How to Print Bags
If you are in the t-shirt business and own a heat press, adding bags to your offerings is both profitable and easy. It often means selling more to the same customer which is always more cost effective than trying to get a new customer. Let’s take a look at the different types of bags, the best products to use and application tips.
Backpacks
Personalized backpacks are a great item for schools, businesses and travel groups. Most backpacks are made of denier polyester which means all our products will work. The key to backpack application is getting a firm, flat surface under the transfer. Since a backpack have many obstructions, seams, pockets, and zippers sliding a mouse pad under the area you will be printing solves the issue.
Beach Bags
Beach bags are an opportunity to sell to vacationers, resorts and gift shows. You can even bundle with a custom towel and t-shirt. Typically beach bags are canvas making it the perfect platform for Goof Proof Screen printed transfers, UltraColor Max or UltraColor Pro.
Tote Bags
These are great promotional items. They are low cost and easy to print. Some markets include Halloween, gift shops, library and bookstores and grocery stores. With the push to improve the environment by getting rid of single use bags, the tote bag market has exploded. These are typically either canvas or polypropylene. If canvas, all our transfer products will work. If the bag is polypropylene, this needs a low temperature transfer, such as Elasti Prints, UltraColor Max or UlraColor Pro.
Cinch Sack
Cinch sacks are popular for schools and teams. They are made of a wide variety of materials, so it is important to choose one to match the way you wan to print it. The most common material for cinch sacks is polyester. You can print polyester Cinch sacks with Elasti Prints, UltraColor Max and UltraColor Pro. Some cinch sacks are more of a sweatshirt material and a poly/cotton blend. For this type you can use Goof Proof or the UltraColor Options. Occasionally, cinch sacks are 100% nylon limiting print options to Soft Opaque CAD-PRINTZ or UltraColor Stretch.
Hip Packs
The 90’s have returned, and we are now calling fanny packs the much cooler, hip pack. We all laugh but they do keep your hands free allowing you to carry important items easily. Some markets for hip packs include businesses, resorts and the parents of young children. These can be made of polyester (all products) or nylon (CAD-PRINTZ Soft Opaque or UltraColor Stretch)
Cosmetic or Travel Bags
I love these because they are a super low cost and needed to by most. In our own apparel line, we carry a pack of five for about $5! These are promo items for businesses, fashion (great seller on Etsy stores) and wedding favors.
They also come in a wide variety of materials, so it is important to match your transfer type with the material. For Polyester, all products should work, For Burlap go with Goof Proof or UltraColor and if nylon again you are limited to Soft Opaque or UltraColor Stretch.
Other Bag Types
There are so many other fun bag choices to print. We did custom gift bags, sport bags, lunch bags, wine bags and small favor bags. They can all be easily printed just look at the fabric and the recommended transfer type for that fabric.
Printing Bags
The most important thing to remember when printing bags is to create that firm, flat print area where your press hits the transfer. Options to use to obtain this include:
Silicone Heat Pads
What bags have you added to your product offering? One customer told me they use an extra transfer to print some type of bag as a thank you gift with every group order. Not only was her customer appreciative it has led to more sales as others in the group wanted the bag, too.
Looking for more information for printing on bags? Watch our webinar!