A lot of things have come and gone in an endless cycle, and tote bags are one of the most timeless pieces you can own. These days, owning a custom tote bag is something else, and you might not want to miss out on the trend.
Tote bags are lucky to be part of the recurring fashion industry. They’ve been used years, even decades ago, dubbed for their main function — to carry.
Such an era was then covered by fashion items that were big, compartmentalized, and thoroughly designed. Bags were made more colorful, bold, and extremely assorted.
After being hidden for a while, these bags have been on quite a roll lately. They’re with the wealthiest people to even commoners; your peers might even own multiple pieces.
This article will see to it you get an idea of what totes are, and you’ll definitely get one after reading!
What Makes A Tote Bag?
Tote bags, abbreviated as “totes,” are those rectangular fabric bags you commonly see in the market. They were mainly reserved as reusable shopping bags.
Totes are plain bags with two handles fastened on either of their sides. It can be cut from almost any type of fabric so long as they’re sturdy enough.
These bags are made by folding a fabric sheet then stitching two sides together. The top is pleated to cover the stitches, handles, and sometimes the pocket gets sewn.
From being shopping bags, totes are now present in almost any setting. They’re used for school, hiking, picnic, and others.
With the simplicity of totes, they can be customized well. There is also a tote bag for men and even children with the proper style.
Since totes are incredibly straightforward to make, they’re also very easy to find. Any convenience store would offer them rather than single-use plastic bags.
While tote bags are hoped to replace these plastics, there are also totes made from recycled plastic. They are also reusable and sturdy enough, mostly personalized by owners.
Totes are commonly made from cotton, polyester, and canvas fabrics. There are also leather tote bags and other combinations of materials.
They’ve been quite advertised as well! You may have seen many celebrities carrying them, and even cartoons made for kids recommend them.
What Are Tote Bags Used For?
Tote bags can be used for almost anything, anywhere. As a bag, they can carry anything that fits in them.
One thing that makes them a tad more attractive is that they’re convenient. Since there’s commonly no zipper or compartments, it’s easy to put and pull the contents.
People who carry a few items that don’t need much organization prefer this. However, lack of division can be a problem for those who always bring a lot.
Totes are still popular as shopping bags. They are suitable for organic produce, clothes, and every other supply from the market.
As previously mentioned, it is also used in schools, especially as a tote bag laptop carrier. Since laptops fit perfectly in their height, they’re a perfect pair with enough space for other items.
Are Tote Bags Environment Friendly?
To a certain extent, tote bags can be considered environmentally friendly. If you compare them to single-use plastic, they’re a step better.
To be more specific, it’s because you can reuse tote bags many times, making them environmentally friendly. Unlike plastics that get dirty and torn, totes are washable and sturdy, even mendable for tearing.
It gets tossed easily since plastic creases and doesn’t look pleasant after a few reuses. For tote bags, they can get patched and updated for the latest trend.
Here’s a brief comparison of the two materials:
| Tote Bags | Plastic Bags |
| Cotton takes five months to degrade | Ordinary Plastic bags take 400 years to degrade |
| Reusable | A limited number of reuse |
| Easily Recycled | Recycling needs energy input |
| Adds fashion sense | Not a fashion material |
The critical piece for this comparison is the reuse of totes. Especially for shopping bags, what makes tote bags better is that they can be reused.
If that’s not the case, it can get problematic for the environment; if you’re not reusing them. If you buy totes every time you go for groceries, then the purpose is lost there.
There are also tote bags made with plastics and other materials that degrade longer than such. If they accumulate on the planet (when you throw usable totes), that will worsen the problem.
So tote bags are only environmentally friendly when their purpose is maximized. They’re also better when used to their maximum useful life then recycled.
How To Customize A Tote Bag
Customizing is an art, and what better medium to use than something made of canvas. That’s right; tote bags allow for a vast array of customization, even if most are made with canvas!
Tote bags for men are a real deal in the first place since they can be stylized to suit masculine tastes. As women typically wore shoulder bags, customization has played many elements to negate this stigma.
To personalize a plain tote bag, you can use either one or a combination of the following:
- Printing
This is the most common design laid on plain totes. Especially for store-bought and mass-produced bags, printed images, logos, and words are the go-to design.
Since totes can easily be flattened and adjusted, they can easily be printed with the machines available today. Using this kind of customization finishes fast and easily repeatable.
Printed tote bags are pretty popular for giveaways for certain events and souvenir items. Printing makes a neat replica of each item and also is relatively cheap.
- Painting
Painting is somewhat similar to printing but is more labor-intensive. The artist must manually draw and then paint a particular design on each tote for this customization.
Depending on the material/fabric used to make the tote bag, there are different types of paint for this.
Compared to printing, painting usually takes more time due to drying and layering. It also takes more hands-on skill and creativity per piece.
Painted totes are more rarely replicated as they carry more depth and texture. For such, painted totes hold more value and therefore cost higher.
- Stich
In a different genre, stitching also heightens a tote’s value. The time spent customizing a single tote depends on the size and intricacy of the desired design.
Most totes only have tiny stitches like flowers or stars on them to preserve their simplicity. Others are filled on both sides with different images.
The amount and uniqueness of the stitches also add to a customization’s price.
- Beads
Beads are also an excellent way to add color and texture to a dull tote bag. Beads range in all sorts of colors, sizes, and shapes.
Since beads need to be stitched to fasten into the tote, they are commonly done in pairs. The design of the beads is usually tied together with the stitches.
- Pins
On more reserved and less laborious customization, totes are stylized with pins. Pins allow for frequently changing designs since they can easily be attached and detached.
Different kinds and designs of pins are readily available in stores, stationery shops, and even boutiques.
- Patch
Another styling material is patching. Patches come with different images and shapes as well.
Most patches need to be sewn to the tote, but most can be glued. To an extent, patches can also be removed and replaced in tote bags.
- Ripping
One of the less popular ones is ripped tote bags. They require you to damage the tote bag on purpose or use a damaged one.
Ripping can require patching on the opposite side, so the contents don’t fall out. The patching also needs to match the color and overall design of the tote.
There are still many other customizing materials and tote bag design ideas to level up a plain tote. They just require a bit of reading, trial, and then your tote bag becomes completely unique.
How To Find A Shop That Customizes Tote Bags
Customization shops are pretty easy to find. A single town commonly has at least one as it’s quite necessary these days.
You can ask around the community or use map applications to find the nearest and most popular shop if you’re on the road. These shops also have stylish and easily recognizable exterior features that make them easy to spot.
Finding one is also a matter of searching for the correct words on your device, highlighting your area. Plug your town’s name and search for customizing or personalizing shops, and voila!
We, at GE Digital Imaging, are as easy to find as well. Customizing your tote bag to your ideal piece with our top-notch services is quite an easy feat.
We give free shipping services, and you can inquire about our products at ge_digital@geodigitalimaging.com.
Conclusion
Tote bags are now must-have items. Their stylishness and friendliness to the environment are appealing, plus having a custom tote bag is an excellent way to bring up your fashion game.
Visit our website, geodigitalimaging.com, to book an appointment now. Let’s talk about your next dreamy collector’s item!