Tote bags have never looked so good

The classic canvas bag, once only used for shopping or running errands, is now a trendy accessory. Innovative design, care for materials and the choice of the most suitable printing techniques are essential requirements for making unique and durable accessories. We discussed this with Sai Devi, Teefactory, Gedshop and Solution Group.

By Caterina Pucci | On PRINTlovers 95 

Tote bags (from the relatively uncommon verb 'to tote' meaning 'to carry') are a must-have that has conquered almost everyone: film festivals, publishing houses, fashion brands and "it girls". In "And Just Like That", a reboot of the well-known TV series "Sex and the City", Carrie Bradshaw abandons her Fendi baguette for a cloth bag from NPR, i.e. New York's National Public Radio, for which she hosts a podcast during the season. Like t-shirts, tote bags have also become a statement, telling a lot about us: which magazines we subscribe to (I see you, readers of Vogue and New Yorker), which books we read, the films we like, the illustrations we love. The customisable and changeable nature of this accessory (it is literally a blank canvas) has helped fuel its myth.

From yachts to independent bookshops
If you think this is a modern invention, you are sadly mistaken. Back in the 1940s, they were already being used for boat trips because of their comfort, durability and spaciousness. Loved by yachters, they were also used by workers (door-to-door salespeople or newspaper deliverers). The LL Bean chain of shops proposed a more modern and original version that soon became popular among homemakers due to its capacity, practicality and accessibility. Since then, it has been revisited in every possible way. They made their way into the publishing market thanks to The Strand, a historic New York independent bookstore founded in 1927. A kind of institution for East Village bibliophiles (like Shakespeare & Co. for Paris), it was the first bookstore to offer a tote bag with its logo printed on it as a convenient accessory to go with its patrons' book purchases.
Since 2005, after a renovation of the main premises, the bookshop also includes a merchandising space where you can find many tote bags with the iconic red bookshop logo printed on them, surrounded by different patterns: illustrations celebrating the city or reading, quotations from classic authors. There are also several limited editions made in collaboration with artists such as Art Spiegelman or Rose Wong. Last year, Bottega Veneta transformed a fetish for book lovers into a luxury accessory, with a leather reinterpretation available in three different versions, presented during New York Fashion Week by creative director Matthieu Blazy with an intimate dinner at the Strand. The initiative aimed at helping the bookstore, which after the pandemic seemed to be forced to close, produced around 25,000 online orders within a few days. Today, according to research by Technavio, the tote bag market is worth 334.5 million dollars. There are ones for every price range: they can be free, like the ones that Vogue or New Yorker give away to those who subscribe to the magazine or cost $3,250, like the one designed by Dior. But what are the features to be considered when designing a tote? What are the most commonly used printing techniques or the media most in demand by customers? What determines the success of a shopping bag? We asked some companies who design and produce them on a daily basis: Sai Devi, Teefactory, Gedshop and Solution Group.

Natural or synthetic, as long as it's creative
The Good Idea has 20 years of experience in the merchandising sector with a focus on sustainability. It is, in fact, the first Benefit Company in Italy in its sector. And, with the acquisition of Sai Devi - a leader in the beauty and private label market for over 30 years – it has enhanced its offer and enriched the network of services available to its customers. The creative team is always keen to intercept the latest trends and research new materials to provide innovative and cutting-edge solutions. Among the available giveaways are bags, often given away during events, trade fairs or for the launch of a brand's new product. "After decades in which plastic dominated unchallenged, we are seeing the use of natural media (canvas, cotton, hemp, jute) as well as recycled materials asserting themselves," explains Mauro Moschitta of The Good Idea's specialised beauty & design branch. "All of our suppliers hold the main textile industry certifications, which are indispensable for working with brands, especially those of international calibre: GRS, OCS, GOTS, OEKO-TEX, FAIRTRADE". From a creative point of view, there are two paths. Some clients arrive with an idea, while others ask to propose a design consistent with the brand identity or the sponsored product or event. "Often," adds Serena Carcassoli, founder of Sai Devi and now head of the branch, "we have worked with designers and illustrators who have created ad hoc creations for clients that tell the story of the brand or a specific promotional campaign. For a hotel chain, for example, we created shopping bags with illustrations that recalled the location of the hotels. The choice of the media to be used and the colours are also elements that play a fundamental role and help to remain imprinted in the memory of the end users." Clearly, the use of recycled substrates or those made from post-consumer materials has a higher cost, but it is a challenge at the production level that Sai Devi has decided to undertake through an in-house department that deals specifically with sustainability consulting, helping companies to embark on this path. "We have created a kind of internal calculator that makes its environmental impact measurable and has convinced many customers to prefer sustainable substrates for their collections."

