Sourcing printed cotton and canvas tote bags from China
For printed tote bags from China, fix the fabric and its weight, finished size, gusset, handle length and stitching, print method and colours, and fibre label in writing, then approve a printed sample. China is strongest on custom sizes and fabrics, full-colour print, your own labels and larger runs.
Specify custom tote bags from China: fabric and weight, size and gusset, handles, print method, labels and packing, and where China gives you most.
Products and search terms
tote bags, canvas tote bags, cotton tote bags, printed tote bags, custom shopping bags, promotional bags
Decide what kind of tote you are buying
A tote bag order is one of three jobs: a stock blank bag with your print added, a stock construction in your own size, colour or fabric, or a new design with pockets, a gusset, a lining or a zip. Ask for them as separate options. The first is a printing job, the third is product development, and they are priced and scheduled differently.
China is strongest when you need a custom size or fabric, full-colour or all-over print, your own labels, or a run large enough for the freight to spread thinly. Compare the landed price, not the factory piece price.
Write the specification the sample is judged against
Fabric weight on its own does not describe the bag. Two bags of the same weight can differ in weave, shrinkage, stitching and handle strength. Use the table to keep competing quotes comparable, and state which parts may not be substituted.
| Part | Specify | Approve on the sample |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | Fibre, weave, weight, colour and whether it is organic or recycled, with the evidence you will need for any claim | Hand feel, colour against the standard and the documents behind any claim |
| Size and shape | Finished width, height and gusset, with the tolerance you will accept | Measured dimensions and how it holds its shape when loaded |
| Handles and seams | Handle length and width, how they are attached and reinforced, seam type | A loaded carry trial with representative contents |
| Method, number of colours, position, size and artwork file | Colour, registration and how the print survives washing or rubbing if you will claim it does | |
| Labels and packing | Fibre label, care label, brand label, folding, bundles per carton and carton marks | Label wording and packed cartons |
Labels and claims when you sell them in Great Britain
The textile labelling rules that apply in Great Britain treat products containing at least 80% by weight of textile fibres as textile products, so a cotton or canvas tote you sell will normally need its fibre composition stated. Put the label wording in the specification rather than leaving it to the factory, and check it on the sample.
Claims such as organic, recycled or reusable need evidence you can show. Ask for the certificate or declaration that supports the claim before the claim is printed on thousands of bags, and check that it covers the fabric actually used. General product safety duties still apply to a simple bag; the merchandise guide covers bags given away with a client's brand on them.
Quantities, samples and timing
Ask for the factory minimum per colour and per print design, and for the sample and print setup charges, before you choose the range. Several small designs can cost more than one proven design in a larger quantity, and a first order is often better spent learning which design sells. Minimums and sampling covers how to negotiate them.
We add no minimum of our own, so a small first run is fine; small orders explains how that works. For an enquiry, send the size, fabric, handle length, artwork, quantities by colour, destination and the date you need them.
Frequently asked questions
Is fabric weight enough to specify a tote bag?
No. Two bags of the same fabric weight can differ in weave, shrinkage, stitching and handle strength. Specify the construction and approve a printed, loaded sample.
Do cotton tote bags need a fibre label in Great Britain?
Normally yes if you sell them. The rules that apply in Great Britain treat products with at least 80% by weight of textile fibres as textile products, and those carry fibre composition labelling.
Where is China strongest for tote bags?
Custom sizes and fabrics, full-colour or all-over print, your own labels, and runs large enough for freight to spread thinly. Compare the landed price, not the piece price.