Colour cost calculator
Why does another colour cost more?
Every ink colour in your logo needs its own screen, and each screen has a one-off charge to make. Each extra colour also adds a little to the cost of printing every bag. Pick a number of colours and a quantity below to see the live price.
Try it with your logo
Live prices for our Recycled Cotton Tote Bag, printed on one side. Choose how many colours are in your logo and how many bags you need.
- Per bag
- £1.79
- Order total
- £447.50
2 colours means 2 screens: a one-off £80.00 to make, plus £0.50 a bag to print the first colour and £0.25 a bag for each extra one. The screen charge is the same whether you print 50 bags or 5,000, which is why bigger runs cost less per bag.
Live prices for the Recycled Cotton Tote Bag, one side, ex VAT.
Where the money goes
A printed bag's price is made of three parts.
- The bag itself. Larger, heavier bags such as canvas and jute cost more than a light cotton shopper.
- Printing each bag. Every bag costs a little to print, and each extra colour adds a little more, because every bag has to go under another screen.
- The screens. Each colour needs its own screen, made once for your order. That's a one-off screen charge per colour, whether you print 25 bags or 2,500.
Why bigger runs cost less per bag
The screen charge doesn't change with the quantity, so it's shared across every bag in the run. On 25 bags it adds a lot to each one. On 1,000 it hardly shows. Change the quantity in the calculator and watch the price per bag fall.
Printing on both sides
Printing the same design on the back reuses the same screens, so there's no second screen charge, only the cost of printing the extra side. A different design on the back needs screens of its own. See double-sided printed bags.
For price tables across the range, see our tote bag printing prices.
Ways to use fewer colours
Most logos can lose a colour without anyone noticing. A few places to look:
- Let the bag do some of the work. Parts of your design can often be left as bare fabric, especially on a natural or coloured bag.
- Drop outlines and drop shadows. They add a colour and are rarely missed on a bag.
- Merge shades that sit close together. Two greens that look almost the same can usually become one.
- Use your one-colour logo if you have one. Many brands keep a single-colour version for stamps and stationery.
- Pick one strong ink on a coloured bag. White on navy or black on yellow looks bold and costs the least.
- More ideas in our guides to designing for a tote and Pantone and spot colours.
The same pattern on a heavier bag
Live prices per bag for our Premium Organic Canvas Tote Bag, printed on one side, with the screen charge shared across the run. On a heavier bag the bag itself is a bigger share of the price, so each extra colour makes less difference in proportion.
| Quantity | 1 colour | 2 colours | 3 colours | 4 colours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 bags | £4.24£212.00 total | £5.29£264.50 total | £6.34£317.00 total | £7.39£369.50 total |
| 100 bags | £3.24£324.00 total | £3.89£389.00 total | £4.54£454.00 total | £5.19£519.00 total |
| 250 bags | £3.00£750.00 total | £3.41£852.50 total | £3.82£955.00 total | £4.23£1,057.50 total |
| 500 bags | £2.92£1,460.00 total | £3.25£1,625.00 total | £3.58£1,790.00 total | £3.91£1,955.00 total |
| 1,000 bags | £2.88£2,880.00 total | £3.17£3,170.00 total | £3.46£3,460.00 total | £3.75£3,750.00 total |
Live prices for the Premium Organic Canvas 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.
Questions people ask
What is a screen charge?
A one-off charge for making the screen for each ink colour in your design, so a two-colour logo needs two screens. It's the same whether you order 25 bags or 2,500, and it's included in the price you see before you order.
Does the colour of the bag count as a print colour?
No. Only the inks count. A black logo on a red bag is a one-colour print.
Does white ink count as a colour?
Yes. White is an ink like any other, so a white and gold logo is a two-colour print.
Does printing on both sides cost twice as much?
No. The same design on both sides reuses the same screens, so you pay a little more per bag to print the second side but no extra screen charge. A different design on the back needs its own screens.
How do I count the colours in my logo?
Count every solid ink colour you can see, including black and white, but not the colour of the bag. If your logo has shading or a gradient, send it to us and we'll tell you how it will print.
Can you print more than 4 colours?
We print up to 4 spot colours. Most logos can be simplified to that without losing anything, and they often look stronger for it.
Count your colours, then pick a bag
Every bag's page shows live prices for 1 to 4 colours. Not sure how many your logo needs? Send it to us for a free check.