Branding is a vital part of business, making products and objects belonging to the company instantly recognisable to customers and partners. Some businesses spend millions on their branding to ensure that it’s effective and consistent across all aspects of the business, even their packaging.
However, this does not mean that you need to spend vast amounts of money on branding your flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), also known as bulk bags. A simple design, logo or text on the fabric of the bag should be enough to brand it as your own. This is done by printing directly onto the FIBC.
Custom Bulk Bags is a major manufacturer and supplier of high-quality bulk bags in South Africa. We produce up to 3.5 million bulk bags per year for various customers. All of our bulk bags have a minimum safety factor rating of 5:1 and are manufactured in accordance with international regulations and standards.
We are able to print custom text, logos and other visual elements onto our products to help them stand out or be recognisable as belonging to your company. There are certain snippets of information that are required by law to be printed onto the FIBC, but many of our customers take the extra step to include some of their branding elements as well.
Custom printing on your bulk bag
Whether you opt for coated or uncoated FIBCs, the woven polypropylene fabric is generally well-suited for ink printing. Each side panel of a bulk bag can be adorned with text, logos, colours and shapes, depending on how intricate you want the design to be and what your budget is for printing. This makes the information easy to read and recognise from a distance.
There are several reasons why companies choose to print on their FIBCs. The first reason is for marketing and branding purposes, but another important reason is for product tracing and identification. Barcodes and product information allow employees, logistics handlers and customers ID the material stored within the bags, as well as to scan the FIBCs in and out of ports and warehouses.
Businesses that deal with hazardous or dangerous goods should also use custom printing as a way to warn handlers and customers of the potential dangers. This is especially true for fertilizers, chemicals and flammable powders. Safety warnings should be clearly printed and, where necessary, safe handling information or diagrams can be used to inform handlers of best practices.
Some companies store their products in FIBCs for long periods of time, so they may want to print proper storage procedures onto the sides of their bags. This will ensure that the shelf life of the materials is extended as much as possible. Similarly, disposal and recycling information can be printed on the fabric too, which will ensure that the waste materials or the fabric of the FIBCs are disposed of correctly.
How much does custom printing cost?
The answer to this question obviously depends on the amount of printing that needs to be done. Printing is relatively inexpensive, especially when basic logos or information are needed in one colour. The cost also depends on the number of sides that require printing, the complexity of the design and the amount of ink coverage needed.
This is why many of our customers choose monochromatic printing. The cost of this only adds a few rands more to the price of the bag. More complicated printing can cost between R20 and R50 extra per bag, but this may not be necessary as simple logos and text are still very effective.
What else do you need to know about printing on a FIBC?
The woven nature of the fabric means that the degree of sharpness may not be as good as printing on cardboard or solid plastic packaging. This means that intricate designs and small text or logos may not be advisable. In general, we recommend printing in one or two colours, although it is possible to print up to six colours on a bag.
Keep in mind that the ink can be affected by sunlight, so if you’re storing your bulk bags outdoors, then the printing may fade over time. This is why we recommend printing in black or navy blue as dark colours fare better under UV exposure.
Lastly, you should consult with one of our experts before placing your final order. Not only will they walk you through the ordering process and help you choose the best specifications for your FIBCs, but they can also give you useful advice on printing requirements and solutions.
Be sure to ask for a sample before finalising your order as this will allow you to see the quality of the FIBCs and the printing. A sample will be a real-world example of what to expect from the final production run. Choose Custom Bulk Bags as your manufacturer and supplier of high-quality FIBCs in South Africa. For more information about our bulk bags, please contact us today.
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Custom Bulk Bags is a leading South African manufacturer of woven polypropylene bags for various industries, such as mining, chemicals and food. We are able to produce over 3.5-million bulk bags per year, keeping our customers in stock at all times. Our bags adhere to the highest levels of quality as a result of our stringent in-house testing and quality control programmes.
Custom Bulk Bags holds ISO 9001 certification and we currently have a number of UN-certified designs. We are a Level 2 B-BBEE manufacturer and supplier and fall under the ownership structure of Deneb Investments Limited. For more information on our products, contact sales@custombulkbags.co.za. Follow us on Facebook for our latest news and industry insights.
