What is Canvas Bags?

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.