Promotional calico bags printed with your logo
Promotional calico bags give your logo a low cost, reusable home. Calico is plain-woven cotton, usually left unbleached, so the bags suit eco friendly promotions and the flat natural surface takes a printed logo cleanly. Event and conference organisers, not-for-profits, schools and kids' programs place bulk orders, as do retailers and market stallholders who hand them out at the counter.
The range below covers calico tote bags, short handle shoppers, drawstring and library bags, foldable bags and colouring sets. Every order comes with a free digital mockup before anything is printed. Request a quote or get your free mockup to start.
Why branded calico bags work for eco promotions and retail
A printed calico bag is a low cost reusable bag your business can put its logo on, and it leaves a lasting impression every time a customer carries it. People keep using custom calico bags for shopping, groceries, library books and handouts, so your logo keeps getting seen.
- A low cost per bag suits large giveaways at expos, conferences and community events on a tight budget, and the price per bag drops as your quantity goes up
- Unbleached cotton fits eco friendly and sustainability messaging for eco conscious brands, and many lines carry the Natural Material, Biodegradable and Reusable facets
- The large flat panel leaves room for a logo and a short message
- Retailers use short handle and long handle calico tote bags as branded carry bags for customers at the counter, a reusable alternative to plastic carrier bags
- Suits corporate gifts for employee onboarding and community events
Calico bag styles and fabric weights in the range
Choose your custom calico bag by how it will be carried and what goes in it. Long handle tote bags sit over the shoulder at events and conferences. Short handle bags work at retail counters and markets. For groceries and bulkier items, pick a gusseted shopper: the Bari Calico Bag, the rope-handle Calico Shopper or the Calico Zip Shopper.
The A4 Calico Trade Show Bag holds brochures at trade shows. Drawstring bags, the library bag and the Calico Drawstring Library Backpack suit schools, libraries and sports clubs, and the Calico Drawstring Pouch packs stationery or cosmetics. Foldable bags pack down to fit a handbag. The mesh totes suit the beach and markets, the Calico Cooler Bag carries food and drink, and colouring sets are the option for kids.
Fabric weight is the next choice. Most lines are 140gsm, a lightweight option for giveaways and light shopping, with heavier 200gsm to 400gsm styles for a more durable bag. Custom features include gussets and zip closures on selected styles: a gusset adds volume, while a flat bag gives a cleaner print panel. Natural is the standard colour, with navy, black, red, green and white calico on selected lines. Tell us the style and quantity and we'll confirm sizes and pricing.
They sit in our wider promotional bags range alongside jute bags, non woven bags and cotton bags, so you can compare fabrics and price points for one campaign.
How logo printing works on calico bags
The two main branding methods for personalised calico bags are screen printing in 1 or 2 colours, a popular choice for bold designs and solid colour logos, and full colour digital transfer, which suits multi-colour logos and photos. Screen print areas run up to 290 x 320mm on several totes, and front and back printing is available on selected lines.
Digital transfer is printed in CMYK and cannot be an exact Pantone (PMS) match, so tell us if your brand colours need to be exact. On darker coloured calico the fibres can show through a screen print, so digital transfer is the better pick there. Embroidery is offered on the Calico Cooler Bag, and most colouring sets carry a full colour label on the crayon box.
Send vector artwork (EPS, AI, SVG or PDF) where you can, and we'll check any other file types too. Nothing is printed until you approve the proof.
Ordering promotional calico bags from Brand Surge
We're Australian owned, and every order starts with a free digital mockup. Our price match guarantee: find it cheaper and we'll match it. Pay when you order or once your proof is approved. Free metro delivery is included on selected lines.
Bags are produced to order, and selected calico lines can be produced in as little as 24 hours or 3 business days through our Express Range. Share your event date and we'll confirm what's achievable, with delivery timing confirmed when you order. Want to see one first? Click Request Sample on the style you want. Get a free mockup or request a quote to start your order.
Ready to order calico bags? Request a quote or send your logo for a free mockup.
Promotional calico bag FAQs
Yes. Calico is a plain-woven cotton fabric that is usually left unbleached, so a calico bag is a cotton bag in its natural off-white state. Some lines in the range also come in coloured calico.
Minimum order quantities (MOQ) start from as little as 25 units, though the exact number varies by style. Need fewer than that? Ask the team – we can sometimes accommodate smaller runs too. Send us your style and quantity and we'll confirm the minimum.
Production time varies by style. Selected calico bags can be produced in as little as 24 hours or 3 business days through our Express Range. Delivery timing is confirmed when you order. If you're working to a deadline, contact our team with your event date and we'll confirm what's achievable.
140gsm is the standard weight across most of the range and suits giveaways and light shopping. For groceries, retail and repeat use, step up to the 170gsm foldable bag, the 200gsm backpack, the 305gsm zip shopper or the 340gsm and 400gsm lines.
Each colouring set includes 8 non-toxic wax crayons for kids to colour in the bag. Some sets carry a small parts warning and are not suitable for children under 3 years, so check the warning on the product page or ask us to confirm before ordering for young children.
The file you need depends on the decoration method. Screen printing gives the cleanest result from vector artwork in EPS, AI, SVG or PDF. Full colour digital transfer, embroidery on the Calico Cooler Bag and the full colour crayon box label also prefer vector, but a high resolution JPG or PNG works too. If you don't have a vector file, send your design as it is and we'll check it.
