The tote bag price per piece depends on four groups of choices: the bag (size, fabric and build), the branding (method, colours and sides), the finishing (labels, tags and packing) and the order (quantity, colours and designs). We quote per style, by fabric, quantity and branding, so the quickest way to a useful quote is to be clear on each group.
We do not publish prices, because two totes that look similar in a photo can be built very differently. This post explains what moves the cost and where you can make choices that keep it under control.
The bag: size, fabric and build
The bag itself is the base of every quote.
Size
A larger bag uses more fabric and longer seams. Bag width, height, gusset and handle length are agreed for each style and confirmed at quotation, so each change to those measurements changes the fabric used.
Fabric
We make totes in cotton canvas and jute-cotton.
- Cotton canvas comes in heavier and lighter weights. Heavier canvas uses more material and feels sturdier; lighter canvas folds small and suits giveaways.
- Jute-cotton has a textured, natural look and a stiffer feel, with its own material cost.
- Natural or dyed. A dyed colour needs fabric in that colour, which is part of the fabric cost.
Build
The build adds cutting, stitching and parts.
| Build choice | What it adds |
|---|---|
| Flat tote | Simplest build |
| Bottom gusset | More fabric and more seams |
| Long handles | More handle material than short handles |
| Zip top | A zip and the work to set it in |
| Inner pocket | Extra fabric and stitching |
| Lining | A second layer of fabric through the bag |
| Drawstring | Cords and a channel at the top |
A flat canvas tote sits at the simple end. A lined zip tote with a gusset and an inner pocket sits at the other.
The branding: method, colours and sides
How the bag is branded is the second big factor.
- Method. Screen print, embroidery and heat transfer each have their own set-up and work per piece. Screen print suits bold logos; embroidery suits small logos; heat transfer suits multi-colour or detailed artwork.
- Number of colours. In screen print, each colour needs its own screen, so a one-colour print is simpler than a four-colour print.
- Print size. A larger print area uses more ink and may need a larger screen.
- One side or both. Printing both sides roughly repeats the printing work.
- Number of designs. Each design has its own set-up, so several designs across one order add set-up even when the quantity stays the same.
If you are unsure which method fits your artwork, send it to us and we suggest the option that gives a good result without extra cost.
The finishing: labels, tags and packing
Finishing is easy to overlook in a budget, but it adds up across an order.
- Woven or printed label sewn into the seam or inside.
- Hang tag with your logo and price space.
- Folding to a set size.
- Bagging each tote in its own polybag.
- Stickers for barcodes or other information.
Event bags often need little finishing: folded and packed in bulk. Retail and marketplace bags usually need a label, a tag, bagging and a barcode. Our guide to tote bag labels, tags and packing explains each option.
The order: quantity, colours and designs
The minimum is 50 pieces per style. Above that, quantity affects the price per piece because set-up work, such as making screens or setting up an embroidery design, is shared across more bags.
The way you split the order matters too. A style split across several colours, or across several print designs, carries more set-up than one colour and one design at the same quantity. The colour split is confirmed at quotation, as it depends on the fabric and quantity.
Other items that change the total:
- Sampling, including any second sample after changes;
- Labelling for your destination, which varies by country and is confirmed at quotation;
- Shipping, with the method, terms and documents confirmed in the quotation. We take enquiries from buyers worldwide.
Ways to keep the price per piece down
- Choose the simplest build that does the job, and add a gusset, zip or lining only if the use needs it.
- Keep print colours to what the artwork really needs.
- Print one side if the second side adds little.
- Use one design and one or two bag colours in a first order.
- Match finishing to where the bag is going.
- Reorder the same bag. A repeat order in the same fabric, size, colour and artwork reuses the approved files, which keeps it simple to quote.
If budget is the deciding point, tell us the use and a rough target, and we suggest which choices to simplify first.
To get a quotation, choose a style on our white label tote bags page and send us the fabric, size, build, colours, quantity, artwork, branding method and packing you want.