In questo articolo
When we talk about shoppers, we immediately think of the plain grocery bags of the past. However, in recent years, the situation has changed: shoppers have become a very effective marketing tool and an increasing number of brands from different sectors are investing in custom fabric shoppers as an alternative to paper, plastic, and other material bags, to capture consumers’ attention and help them remember their brand.
If you plan to attend a trade fair and need the right packaging to display and deliver your products, why not choose a fabric shopper?
What are shoppers and why are they so important for your brand
Shoppers are bags—made from paper, plastic, fabric, or other materials—usually equipped with handles, given to customers to help them carry purchased goods home. But they are much more than that; they are a fundamental tool for brand recognition.
The origin of shoppers dates back to 1844, when weaver Freidrich Gottlob Keller, while trying to produce low-cost paper from tree materials, invented a pulp derived from wood that could be processed in various ways and also exploited in the textile sector to create packaging.
However, the first real shopper appeared in 1926, when Walter H. Deubner, the manager of a grocery store in Minnesota, created a prefabricated, inexpensive bag with two rope handles to give customers for carrying their groceries home.
Since then, shoppers have come a long way: they are now more sophisticated, with advanced models and production methods, and are almost entirely customisable.
As versatile tools, custom shoppers offer not only convenient transport for products and merchandise but also other benefits: they represent the business card of your company because they are always visible, passing from hand to hand on the streets and drawing the attention of passersby who are more likely to remember your logo.
The most important feature of shoppers, however, lies in their uniqueness because, being customisable, you can choose the size best suited for your products and imprint the message you want to promote.
Types of shoppers
Shoppers come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colours depending on the brand using them.
Regarding materials, paper and plastic have traditionally been the main options, but fabric is now a growing trend.
Paper or cardboard shoppers generally have a lower price, are less durable compared to plastic, and lack the elasticity of fabric bags. Plastic shoppers are convenient, durable, and high quality, but are increasingly regarded as less eco-friendly.
There is a growing demand from consumers for more sustainable packaging. From this perspective, in terms of production and disposal, custom fabric shoppers are the ideal choice, alongside other “new” materials like bioplastics.
Shoppers are also distinguished by options such as format and size, handle type, presence of folds, or the style of bottom gusset (the small piece of fabric used to reinforce the bottom of the shopper). By changing these elements, shoppers can belong to various categories, for example:
- with a shoulder strap
- with long or short handles
- with a simple or reinforced bottom gusset
- with one or more handles
- reinforced or rigid
- with simple folds or gussets
Custom fabric shoppers: why choose them
Why should you choose fabric shoppers for your trade fair display? Besides making your brand more recognisable, they offer other advantages:
- They are eco-friendly, especially when produced using natural materials such as cotton, hemp, or jute. They are also reusable over a long period for various purposes by recipients, and when no longer usable, the fabric can be repurposed to create something else—for example, a cushion cover or a keychain.
- They are more economically accessible compared to bioplastic shoppers, though higher-end versions exist depending on the material and customisations chosen.
- They are more durable, elastic, and water-resistant than paper bags, resulting in a longer lifecycle.
- When customized using appropriate printing techniques, the graphic quality and colours remain vivid and perfect for a very long time.
Therefore, they embody all the qualities of the best-made fabric bags: a particularly useful choice if your company is green-minded.
The ideal bag for green companies
Using custom fabric bags branded with your logo, to give away to visitors at your stand along with product samples, plastic-free giveaways and informational materials, can be an alternative to classic paper or plastic packaging.
This way, recipients receive a double gift: the product inside and the shopper itself, which they can reuse over time, promoting your brand.
How to choose the custom shopper that fits your products
To select the bag that best highlights your brand, start by identifying the most appropriate size and shape, based on the products you will present at the fair, so that it is neither too large nor too small to contain them.
Then choose a material that feels pleasant to the touch, is high quality, and robustly made: in this case, natural cotton, linen, hemp fiber, and jute are perfect.
You should also ensure it has solid, clean, and finished seams to combine durability with refinement, for a fully professional packaging.
Your industry also matters. Some fabrics are more suitable than others: for example, if you operate in the food sector, you might consider jute or natural cotton, whereas if you work in the fashion sector, producing or selling accessories, jewelry, or leather goods, elegant fabrics such as cotton, velvet, or satin will be more appropriate.
Finally, choose the graphic elements you want to print or embroider on the shopper. You can print just your logo or brand name, or add other details such as address and phone number to make it easier for people who receive and see the shopper to contact you and have useful information.
Wondering which bag is best to bring to the trade fair?
At Sacchetti di Tessuto, we can help you choose the right bag or create one that best reflects your brand.
Browse the catalogue to discover our creations!
