Festivals and events
Festival bags
We print festival tote bags and drawstring bags in Leeds, in 1 to 4 spot colours on one or both sides. Most festivals want one of three things: a merch tote good enough to sell, a light giveaway bag by the thousand, or a drawstring bag that keeps hands free in a crowd. Every bag shows a live price, so you can cost the run before you speak to anyone.
Bags festivals order
The Recycled Cotton Tote Bag is the one for big giveaways. The long-handle cotton tote comes in 48 colours to match your branding, the canvas totes feel right on a merch stand, and the drawstring bags are for crew, runners and campers.
Recycled Cotton Tote Bag
Printed from £1.22 +VAT
Sample £0.60 +VAT
Available colours
BlackNaturalOrangePurpleWhiteNavyplus 6 more colours
Cotton Tote Bag Long Handle
Printed from £1.42 +VAT
Sample £0.77 +VAT
Available colours
BlackBottle GreenBurgundyCornflower BlueCranberryKelly Greenplus 42 more colours
Premium Recycled Canvas Tote Bag
Printed from £2.12 +VAT
Sample £1.35 +VAT
Available colours
BlackBottle GreenFrench Dark NavyNaturalOxford NavyOrangeplus 10 more colours
Recycled Canvas Tote Bag
Printed from £1.76 +VAT
Sample £1.05 +VAT
Available colours
BlackFrench Dark NavyNaturalWhiteSandRose
Cotton Drawstring Bag
Printed from £2.71 +VAT
Sample £1.84 +VAT
Available colours
BlackBottle GreenBurgundyKelly GreenLavenderNaturalplus 23 more colours
Polyester Drawstring Bag
Printed from £3.13 +VAT
Sample £2.19 +VAT
Available colours
BlackBottle GreenBurgundyPurpleWhiteBright Royalplus 2 more colours
Tote or drawstring?
Both work at a festival. They just suit different people.
| Tote bag | Drawstring bag | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Merch stands, programmes, sponsor giveaways and a bag people take home | Crew, volunteers, runners and anyone who needs both hands free |
| How it carries | By hand or over the shoulder on long handles | On the back, on cords |
| Size | 38 x 42 cm on most of our shoppers, with gusseted totes for bulkier merch | 37 x 46 cm in cotton, 31 x 40 cm in polyester |
| In the rain | Cotton gets wet, so it suits a bag people carry home | The Polyester Drawstring Bag is water resistant, with metal eyelets and reinforced corners |
| Colours | Up to 48 on the Cotton Tote Bag Long Handle | 29 on the Cotton Drawstring Bag |
See every drawstring bag we print in drawstring bags.
Totes worth selling on the merch stand
A tote that sells needs to feel like it's worth the money. Go for a heavier bag, such as the 280gsm Premium Recycled Canvas Tote Bag or the 340gsm Premium Organic Canvas Tote Bag, rather than the lightest giveaway bag.
Festival merch often goes on black or navy with two or three bright inks. That looks sharp, but some inks need a white layer underneath to stay bright on dark fabric, which counts as an extra colour. Our guide to printing on dark bags explains when.
Decide early whether the year goes on the bag. A dated bag is a keepsake for this year's crowd. An undated one can go back on the stand next summer if you have bags left over.
Bright ink on a dark bag
Pick a bag colour and an ink to see how your print will look, and whether it needs a white underbase.
Bag colour
Ink colour
On burgundy, yellow ink needs a white underbase to stay bright. That's one extra screen, so it usually counts as an extra colour in the price: we'll confirm on your proof.
Giveaway bags by the thousand
Live prices for the Recycled Cotton Tote Bag, our lowest-price bag, which comes in 12 colours. Prices are per bag, ex VAT, with the screen charge spread over the run.
| Quantity | 1 colour | 2 colours | 3 colours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 500 bags | £1.30£650.00 total | £1.63£815.00 total | £1.96£980.00 total |
| 1,000 bags | £1.26£1,260.00 total | £1.55£1,550.00 total | £1.84£1,840.00 total |
| 2,500 bags | £1.24£3,090.00 total | £1.50£3,755.00 total | £1.77£4,420.00 total |
| 5,000 bags | £1.23£6,140.00 total | £1.49£7,430.00 total | £1.74£8,720.00 total |
Live prices for the Recycled Cotton Tote Bag in Natural, printed on one side, ex VAT. Each price includes the one-off £40.00 screen charge per colour, spread across the order. Delivery is added in the basket.
Planning festival bags
The print is the easy part. It's the dates around it that catch festivals out.
- Order in spring for a summer festival. Our turnaround is 7 to 10 working days from approved artwork, but sponsor sign-off and getting bags to site take longer than you think. Delivery and deadlines
- Put the line-up or your sponsors on the back. The second side has its own screens, so price the bag with both sides printed. Double-sided bags
- Keep small text readable. A long line-up in tiny type can fill in on woven fabric, and we'll flag it on your proof if it will.
- Order an unprinted sample of each bag you're considering, so you can feel the weight before you commit to thousands.
- Have the bags delivered to an office or a unit with someone to sign for them, a few days before build week, not to the field.
- Not sure how many? Our guide to how many bags you need for an event walks through it.
Festival bags we've printed
Two inks on a natural canvas tote 
Three inks on a white cotton tote 
Two inks on the boutique jute bag
Questions people ask
What bags are best for a festival?
For merch you sell, a heavier canvas or organic tote. For giveaways by the thousand, the Recycled Cotton Tote Bag. For crew, runners and campers, a drawstring bag, and the polyester one if it might rain.
When should we order bags for a summer festival?
Aim to have your artwork approved at least a month before you need the bags on site. Printing takes 7 to 10 working days from approval, and the rest is time for proofs, sponsor sign-off and delivery. Bags in our express range can go faster if you're caught short.
Can you print the line-up on the back?
Yes. We print on one or both sides, up to 4 colours a side. The back needs its own screens, so it adds to the price, and very small text may need to be larger to print cleanly. We'll tell you on the proof.
Can we have different designs for crew and for sale?
Yes, as separate runs. Every bag in a run gets the same print, so each design has its own screens and screen charge. Many festivals print the crew bags in one colour to keep them simple.
Are your drawstring bags waterproof?
The Polyester Drawstring Bag is water resistant, which keeps off a shower but isn't the same as waterproof. The cotton drawstring bags aren't water resistant.
Can we see a bag before we order thousands?
Yes. Order an unprinted sample of any bag from its page. We also check your artwork for free and email a proof, and nothing is printed until you approve it.
Planning next summer already?
Send us your artwork and rough numbers. We'll check the file for free and help you pick a bag that fits the budget.