Choosing The Fabric for Your Custom Bags

Customized reusable bags are an extremely effective promotional tool that embodies a lot of key features, like offering an incredible ROI and forging rapport with your customers, all while spreading your branding message in a highly visible manner. Increased awareness around recycling and legislation banning or levying fees on disposable plastic bags have only added to the demand for reusable bags.

A bag generates nearly 5800 impressions over its lifespan, almost double of any other product. Studies show that using custom reusable bags for marketing is definitely a boost for business because consumers feel more favorable toward the advertiser and reusable bags stand the test of time. Our bags last more than 125 uses so your marketing message stays on the top of your prospects and client’s mind and gets seen by more people because it’s a walking billboard.

To learn more about what makes these bags a green and environmentally responsible alternative we decided to answer some common questions we hear from our clients and break down the different materials we use to make our custom reusable bags.

What Are the Most Common Recycled Fabrics Used for Reusable Bags?

Woven polypropylene, non-woven polypropylene and RPET are the most common recycled fabrics we use. Polypropylene, also known as PP, is a thermoplastic resin material made from post-industrial, or rather pre-consumer, recycled content. RPET is a fabric made from recycled plastic bottles.

What Are the Difference Between These Fabrics and What Are the Price Points?

When polypropylene strips or threads are woven together this creates a strong and slightly textured material, which is known as woven polypropylene. In order to produce non-woven PP, long threads of polypropylene are bonded together, the resulting fabric is also durable and very soft. RPET is made from plastic fibers that have been bonded together creating a soft texture.

Is There a Specific Recycled Fabric That I Should Use for Certain Styles of Reusable Bags?

Each material is unique and the deciding factors when it comes to choosing a fabric for a customized reusable bag should be based on material preference, the budget and the artwork. Custom Non Woven PP bags are extremely popular and the most economical and inexpensive bags. You’ll find these in many large grocery stores. These should be hand washed and are 100% recycled as #5. Laminated bags are made from one of the three base materials, woven pp, nonwoven pp or RPET. They can be printed all over the bags in full color and topped with a glossy or matte lamination. The outside of these 3 materials looks almost identical. All three materials are high performers when it comes to strength, durability and recyclability. These create the most amazing walking billboards.

Are There Safety Issues with the Recycled Plastics Used in the Bags?

No, there are no health or safety concerns with non-woven RPET or polypropylene. The plastics used to manufacture these materials are labeled as “Resin Code 1” which is a safe and widely used type of plastic. We regularly test our bags for lead content as well as many other factors and to ensure the highest quality standards are used.

Which, If Any, of These Recycled Plastic Fabrics Are Made in the U.S.?

Most recycled plastic fabrics are manufactured in China. Many recycling facilities all over the world sell plastic for recycling to China for the purpose of turning it into fabric or another item. It is usually cost prohibitive to purchase recycled plastic fabric created in the U.S.

Are There Recommended Imprint Methods for Each Recycled Plastic Fabric?

Not really. All materials, including non-woven RPET, woven and non-woven polypropylene and even sustainable choices like jute, cotton and bamboo can withstand screen printing, transfer printing and 4-color process heat transfer methods with stunning results.

Are There Certain Fabrics or Imprint Methods That Are Better Suited for Full-Color Reproduction?

If you’re looking for an amazing bag with full color graphics any of the recycled fabrics would work with lamination. We’ve manufactured bags with spectacular graphics that have been very impressive.

What Makes a Material Sustainable and What Sustainable Fabrics Are Available?

Sustainable materials are woven from plant-based fibers. The fact that they can be planted, grown, harvested and woven into fabric again and again makes these materials sustainable. Our sustainable lineup includes cotton, jute and bamboo fabrics.

Are Reusable Bags Made From Recycled Materials More Expensive Than Bags Made from Sustainable Fabrics?

Non-woven, woven and non-woven PP have low budget price points. This makes them a fabulous marketing tool because the ROI is typically so high. Sustainable materials, such cotton, jute and bamboo normally are priced slightly higher than fabrics made from recycled content.

How do you choose the best recycled material to use for your bags?

We can help answer any of your questions and help you figure out which is the best material based on your needs. All of the materials we offer are durable and feature their own unique green advantages. Since we’re the direct manufacturer of our bags, we can literally help you create something new from concept to an amazing walking billboard.

We look forward to assisting you with an affordable, effective way to get noticed and remembered with your reusable bag.