Your Guide to the Best Promotional Bags to Sell Your Brand

Your business is unique, and your promotional bags should be as well! Choose company bags with your logo that are perfect for your target customer to ensure your investment pays off daily.  When you shop for the perfect custom logo bag, consider factors such as how it will be used, what it will hold and more. Keep in mind:

• Durability: Will your customers pack their printed tote bag with heavy groceries? If so, choose a fabric that is tough enough for heavier loads.
• Function: Will employees and clients commute to work and school with their laptop inside their branded backpack with logo? If so, shop for backpacks and travel bags with a padded laptop sleeve.
• Extra Features: Bags with more popular features like zips, gussets and more are also more likely to be sought after, used and held onto by customers, improving your brand visibility.

We put together the following guide to showcase the most popular features of promotional bags in 2023. Use it to help you find and customise the best promotional bag for your brand.

Why Promote with Custom Logo Bags?

When shopping for promotional products, keep brand visibility top of mind. When you choose a promotional bag for your giveaway, your logo is seen on the streets, at the airport, at work and in shops. A few important branded tote and bag features and benefits include:

• Useful: The best promotional bags are designed to be used often. When customers rely on your custom logo bag daily, your logo visibility is increased. Quality branded logo bags also helps develop a bond of trust between your customer and your business.
• Portable: When you offer your own promotional bags, your logo is seen at picnics, on day trips, while camping, commuting and more.
• Visible: Branded totes, cooler bags and other bags come with lots of imprint space for your logo, increasing your brand visibility.
• Desirable: Because promotional bags are so useful and stylish, they make a good gift with purchase, or an incentive to donate to a charity or to purchase during a certain period of time.

Desirable Bag Features and Benefits

Consider these promotional bag characteristics to pick the best promotional bag for your brand:

Heavyweight Fabric

A little extra durability makes a big difference, especially for totes that are used regularly. Perfect for toting groceries, picnics and sports gear, bags with a heavy fabric weight offer dependability your customers can count on.

Kaya 283 g Recycled Cotton Tote Bag: If you want a heavyweight cotton tote, this bag is one of our favourites. It offers a sturdy-yet-soft fabric with a natural cotton colour that makes your imprint stand out.

Tip: To learn about the best fabric weight for your promotional bag, check out our blog post, Fabric Weights Explained: Measuring the Quality of Cotton. See the unique benefits of canvas tote bags in our blog, Why Personalised Canvas Tote Bags Are Your Best Bet for Branding.

Wide Gusset

A wide gusset allows your promotional bags to hold more items and makes packing and unpacking easier. A gusset is great for custom logo bags used for groceries, travel and picnics. 

Full Colour Morris Tote Bag: A wide gusset, stylish grey accents and bold base colour options make this tote a popular choice. With reinforced seams and your logo in full colour on the front, this bag is built to give lasting brand visibility.

Pockets

More pockets mean more convenience for your customers. Bags with pockets can hold larger items in the main compartment. Smaller items such as keys, snacks and phones can be organised in pockets. When your branded tote offers a secure, separate space for essentials, your target audience is more likely to reach for your promotional bag first.

Porter Collection Sport Drawstring Bag: This drawstring bag features side pockets for drinks as well as a separate front pocket for other essentials. Featuring soft polyester, grey accents and your logo and message on the front, this is one of our favourite promotional bags for all occasions.

Recycled Fabric

Recycled materials are better for the planet, your customers and your brand. With modern advances in recycling, you can have bags made from anything from soft recycled cotton to waterproof recycled plastic polyester. When your company bag with logo uses recycled materials, you can show customers that you are dedicated to finding better ways to do business.

Chaya RPET Tote with Pouch: These RPET totes are specially designed to be lightweight and compact. They are easy to store in the car or a handbag without taking up extra space. These waterproof bags include a pouch and will quickly become a daily essential for your customers.

Zipped Compartments

When a bag contains many small items that can spill out, a zip is the solution! Zips are an essential feature for customers who use their promotional bag for activities like shopping or going to the beach. A zipped compartment is also essential for cooler bags filled with cold drinks or chilled food.

Panama Beach Tote: This zipped tote is perfect for picnics, camping, travelling and more. It features a secure zipped main compartment and lots of exterior pockets for essentials. This versatile bag offers a stylish space for your logo and plenty of utility for your customers.

Padded

If your customers transport delicate items or electronics, padding in your promotional bag is a must. Padding keeps your customers’ belongings secure on long commutes, during outdoor adventures and more. A padded back panel on a backpack makes it more comfortable for hiking and heavy loads.

Porter Collection Rucksack Backpack: This versatile custom logo bag is perfect for carrying uni essentials and hiking in the hills. The bag is designed for customers on the go, and features a roll top for adjustable volume, multiple pockets and adjustable straps.

Low Minimum Order Quantity

Minimum order quantity is an important factor to consider when looking at promotional bag options. When gifting internally, or for a smaller event or campaign, custom logo bags with no minimum order size can be a huge money saver. Many of our promotional bags, like the cooler tote bag below, have a minimum order quantity as low as 25 or 50.

Porter Collection Large Cooler Tote Bag: These cooler bags are a popular giveaway for their minimum order quantity, imprint space and more. Customers can keep groceries chilled on the way home from shopping. These company bags with logo are essential for picnics, camping and snacking at the beach.

Pack Up the Branding!

We hope this guide gives you a greater insight into what features make for the best promotional bags. There are plenty of options, including insulated, padded, zipped and more. With so many promotional bags available on Pens.co.uk, it pays to take the time to find the features that will bring top value to your recipients.

More: For statistics on branded tote bags as well as other promotional merchandise, check out our blog, 25 Top Statistics on Promotional Products for Better Marketing.