet                                 -Production produces many toxic chemicals

-Not very reusable                                           -Can’t be tied shut

-Requires many resources for production       -Not stretchable

-Not very strong

-Generally in Natural and White but can be in colors

3. Printing

A)  Screen Printing: Screen printing uses a water like gelling agent with ink mixed in.  A screen or stencil is placed over the bag and the ink is applied in the desired colors.  The screen is then removed and the bag is left to dry.  Since screen printing does not involve chemical solvents, the screen stencil can be washed with just water.  The advantages of this printing technique are the image can be in almost any color, it is long lasting, water resistant, odorless and works well on many materials.  The disadvantage is that as this method is usually done by hand, for multicolored printing, the positioning may not be accurate which can create smudged or distorted images.  As well only solid colors can be screen printed, you cannot show gradations or shading with screen printing.

B)  Offset Printing:  is a commonly used printing technique in which the inked image is transferred (or “offset”) from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, the offset technique employs a flat image carrier on which the image to be printed obtains ink from ink rollers, while the non-printing area attracts a water based film, keeping the non-printing areas ink-free.

C)  Foil or Stamp: is the application of pigment or metallic foil to paper where a heated stamp is pressed onto the foil, making it adhere to the surface leaving the design of the stamp on the paper. Foil stamping can be combined with embossing to create a more striking 3D image.

I. Definition of Non-woven bags

1.  What is a Non-woven bag?

Non-woven bags are bags made from non-woven polypropylene (PP) fabric.   This fabric is made with spun and bond polypropylene fiber, which is soft, smooth and air-permeable.  In a spun laid non-woven material the fibers are directly taken onto a moving web which arranges them randomly. The unprocessed web looks somewhat similar to cotton. The fibers on this web are then bound together thermally or mechanically.  This material makes non-woven bags durable, attractive, breathable, reusable, water resistant, hypoallergenic, fire resistant, soft, light, and sometimes washable.  The material for these bags is strong enough to last up to 5 years.  An additional benefit of these bags is that they are easily printed with a company logo and advertisement; non-woven bags are a great tool in corporate branding and are attractive as gifts.  Shoppers gain a beautiful bag which they will reuse while the company get the promotional boost whenever the bag is used.

2. Why are PP bags better than PE(polyethylene) bags?

PP Non-woven fabric is made from polypropylene (PP), which is different from the polyethylene (PET), the latter a common material used for plastic shopping bag.  PEhas a more stable structure which makes it hard to break down it takes 300 years for PE to be completely bio-degraded!  In contrast, PP has a less stable chemical structure which is liable to chain degradation.

3. What types of printing are available for non-woven bags?

   1. Silk Screen printing
   2. Heat transfer Printing
   3. Gravure Printing-Laminated non-woven bags

4. What can non-woven bags be used for?

   1. Reusable shopping bags
   2. Tote bags
   3. Drawstring gift bags
   4. Hand bags with zippers or Velcro.
   5. Garment bags
   6. Wine bags
   7. Thermal bags
   8. Food bags (for large amounts of flour, rice, etc.)

5. Why are non-woven bags good for businesses?

   1. Easily printed with company logo and advertisements.
   2. Inexpensive
   3. Reused by customers for continued advertising years down the road
   4. Much more durable than plastic bags
   5. Easily cleaned
   6. Attractive to customers
   7. Thermal bags will keep items warm or cool
   8. Shows concern for the environment

II. Printing Options

1.  Silk Screen printing

This is most common printing technique for non-woven bags.  Screen printing uses a water like gelling agent with ink mixed in.  A screen or stencil is placed over the bag and the ink is applied in the desired colours.  The screen is then removed and the bag is left to dry.  Since screen printing does not involve chemical solvents, the screen stencil can be washed with just water.  The advantages of this printing technique are the image can be in almost any colour, it is long lasting, water resistant, odorless and works well on many materials.  The disadvantage is that as this method is usually done by hand, for multicolour printing, the positioning may not be accurate which can create smudged or distorted images.  As well only solid colors can be screen printed, you cannot show gradations or shading with screen printing.

2. Heat/Thermal Transfer Printing

Heat transfer printing is a special printing technique that requires a heat sensitive medium.  The image is first printed on a heat sensitive film or paper.  Then using heat, the image is transferred to the nonwoven fabric.  This technique is suitable for printing small or large areas.  The benefit of transfer printing over screen printing is that you can show gradations or shading easily.  The disadvantages of this method are the high cost and the image may be placed incorrectly. This method is also perfect for printing bar codes and other types of scanning codes as they will come out perfectly.

3. Gravure Printing

This 2 step technique is used for laminated non-woven bags.  First, using a traditional indented copper plate (as opposed to embossing), the image is transferred to the film.  Then, using a layered processing technique, glue the imaged film to the non-woven fabric.  This method is suitable for large scale colorful printing.  The advantages are the exquisite high quality images produced, fully automobile production and quick production time.  The end product is particularly water resistant and more durable compared to the other non woven bags printed using other techniques.  With gravure printing you also have two finish options, either matte or glossy.  The finish is more durable, but less friendly to the environment as the film used is not easily degradable.

III. Advantages of Non woven Bags

1. Economical

These bags can be produced at a very low cost.  The cost is further reduced when you consider that customers will keep reusing them thus reducing the need to produce as many bags.  Further, many stores charge their customers for these bags so they can even make a profit off of them.  There is also the invisible savings you received in marketing since customers will keep using these bags regularly thus promoting the business advertised on them.   To save upfront costs, some retailers carry conventional plastic shopping bags that are thin and easily torn.  However, in the long run it costs retailers more since they must purchase thousands upon thousands of these bags when they could have purchased far fewer reusable bags that customers are more willing to purchase.

