Cotton vs jute vs canvas

Cotton

Cotton bags are woven from cotton yarn in a plain, fairly light weave. Our cotton totes are 140 to 200gsm: soft, light, and easy to fold into a pocket. The smooth surface takes a crisp print, and cotton comes in more colours than any other bag we sell, up to 48 on a single style. There are recycled and organic options too, including the GOTS-certified organic cotton of the Premium Organic Cotton Tote Bag.

Canvas

Canvas is cotton too, just woven thicker and tighter. Our canvas bags are 220 to 407gsm, which makes them firm, hard-wearing and able to hold their shape with a heavy load inside. Most are made from GRS-certified recycled or GOTS-certified organic cotton, and most come in natural or black. If you've seen a tote bag that feels like it could last ten years, it was probably canvas.

Jute

Jute is a plant fibre, spun into thick, coarse threads and woven into the cloth also known as hessian. It's stiff, textured and naturally tan. Our jute bags are heavy (340 to 410gsm where the maker gives a weight) and gusseted, and most are laminated with a thin coating on the inside that adds strength and helps keep the rain out. The Unlaminated Jute Bag is the exception, if you'd like plain jute.

Juco

Juco is short for jute and cotton. The term usually means a softer fabric woven from a blend of the two. Our juco bags, the Midi and Classic Jute Cotton Canvas Bags, pair laminated jute with a smooth 100% cotton canvas panel to print on. You get the jute look with the print quality of canvas.

We screen print in 1 to 4 spot colours on all three, and a bold logo looks good on any of them. The difference is in the fine detail.

• Cotton and canvas have a smooth, tight surface, so thin lines, small text and detailed illustrations come out crisp. Canvas, being denser, gives the sharpest result.
• Jute has a coarse, open weave. Ink sits on the raised threads, so fine lines and small text can break up. Bold shapes, chunky lettering and simple logos work best. Dark, strong ink colours stand out well against natural jute.
• Juco gives you the best of both: the jute look, with a cotton canvas panel for the print.

If your design is detailed, choose cotton, canvas or juco. If it's a simple logo and you love the rustic look, jute is a great choice. Not sure? Send your design to our free artwork check and we'll tell you how it will look.

All three are natural fibres, and there's no simple winner. The honest rule is that most of a bag's footprint comes from making it, so the greenest bag is the one that gets used the most.

The Environment Agency's 2011 study found a cotton bag needs 131 uses to match the climate impact of a single-use plastic carrier bag used once. The Danish EPA's 2018 study, looking across all impact categories, put the figure for a conventional cotton bag at about 7,100 uses. The lesson isn't to avoid cotton: it's to give people a bag they'll keep and use for years.

A few general points:

• Recycled cotton reuses fibre that already exists. Our recycled canvas bags are made from GRS-certified recycled cotton.
• Organic cotton is grown without synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. Our organic bags are GOTS certified.
• Jute is generally seen as a low-input crop, and plain jute is biodegradable. Laminated jute has a coating inside, so it isn't pure plant fibre.
• Heavier bags use more material, but they last longer. That's a good trade if the bag will be used for years.

There's more in our guide to whether tote bags are sustainable.

For an event or giveaway

Cotton. A 140 to 150gsm cotton tote is light, folds small and costs the least per bag, so you can give away hundreds. The Cotton Tote Bag Long Handle comes in 48 colours to match your brand.

For a shop, or merch you sell

Canvas. A 280gsm bag feels worth paying for and lasts for years. The Recycled Canvas Tote Bag has a gusseted base for real shopping. Browse all our canvas bags.

For food, drink, weddings and gifts

Jute or juco. The natural look suits farm shops, delis, breweries and weddings, and the gusseted shape holds bottles and jars. The Classic Jute Bag comes in solid colours and with coloured handles. Browse all our jute bags.

For a detailed design

Cotton or canvas, or juco if you want the jute look. The smoother the fabric, the finer the detail it holds.