Ecobags Fairtrade Organic Calico Cotton Tote Bag

Does your cotton come from fair, sustainable farms?

Yes, our bags are Fairtrade certified, which means the product is traceable right back to the farmers who grew the cotton and the workers in the mill.

Cotton is the most important crop in the world textile industry, yet an estimated 100 million rural households who produce it are living in poverty. Farmers and Fairtrade are working together so cotton growers can improve both their livelihoods and their lives. 

Why organic?

Our organic bags are certified by the Global Organic Textiles Standard (GOTS). GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres, including ecological and social criteria, backed up by independent third-party certification of the entire textile supply chain. GOTS ensures that our organic bag production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic, persistent pesticides or synthetic fertilisers. In addition, it includes welfare standards for animal husbandry and prohibits genetically modified organisms.

Are these bags biodegradable?

Yes, we use organic, unbleached cotton, which is biodegradable at the end of its useful life. Once you've reused it hundreds of times you can simply cut it up and pop it in your compost heap.

Can I custom print cotton bags? What's the minimum order quantity?

Minimum order for local printing is 100 bags and turnaround time is typically 3 weeks.

Minimum order for offshore printing is 500 bags and turnaround is typically 10 - 14 weeks depending on specifications and transit options selected (sea or air freight).

For more information see the Branding Options tab.

Submitting artwork

Submit your logo or design to contact@ecobags.co.nz (or attach it in the ‘request a quote’ form) on any product page. Any format will be accepted for the purpose of a quote.

For production, we prefer vector artwork in .EPS or .PDF format. We can also work with AI or.PSD which can be edited. Please ensure all text is outlined. If you need a little graphic design support, to get your artwork up to scratch, we can help at nominal charge.

Design a fully customised bag

If you’re after your own bespoke style, unique colour, size, material and branding, please email us (contact @ecobags.co.nz) with a description of what you wish to achieve. Lead times are typically 10-14 weeks depending on the product specifications and transit time (sea or air freight). We can sometimes provide branded bags in as little as 30-days with express air freight but this will incur a greater cost.

Branding Methods

Screen-printing – best for simple designs with a few block colours. It is the most economical way to brand your bags. Please note that screen printing is not ideal for logos with colour gradients, half tones or fine details. It can be difficult to achieve fine detail in screen printing on rough textures like canvas or jute.

Digital print/heat transfer – great for artwork with multiple colours and fine details. It is commonly used to brand textile surfaces and bags using heat pressed onto the product to produce a permanent bond. Please note that only approximate colour matches are possible. This method is slightly more expensive than screen printing but produces great results for complex graphics or colour gradients.

Direct to garment (DTG) – this process uses specially modified inkjet technology to achieve full-colour graphics. It’s a great solution for low-quantity orders with complex, finely detailed designs. Please note that colours may be slightly muted depending on the base fabric.

Embroidery – great for achieving a hand-stitched aesthetic. Most artwork files can be digitised so the embroidery machine can recreate your artwork onto your bag.