First things first: Are reusable tote bags good for you and your business? Are they good for the planet? Here’s a big step-by-step overview of what goes into creating your first reusable bag and how to create something that people will actually want to carry around for years to come.

What Will It Take to Create Reusable Tote Bags?

The short answer: It’s not as easy as people make it out to be. The first question to ask yourself when creating a reusable bag is: What would you want to carry in it? Do you buy a new purse when it’s worn out? Do you throw out bags after only a few months? No matter how positive you are about reusable bags, they need to meet your criteria for lasting quality and durability.

The next question is what material to choose. Is there a thread-based canvas you’d like to use? What about a thick synthetic material? Is the material thicker than a pencil skirt or thinner than a baseball bat? These are your questions and your answers. Once you have these answers, you can proceed to creating a reusable bag.

Do You Need an Experienced Designer to Create Your Reusable Bag?

Since you want your reusable bag to last, you will definitely want to spend a little extra money on it. However, since reusable bag design and creation is a lot like art, there are plenty of talented and talented people who are ready to help you create a beautiful product. If you’re looking for a designer, you will have to figure out how much your potential customer is willing to spend and ask them if they would prefer a bag that’s more durable than fashionable.

What If Your Customers Like Compression Totes?

Compressing a bag into a standard-sized small-sized nylon or polyester garment-grade tube is a common technique used for making a bag. However, there are lots of other ways to make a reusable bag. Compressing it into a small nylon/polyester tube may have the advantage of turning it into a very sleek looking reusable bag. Some of the other techniques include:

The very old-fashioned way: Compressing your bag with a sheet of stiff paper and then stretching it into a semi-compressed shape.

The homemade way: Fill your bag with the amount of material you’re going to use, squeeze it tight, wrap a length of zip-lock around it to keep it closed, and then cut a hole in the middle to make it a little smaller so it will fit into your garment bag.

The twisty-silly way: Take your bag, shake it upside-down on a tabletop, spin it fast with your hand, place it in the middle of the table, and then spin it fast again to make it stick. You’ll need a pair of flat-bed scissors and a few wet sponges.

The stretchy way: Stretch your bag over a double-swell fabric sheet, tie it, and then tie the loose ends together.

The bottom line

If you’re not sure if you’d like tote bags (bags that are longer and slimmer), you’ll have to wait until you get the right customer feedback. If you want a bag that has a gusseted zipper, you need to wait until you get the right customer feedback.