Bags people keep
Custom tote bags
A custom tote is a cotton bag with your print on the sides, meant to be reused. Order it when the bag is the merch or the event takeaway. A thin boutique carry-bag that dies after one shop is packaging. If you need a courier satchel with a logo, that is a custom mailer, not a tote.
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Key takeaways
- Custom tote bags are reusable cotton carriers with a print. Promotional tote bags are the same product handed out at a stand, a conference, or a shop.
- Screen print is the usual logo: one or two spot colours, cheap at volume. Digital print is for photos and busy art.
- White, natural, and black cloth change how the ink reads. The same file does not look the same on all three.
- Unitix prints organic cotton totes in Australia. Shipping bags are custom mailers.
When a tote is the right merch
A tote earns its keep if someone uses it after the event. Markets, conferences, bookshops, and onboarding kits are the usual wins. The bag is large, flat, and cheap enough to give away. It is also a walking billboard if the print is bold.
- Event takeaway: programme, bottle, and a tote so guests are not juggling loose paper.
- Retail and brand: a bag that replaces a plastic shopper and keeps the mark in circulation.
- Not a mailer. If the job is posting a product, use a biodegradable mailer. A tote in a letterbox is the wrong shape.
A custom canvas tote search usually still wants this cotton tote, not a heavy waxed tool bag. If you need a cooler or a produce-specific cut, say so in the brief instead of assuming the standard tote.
Screen print vs digital print
Unitix runs both on the same organic cotton bodies in white, natural, and black. The file decides the method.
| Factor | Screen print | Digital print |
|---|---|---|
| Artwork | Bold logo, one or two spot colours | Photos, gradients, lots of colour |
| Look | Solid ink sitting on the cloth | A printed image in the weave |
| Typical order | A brand mark you already use on shirts | A campaign illustration or all-over design |
| Cloth colour | Works on white, natural, or black if the ink is opaque | Same three cloths; check contrast on a proof |
How to brief custom tote bags
Sides, colour, and a file. That is the whole quote.
- 1
Say who carries it
Conference guest, retail customer, or staff. That decides how loud the print can be and whether you need more than one cloth colour.
- 2
Pick cloth and print
White, natural, or black. Screen for a logo. Digital for a picture. Front only, or front and back.
- 3
Send print-ready art
Vector for screen. A high-resolution file for digital. A phone photo of a business card will look like a phone photo of a business card.
- 4
Quantity and proof
Headcount plus extras for the next event. Approve a proof on the actual cloth colour. Browse custom tote bags when that is written down.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get custom tote bags printed in Australia?+
Should I screen print or digitally print a tote?+
Are these the same as branded mailers?+
Order custom tote bags
Organic cotton totes, screen or digital print, in white, natural, or black.
