I'm gonna be buying around 100-200 blank tote bags and i need to put real images on them so obviously I cant silk screen, so I was wondering what is the cheapest way to do this? I was hoping to print the bags under $5
It can be done but with lower quality material. Then you must limit yourself to local printers after the totes come in in order to save on shipping them out and back again. Why not call a few people up and give them the lead as to what totes you want to buy, have them purchase it and pay for the finished product?
Local print shops aren't always the cheapest but mom and pop shops will sometimes work with you. Saving a few bucks by purchasing your own totes will still cost you time and gas to drop off and then pick up again. I probably would have found a print shop and mailed it directly to them to produce.
Instead of trying to find the cheapest route, find one reasonable shop, start a relationship with them and let them do their job of supplying you with the finished product. It just seems more efficient.
If you are talking about natural canvas bags, you should be able to find someone to do that number with a a direct to garment printer for under $5 each. If you are going with a dark tote it would be more expensive because of the need for a white undercoat. A heat transfer could work as well, if you have a heat press you could do those yourself. With 200 of the same image you can get the price of each transfer down to about $1.60 if you keep the image under 9x12. If you are having someone else press them for you it would of course cost more.
yes a natural canvas bag, how big do DTG printers print? and my images I would like to be over 9x12 but if thats what it has to be then i cant change that, and i just got quoted for a heat press for $4 each but I was hoping to get the printing done for around 3, anyone know about sublimination?
Sublimation only works on polyester material. Plastisol transfers work on natural cotton and cotton blends. International Coatings makes ink for nylon transfers.
yes a natural canvas bag, how big do DTG printers print?
Depending on the printer, DTG can do an image larger than any tote bag you are likely to buy! Ours will print 15"x54" And there are DTG printers who will do it for about the price you are seeking.
If you go heat transfer on off white canvas, make sure you see one b4 they do all of them. depending on your design and if thier printer has a way of weeding your design. you may not be satisfied. I am doing a rush order right now for teacher appreciation because they just reciieved some totes last week from someone else and were so disapointed they wanted to add a mug to beef it up a little. Heat transfers can leave a very unattractive window if not done properly. Sublimation would eliminate that but the cost is higher. I know Cond'e has them on sale right now and even then it is going to be way out of your price range.
ok this are the type of responses i wanted in the first place, very helpful guys!
mistewoods: your website isint working for me, but if what you are saying is true I definitely want to check this out!
Cjoe: what website is this, I am willing to pay more for the best quality (but not too much more) and someone said sublimation wont work on canvas bags? is that false then?
chard: from my understanding silkscreen wont work because the images im using have real people in them and silk screen just uses stencil
Cheapest way to print on tote bags? 
