Which canvas weight for a tote bag?
The weight of the canvas decides whether a tote is a giveaway or a bag people keep for years. Here is how the common weights compare.
A cotton tote can be a free bag handed out at a trade fair or a premium product sold in a boutique, and the biggest difference between the two is the cloth. Canvas weight decides how the bag feels in the hand, how much it can carry, whether it holds its shape and how well it takes a print.
The three broad weight bands
Weights below are rough guides; the weave and yarn matter too (see how fabric weight is measured).
Light: about 140-200 gsm
Thin, flexible and low in cost. Right for promotional bags given away in large numbers. The bag folds small but does not hold its shape, and heavy loads will stretch the handles.
Medium: about 250-340 gsm
The everyday retail tote: noticeably sturdier, good for groceries and books, and a solid base for a printed design. Our panama 230 gsm is also used for shopping bags at the lighter end of this band.
Heavy: about 400-500+ gsm
Premium bags that stand up on their own, carry real weight and last for years. At this weight the bag can be made without a lining, and it reads as a product rather than packaging.
Why double-ply matters at the heavy end
Heavy canvas can be reached in two ways: with thick single yarns, or with double-ply yarns, two yarns twisted together, in warp and weft. Double-ply canvas is stronger for its weight, more resistant to abrasion and more even in surface, which is why our 500 gsm cotton canvas is woven that way.
Colour and print
- Stock colours are the fastest route to a coloured bag: our 500 gsm canvas is kept in 30 shades, ready for sampling.
- Printed designs on canvas are usually pigment printed, which suits the heavy cloth and short runs.
- Heavier cloth takes print well because the surface is dense and even, so fine lines stay sharp.
Questions to answer before you order
- What will people carry in it, and how heavy is that?
- Should the bag stand up on its own or fold flat?
- Is it a giveaway, a gift with purchase or a product for sale?
- A stock colour, a custom dyed shade or a printed design?
Send us those answers and we will suggest a canvas and send a sample.
