Nothing beats being able to Customised Tote Bag from the comfort of your own house! Canvas Tote Bags have always been at the helm when it comes to affordable functional bags, and it looks to stay that way for a long time.

Tote bag printing is increasingly popular these days in Singapore with more and more companies enquiring on printing services for these highly marketable bags. However, that does not take away from the fact that they are great for customisation to add in your own personality and give it some character.

Have you ever felt the gushes of creativity run through your mind? Having your favourite Disney characters printed on your bags, painting your own name in your handwriting, or even tie-dying your bags to add Euphoria! There is so much more that can be done when something is DIY-able. This is also a kids-friendly DIY activity that is guaranteed that children will love! So why the wait? Start your DIYs!

A huge difference between ordering custom printed tote bags and plain tote bags is that there is no minimum order quantity (MOQ) to fulfil. Often, the MOQ for ordering custom printed tote bags are set higher than what is actually required from a company. Nevertheless, we aim to share with you ways in which you can customise your own tote bags.

1. DIY Silkscreen Printing

Learning how to make a silkscreen stencil is an opportunity for you to create unique designs at your own pleasure.

How to Make a Silk Screen Stencil:

• create a design on your computer. Alternatively, choose to draw. After finishing up your drawing, scan your completed design and transfer it to digital means.
• print your design(s) out on a transparency sheet.
• spread a thin layer of emulsion to each side of your screen evenly.
• leave it in a dark room to dry for about 2 hours.

After Stencil Drying

• put the transparency stencil on the screen and apply pressure with a piece of clear glass. This is to make sure that the stencil stays flush with the screen.
• shine UV lights on the screen for about 10 minutes to set the design.
• wash out the screen with cold water.

The Downside…

This customisation method might be too tedious for you to do it at home. Approaching a printing company could be a way to save all the hassle. TREA is one of the few printing companies in Singapore that provides silk screen printing at a low MOQ of 30pc.

2. Hand Painting On Bag

For the creative minds, hand painting on canvas tote bag may just be the way to go. In this customisation, you have all the freedom to paint whatever you like. If this is the first time you are painting on canvas, it is best to start with plain canvas tote bags. This allows you to have a sense of colour and see how the paint reacts to the canvas.

Picking the kind of paint will affect the outcome of your painting. Acrylic paint is thicker and dries faster which makes colour blending difficult. Oil paint takes longer to dry which allows you to blend colour more efficiently. However, some preparations need to be made to the canvas as oils can degrade the fabrics over time.

Last but not least, you can also use watercolour to paint over tote bags. Watercolour will fade in time or dissipate when you try to wash it. Hence it is not overly popular.

Hand painting is a very convenient way of personalising your tote bag. It not only promotes creativity but allows you to have a personalised touch and have a product that you can be proud of. Non woven bags also share this similarity whereby they can be drawn or painted on. For example, companies hosting a kids event chooses to order Non-woven bags and pair them with paint. This creates hands-on activities for the kids to have a fun and memorable event.

3. Hand Stamped Tote

The possibilities are endless when it comes to customising tote bags. This is a fairly easy method for personalising your very own tote bag.

Making of Stamp

All you need to do is draw your desired stamp shape onto a sticky back foam sheet (or a sponge). Cut it out and soak it with ink on an ink pad. Next, just stamp away on your canvas tote bag.

DIY stamped tote bags work in favour of those who love patterned designs. You can duplicate these prints with your stamp as long as you have enough ink to do it. It is another effective DIY on your very own customised tote bag at a ridiculously low cost, so why not?

4. Iron On Patch On Bag

The iron-on patch is classic. This is becoming increasingly popular among brands like Adidas, Nike and Vans. Did you know? These brands offer T-Shirt/Tote Bag Customisation Services IN-STORE. Going from Iron-On Patches, to Silkscreen Printing and even Embroidery!

How to Apply on a Bag?

It does not take too much thought to figure out how it works. It’s simple, you iron. However simple it may seem, there are still times when it does not turn out the way you expect it to.

Iron-on patches are readily accessible and allow you to “plan” out on your design even before applying it. The only way it sticks is when the adhesive is melted. A point to note is that if there is too little or too much heat, the iron-on patch would also not be able to stick.

Arranging your patches on the tote bag gives you ample time to heat up the iron but remember to set your iron to the ‘cotton’ setting and do not add water to the iron.

Next, lay the tote bag out onto the ironing board and gently place a towel or a sheet of paper over the patch(s) that you are about to iron on. Press on a patch for approximately 10 to 15 seconds once you have made sure that it is in place.

After your patch is pressed, let it cool, then try picking gently at the edges. If it peels up, then you will need to iron it just a bit more. There you have it, yet another effective method for your customised tote bag. The results are just as effective on a customised canvas zip pouch as it is with tote bags, another option for you to consider.

5. Dip Dye Cotton Bag

Are you one who loves colour variations and unique colourways? If prints are too mainstream for you, dip dyeing your canvas tote bag might be just for you. This method of customisation requires a cream or white-coloured canvas bag for optimal results. Getting a 100% cotton recyclable plain canvas bag is a key point too.

Things to Prepare

You will need a pair of rubber gloves, fabric dyes (of your choice) and a bucket or pail. The very first step is to prepare the dye as per instructions given to you by the manufacturer. This will vary depending on the brand of dye.

How to Create Tie Dye Effect on Bag

To create the dip dye effect, place one end of your tote bag in the dye bath. The longer you leave it in the dye bath, the darker the colour will be. As an estimate, you should let the fabric sit for about 30 or 40 minutes, rinse thoroughly and then repeat the entire process a second time in order to achieve the darker colour saturation.

To create a double-dip dye effect for two different colours, simply rinse the one end, then place the opposite end in the second dye bath. Repeat the process until you have the desired colour saturation. Lastly, rinse completely and machine wash on a normal cycle. You have just made a dip-dye tote bag that is uniquely yours.

The Conclusion

Canvas Tote Bag will never go out of fashion. With an endless possibility of adding your very own character into your canvas bag, one will never be enough. With this Top 5 Ways to Custom DIY Tote Bag At Home, you can also speak to us regarding bulk custom canvas tote bag with your very own design or corporate branding for your event needs!