E-commerce and customisation: the keys to success
Since 1981, teefactory.it has been dedicated to the customisation of textile substrates. Initially focused on advertising for companies and sports events, it currently works mainly with clothing brands. The head office is in Barcelona, but the business is spread all over Europe. "Tote bags or shopping bags were the second objects we made after T-shirts, which are our flagship product," explains the company's management. Today, they are no longer direct producers of clothing but retailers of well-known brands on the market, yet shopping bags continue to be one of their best-selling items. The textile market has seen a significant increase in demand for sustainable materials, which is why the bags are mainly made from organic cotton or RPET. Teefactory's job is to customise the source material with the design provided by the customer. "We do not have our own portfolio, but part of our job is to advise and guide customers, tweaking their designs if necessary and guiding them through the entire design development and purchasing process," the team adds. The company's printing department has machines for every customisation need, from the most artisanal to the most modern: screen printing, embroidery, sublimation, DTG (direct-to-garment), DTF (direct-to-fabric) and so on. As far as fabrics are concerned, the best-selling shopping bags are 100% cotton, although in recent years, the demand for organic and recycled materials is becoming increasingly important. For the promotional world, on the other hand, Teefactory also makes bags in non-woven fabric, TNT, a type of textile material formed from a series of fibres joined by mechanical, thermal or chemical processes that do not require the threads to be transformed into yarns. This material provides excellent resistance to high and low temperatures and water and is non-abrasive.

Each bag has its own material
Gedshop.it is an online shop specialising in customising products of all kinds, from promotional giveaways to technical, work and leisure clothing. Thanks to decades of experience, it can handle any type of request, collaborating with small and large businesses, public bodies, companies and associations in any sector and private individuals, accompanying them at all stages of sales. For the past three years, Gedshop has been among the best online shops in Italy, selected by Corriere della Sera in their stars of e-commerce category. "Even more than loyalty cards, tote bags induce purchases given the strong psychological component that interests buyers in receiving a "free" bag that they can reuse on many different occasions and situations. The uses are truly infinite: they can be resold in your own shop, they can be used instead of bags at the time of purchase, they can be distributed at fairs and events," explains Alessandro Condonello, co-founder of Gedshop. "The fundamental choice is not so much the shape, which is standard, but the materials that determine the durability and resistance of the bag and the print. Cotton is the most classic choice because it guarantees durability, softness, tear-resistance and machine-washability and is made of natural, biodegradable fibres. Polypropylene is also quite successful, given its resistance and the excellent performance of prints on the surface.

Do good and print it
Active since 1985 in the distribution of promotional items and merchandise for multinationals, since 2018, Solution Group has begun a genuinely ethical and ecological transition with a series of investments that are proving to be a strategic asset. "Some clients have developed a particular focus on the issue of sustainability, and this requires us to look for materials and processes with reduced impact, as well as partners with all the certifications of the textile industry," explains Manuel Xueref, Marketing Manager of Solution Group. During the last Brand Revolution, Solution Group, in collaboration with the creative agency DLV BBDO and AISM Milano (Italian Multiple Sclerosis Association), created five shopping bags in 100% organic cotton weighing 259 g/m2. Each is designed to represent and embody a typical symptom of Multiple Sclerosis. The personalisation of each shopping bag is done by screen printing, embroidery and different techniques that enrich people's user experience. In addition to reading about the subject, they can 'learn with their senses' and in a completely authentic way what people with Multiple Sclerosis experience. The models have already been made with the possibility of large-scale production in mind. The sale of the bags will not only support AISM by collecting donations but will also make it possible to make this disease visible to everyone, telling them about it in a quick and everyday way, especially for young people.