2. Durability

Reusable non-woven bags last hundreds of times longer than traditional PET shopping bags.  Non-woven bags can carry significantly heavier loads than PET bags, are far less likely to be torn, punctured, ripped, or broken, unlike PET bags.  Laminated non-woven bags are of even better quality, proven to be more durable, water resistant, and attractive.  PP bags are also fire resistant, they can withstand temperatures in excess of 130^oC where as PET bags start to melt around 90^oC.  In addition to being used as a shopping bag, PP bags are great for use as food bags for items such as rice or flour.  PP bags are much more durable than the traditional layered paper bags, are completely recyclable, and are cheaper too.

3. Corporate Image

An attractive non-woven bag not only serves as a packaging/shopping bag, but also a wonderful vehicle for advertising.  Used as a shoulder bag, non-woven bags can be stylish and modern.  Consumers of late have a very negative view of traditional PET bags.  They are seen as wasteful, bad for the environment, and unseemly.  Even worse, they are often found in gutters and on streets thus representing the business they are from in a very bad light.  Contrastingly reusable non-woven bags are seen as being very progressive, good for the environment, recyclable, frequently reused, and rarely seen in the garbage or on streets.  Reusable bags represent a very positive marketing strategy for a business where as PET bags can be very negative.

4. Environmentally friendly

Non-woven reusable shopping bags have numerous environmental benefits.  By being reusable they greatly reduce the number of bags needed.  They are more easily recycled than traditional PET bags.  They can carry a larger and heavier load thus meaning fewer bags need to be used.  They can be used for many years.  As an important part of corporate branding, a company that supports environmentally friendly products is also seen to be more responsible, and will win more customers a gain a market share which cannot be bought over by money.  Solvents are not required for the printing process.  They can even be re-purposed when they start to wear out and made into rugs, clothes, and other items.

I. Definition of Canvas bags

1. What is a Canvas bag?

A canvas bag is made from coarse, unbleached cotton, flax, hemp, or other yarn. Canvas has been in existence since the 13th century but in modern times it is usually made from cotton or linen. Canvas is usually classified by one of two ways: weight (in ounces per square yard) or by a graded number system it is given a rating where higher means thinner and lower means heavier.

2. What types of printing are available for Canvas bags?

a. Silk Screen printing

3. What can Canvas bags be used for?

a. Reusable shopping bags b. Tote bags c. Hand bags with zippers or Velcro. d. Travel bags

4. Why are Canvas bags good for businesses?

a. Easily printed with company logo and advertisements. b. Very durable c. Reused by customers for continued advertising years down the road d. Easily cleaned e. Attractive to customers f. Shows concern for the environment g. Can be made from natural or organic fibres h. Can have many attachments and additional features i. Can carry very heavy loads

II. Printing Options

1. Silk Screen printing

Screen printing uses a water like gelling agent with ink mixed in. A screen or stencil is placed over the bag and the ink is applied in the desired colours. The screen is then removed and the bag is left to dry. Since screen printing does not involve chemical solvents, the screen stencil can be washed with just water. The advantages of this printing technique are the image can be in almost any colour, it is long lasting, water resistant, odourless and works well on many materials. The disadvantage is that as this method is usually done by hand, for multicolour printing, the positioning may not be accurate which can create smudged or distorted images. As well only solid colours can be screen printed, you cannot show gradations or shading with screen printing.

III. Advantages of Canvas Bags

1. Economical

These bags can be produced at a very reasonable cost. The cost is further reduced when you consider that customers will keep reusing them thus reducing the need to produce as many bags. Further, many stores charge their customers for these bags so they can even make a profit off of them. There is also the invisible savings you received in marketing since customers will keep using these bags regularly thus promoting the business advertised on them. To save upfront costs, some retailers carry conventional plastic shopping bags that are thin and easily torn. However, in the long run it costs retailers more since they must purchase thousands upon thousands of these bags when they could have purchased far fewer reusable bags that customers are more willing to purchase.

2. Durability

Canvas bags are the most durable reusable bags and last hundreds of times longer than traditional PET shopping bags. Canvas bags can carry significantly heavier loads than PET bags, are far less likely to be torn, punctured, ripped, or broken, unlike PET bags.

3. Corporate Image

An attractive Canvas bag not only serves as a great shopping bag, but also a wonderful vehicle for advertising. Used as a shoulder bag, Canvas bags can be stylish and modern. Consumers of late have a very negative view of traditional PET bags. They are seen as wasteful, bad for the environment, and unseemly. Even worse, they are often found in gutters and on streets thus representing the business they are from in a very bad light. Contrastingly reusable Canvas bags are seen as being very progressive, good for the environment, recyclable, frequently reused, and rarely seen in the garbage or on streets. Reusable bags represent a very positive marketing strategy for a business where as PET bags can be very negative.

4. Environmentally friendly

Canvas reusable shopping bags have numerous environmental benefits. By being reusable they greatly reduce the number of bags needed. They can carry a larger and heavier load thus meaning fewer bags need to be used. They can be used for many years. As an important part of corporate branding, a company that supports environmentally friendly products is also seen to be more responsible, and will win more customers a gain a market share which cannot be bought over by money. Solvents are not required for the printing process. They can even be repurposed when they start to wear out and made into rugs, clothes, and other items.

5. Many Additional Details

Canvas bags can also have many additional features such as clip on decorations. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes as well.