Printing on Bags
Short answer
The printing technique for a bag follows material and run length: digital printing or screen printing on paper and cardboard bags, and on cotton totes screen printing for large runs with DTF transfer for small runs and multi-colour logos.
'Printing on bags' is a single phrase covering three entirely different technologies — and the choice directly determines what you pay and what you get. The most common mistake is a client requesting one technique when their run length and logo call for another, so they either overpay or end up disappointed with the result. This page explains how that choice is made and which questions we need answered before recommending a technique.
Key facts
- Screen printing
- Large runs, 1-2 colours
- DTF transfer
- Small runs, unlimited colours
- Digital printing
- Paper and cardboard bags
- Setup cost
- Screen — high; DTF — minimal
- Adding a colour
- A separate pass in screen printing
- Logo file
- Vector, at final size
- On dark bags
- Often needs a white underbase
- Quote
- Timing by agreement
Three questions that determine the technique
Before recommending a technique we establish three things. First, material: paper and cardboard belong to one technological family, cotton to another entirely. Second, run length: screen preparation is a one-off cost, so at volume the unit price falls sharply while at small quantities it is the most expensive option. Third, logo complexity: how many colours, whether there is a gradient, a photographic element or very fine detail. With those three answers the choice of technique becomes practically self-evident.
- Material — paper/cardboard or cotton
- Run — small or large
- Logo — colour count and complexity
- All three answers together set the technique
Printing on dark bags — the white underbase
This is the technical detail clients most often do not expect. Printing inks are semi-transparent: on a light bag they sit directly and the colour looks as expected. On a dark bag the background shows through and colour goes flat. So on dark cotton a white layer is printed first with colour on top — an additional technological step that raises cost. That is why the same logo can carry different prices on light and dark bags.
Preparing a logo for a bag
A logo prints large on a bag — often 20-25 cm wide — so a vector file is practically mandatory. A raster logo breaks into pixels at that size unless it was created at very high resolution to begin with. The second requirement applies to screen printing: the logo must be separated into colours, each on its own layer. We handle that ourselves given a vector file. Embroidery additionally needs its own digitised program, which is a separate preparation step.
Choosing technique by material and run
| Material | Small run | Large run | Multi-colour logo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper bag | Digital printing | Screen printing | Digital printing |
| Cardboard bag | Digital printing | Screen printing | Digital printing |
| Kraft bag | Screen print (1 colour) | Screen printing | Limited — background interferes |
| Cotton tote | DTF transfer | Screen printing | DTF transfer |
| Backpack | DTF or embroidery | Embroidery | DTF transfer |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which technique is cheapest?
My logo is complex — what should I do?
Why does printing on a dark bag cost more?
How large can the logo be?
Can I see a sample before the run?
I have no vector file — is there a way round it?
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