What better way to say that your company cares about the environment than with reusable shopping bags? Reusable shopping bags can be cost effective, help market your company and send a strong message to your company's target audience.

When looking at reusable shopping bags, it is important to consider your budget. There are several ways to find reusable shopping bags that serve your purpose and are within your price range. Consider the following:

1. How many reusable shopping bags you will have to purchase to meet your needs?

2. Do you want to customize the bags?

3. How important is bag style and quality to your business's needs?

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Reduce reusable shopping bags pricing and costs by purchasing in bulk

Often times if you are purchasing reusable shopping bags, you will be able to get a better deal by purchasing more, rather than less. Especially if you are looking to purchase bags with your logo or a message on them. Decide on what you will use your bags for to determine how many you need to purchase. Buying in bulk usually gets the prices down between $.80 to $4 per bag.

I recommend: Look at 4ALLPROMOS, a website that offers lower prices when purchasing reusable shopping bags in large quantities. PrintGlobe is another website that offers a price break for ordering in larger quantities.

Spend more for custom screen-printed reusable shopping bags

Reusable shopping bags are made in a variety of materials. If you want to send a strong message about your company and your commitment to the environment, then you may want to consider buying bags that are made from a recycled material. If you are looking to pass out many bags at a trade show, you might want to cut costs and go with a cheaper material. Prices range anywhere from under $10 to over $30 per bag.

I recommend: Eco-Bags Products offers you a variety of eco-friendly materials to choose from when selecting your bags. Its prices depend on quantity, bag type, printed colors, delivery time and if you will be printing on one or two sides of the bag. Bulletin Bags: Environmentally Friendly Reusable Shopping Bags offers you the opportunity to shop by material or by price.

Consider how the look of your reusable shopping bags will affect the price

There are many printing options available to you for your reusable shopping bags, and your choices affect the price you will pay. Search for vendors that will be able to provide the look you want and meet your budgetary needs. Simple, single-color printing can run as cheap as $.90 per bag, while two colors will run upwards of $.95 per bag. Be prepared to pay an initial set-up fee in the $50 to $60 range.

I recommend: TSI Store Supplies allows you to purchase in bulk with your logo on the bag. You can print up to two colors. Check out ePromos Promotional Products Promotional Items a website that allows you to personalize your reusable bags with imprinting and offers a variety of sizes and shapes.

The EPA estimates that over 380 billion plastic shopping bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year, a fact fueling consumers and businesses to move toward use of reusable shopping bags.

Making the switch to reusable shopping bags reduces costs for businesses who no longer have to purchase a plenitude of plastic bags and helps protect the environment as the latter do not biodegrade but photodegrade, breaking into smaller toxic fragments that eventually contaminate soil and waterways. By using reusable shopping bags, both consumers and businesses can eradicate plastic bags that are harmful to the environment and hazardous to wildlife. Over the lifetime of one reusable shopping bag, hundreds and even thousands of plastic shopping bags can be eliminated. To better understand how your business can take advantage of the benefits of reusable shopping bags, consider the following:

1. Use a reusable shopping bags directory to locate companies online where you can find reusable shopping bags to fit your business needs.

2. Customize reusable shopping bags to display your business name and/or logo.

3. If desired, purchase reusable shopping bags made from recycled or organic materials.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Locate a reusable shopping bags provider by using an online directory or list

Find reusable shopping bags in the design and material desired by searching through an index of companies who can meet your business demands. As the reusable shopping bag industry continues to grow, browsing through a variety of companies is necessary to guarantee your business finds what it is looking for.

I recommend: Peruse more than one reusable shopping bags list to ensure that you do not overlook a company that fits your business needs. SustainLane features a list of reusable shopping bag providers to choose from as well as user comments reviewing individual experiences with the companies and products. ReuseThisBag.com may also be helpful as the website features price quoting for businesses who are planning to purchase customized wholesale reusable shopping bags.

Order reusable shopping bags with your business' name, logo, or special design

Use reusable shopping bags as a marketing opportunity for your business through customization. Your business can be featured on a product that will not be thrown away but used a number of times (and in the public eye). Many companies feature reusable shopping bags information pertaining to tailor-made orders on their corporate or business portions of their websites, where customizable bags can be ordered or purchased.

I recommend: Take your time when deciding what company to use for promotional purposes. Size, price, and detail are all crucial components of a quality reusable shopping bag. Both PrintGlobe, a printing superstore, and ePromos, a promotional products distributer, offer an assortment of materials and colors for imprinting on reusable shopping bags.

Ensure sustainability by purchasing reusable shopping bags made from recycled materials

Moving away from plastic shopping bags is a start, though your business can go the extra mile and purchase reusable shopping bags made from recycled or reused products and materials. This guarantees full environmental responsibility as not only is your business providing the community with shopping bags that will not damage waterways and soil but are also made from materials that would have been put in landfills or back into the ecosystem otherwise.

I recommend: ReusableBags.com features a collection of recycled and reused shopping bags to choose from that are completely sustainable. ESAS Trade, a wholesale distributor of reusable bags, provides customers with a variety of organic reusable shopping bags to choose from and will meet your business' specifications in a short delivery time.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Reusable shopping bags can be purchased in a variety of styles and materials. When choosing which bag or bags is best for your business, take the time to consider desired function, necessary carrying capacity, promotional placement, and customer comfort.

Your business can do its part for your city and the environment as a whole by switching to and promoting the use of reusable shopping bags. The typical plastic bag has an impact on petroleum depletion, global warming, city budgets and the natural habitat, your company can help change that with reusable shopping bags.

Reusable shopping bags come in many different types and styles. For your company to do its part, it should be simple with so many options to choose from. When selecting reusable shopping bags for your business consider the following reusable shopping bags types and styles:

1. Go completely green with organic cotton reusable shopping bags.

2. Consider a canvas reusable shopping bag for the convenience of easy cleaning.

3. Select a polypropylene reusable shopping bag that will be durable and give your clients prolonged use.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Protect the environment with organic cotton reusable shopping bags

If your going to go green, go green all the way. Organic cotton is grown and organic cotton reusable shopping bags are made with techniques that have the lowest impact on the environment. Your company can best do their part to help the environment with these reusable shopping bags.

I recommend: ESAS Trade offers 100% cotton reusable shopping bags. They come in different sizes and colors to give your company many choices. Look at Simplygreensolutions.com. It offers an organic cotton reusable shopping bag that is even packaged and transported in a way that is a low impact to the environment.

Choose a canvas reusable shopping bag that is easy to clean

Canvas is one material that can be thrown in the washing machine for easy cleaning. By choosing a canvas reusable shopping bag, you are adding even more convenience for your customers, they will be able to wash it in order to get more use out of

I recommend: Check out EcoExpress, it offers reusable shopping bags for all of your clients shopping needs. Just throw these shopping bags into the washer for convenient cleaning. Custom Specialties Company offers a large selection of promotional reusable shopping bags in different sizes, colors and materials including canvas bags.

Select durable reusable shopping bags for prolonged use

Polypropylene is an environment friendly material that has been found to be extremely durable. By selecting polypropylene material for your reusable shopping bags you are increasing the use your customers will get from your promotional bag, meaning that your logo will be out there that much longer.

I recommend: Earthwisebags offers an excellent selection of non-woven polypropylene reusable shopping bags. Check out ePromos Promotional Products Promotional Items. It offers a few different styles of non-woven, soft textured polypropylene reusable shopping bags that are reinforced in different ways to make them more durable.