2018

Safe and Sound; Satchels with Security! Posted on December 11, 2018 at 2:30 PM A few months ago at bags of ideas, we wrote a blog focused on ‘Anti-theft’, and highlighted a new range of products that are becoming popular in the market. This blog focused on some of the risks which commuters, students etc face daily, such as robbery and theft, and outlined the products and their new features that can help to minimise the risks. Some of the bags had great added features, such as concealed zips, hidden pockets and built in padlocks. Some were even manufactured from slash proof material. Following on from this blog we thought we would focus on another element of risk that is currently in the media, RFID scanning. With the rise in contactless payments, both with cards and phones, there is a risk of fraud via the airwaves. For this reason, at bags of ideas, we looked into RFID safe products that can be used not only to keep your belongings and data secure, but also promote your brand. You will now find in our ‘Anti-Theft and Security’ range, a whole heap of new products that can also be printed for increased brand exposure. The best thing about this range of products, is that aesthetically, nothing needs to change, so we have a range of promotional products that are on trend and functional – something that is not always possible. Below we have outlined a few of the products from the range, detailed their features and indicated how the bags differentiate from the norm, and how to ensure your belongings inside are secure. The first range we will look at is the Odyssey Wallets, 2 travel wallets, one designed for the passport plus extras and the other slightly larger in size, with more space for additional cards or cash. Both products are great as promotional items, and both sides of each product can be screen printed with a logo. Odyssey RFID wallet. Credit cards, passports and other ID cards have embedded RFID chips. The protection with this item is the entire inside of the wallet – as long as your card is inside, it is protected, and all RFID waves that are emitted, will be blocked, keeping you data secure. The next from the range is the ‘i-Stay Onyx’; part of the brand Avenue. A great all round bag for business or student use. The product has multiple compartments, as well as being able to safely house a laptop. Within the main compartment there is a clearly labelled pocket ‘RFID Shield’ – all items placed in here will be kept safe from contactless fraud. And of course – this laptop messenger is well designed to accompany any promotional branding. With a large clean surface on the front of the bag, your logo can be clearly visible when commuting. The final product is the ‘Vault Rucksack’. Larger in size than the messenger bag, this rucksack is a great option for business commuters or again students. This backpack also offers the option of 2 colour ways, allowing you to choose which colour reflects and compliments your company logo and brand image. As with the laptop shoulder bag above, inside this rucksack, the ‘Safety Pouch’ is clearly labelled, so you can make sure your items are in the right place, and secure. This bag can be screen printed, transfer printed in full colour or embroidered, depending on your taste; either way, with the large branding area to the front, you can really increase your brand exposure, and ensure the recipient, be it a customer or staff, have peace of mind while they travel. The best thing about the RFID safe products is they sit at the same prices as like-for-like non-RFID safe products, making them as affordable as a normal promotional rucksack or messenger bag with the same specifications. If you want to know about our range, or are looking for a particular RFID safe promotional bag, get in touch. We will be adding to our range, but if you cant see the bag you require, we will be happy to find it for you.

Winter Winners Posted on November 1, 2018 at 12:30 AM With the summer now drawn to a close, and the festival and bbq season truly over, we thought at bags of ideas we would focus on the upcoming months. Sports seasons are in full swing, the kids are settling into school, and the students are returning. With this in mind we want to give some ideas for how the education sector can use various types of promotional bags over the coming months, and how to get the most from the ideas, highlighting some alternative methods to self promotion beyond simply giving products away at events. Universities With students starting back, both new and old, we want to show you some great bags that can be utilised across the spectrum at universities. Whether its low cost motivators at the fresher’s fair, quality kit bags for the rugby team or practical rucksacks that can be sold through the student union; we have all bases covered. Our range of ‘cotton and canvas’ bags are an ideal starting point for universities. You may require thousands of bags, for providing welcome packs when newcomers start, or for holding the vital information for prospective students at upcoming open days. Or you could simply need a smaller number for a university club or society, to welcome the new members; we have you covered with multiple options with great printing options. Kasa Cotton Shopper Bag Aylesham Colour Tote Kanu Cotton Shopper Bag Amanta Document Bag Flapa Document Bag Eco Recycled Delegate Document Bag With the vast number of sports teams, clubs and societies available to students at university, from rugby and football, to fencing and gymnastics, all with their own identities – personalised kit bags or sports holdalls can be an effective way to promote their uniqueness, while at the same times enhance team spirit and camaraderie. Within our sections on our website ‘Sports’ ‘Holdalls’ and ‘Duffle’ we are certain there will be a bag that works for your team. With a whole range of bags suited to various uses, coming in different sizes and materials, from affordable low cost, to branded specialist bags. And if we don’t have the right holdall for your team – maybe the equipment to be carried is an obscure shape; you can always opt for a bespoke kit bag, every detail, made to your specifications. Below are a few select bags, which can be printed with your teams logo, and can even be personalised with player numbers and names if required to add that extra touch of class to your promotional team bags. Halfar Galaxy Sports Bag Tube Sports Bag SPORT BAG FLASH As well as promotional give away options, there are also great opportunities to sell branded products at a university – for the student unions, it could be a great opportunity to generate revenue and promote the university at the same time. The first opportunity is to offer a range of university ready bags for students to see them through the year – a well-made backpack or rucksack, built to last, and with all the accessories required for a busy student. The novelty of a university branded bag is always attractive to students, and the cost of branded bags, with a logo on, such as Case Logic – is lower through Bags of Ideas – meaning you could offer a unique bag, with university branding and easily compete with high street prices. Example of dual branded product – ideal university Our range also spreads to laptop bags and holdalls, and multi function bags – these could be ideal for students starting ICT courses, with designs built around housing computers plus accessories. Below is a small selection from our ‘Rucksack’ and our “Laptop Bag’ range that we think are ideal retail products for universities. Case Logic Ibira Rucksack Case Logic Laptop Bag Another opportunity for the resale of the branded items via university shops is to target university leavers. Every year thousands of students in every city buy leaving mementos, such as a leavers hoodie. As we all know, the leavers hoodie becomes an item for the gym or the living room – a great alternative could be a Leavers Canvas bag – a high quality item, for a fair price, which no doubt will have a greater impact, and more visibility due to the longevity. Also as a bag, there is no risk of the item no longer fitting (unlike a hoodie). A bag is a much more practical item too, no doubt leading to a much lower cost per impression, and high perceived value from the purchasing students. Below are some options we think would be great items, all on trend and built to last shoulder bags. Tranzip Computer Messenger Tote Sling Fair Wear F&C Hudson 14 Schools As well as universities, schools can benefit greatly from the use of promotional bags. In general, schools do not tend to partake in as many events as other sectors, however, if chosen correctly, promotional bags can have great benefits to schools, and can help maintain and strengthen their image within the local community. Branded school bags would be the first point of call – and by this, we refer to the rucksacks pupils use daily for their school essentials. This could be a rucksack, a backpack, or a drawstring carrier. These types of bags could be provided to students, or offered at a competitive price to encourage purchase. Much like a uniform that pupils wear, if the students are also carrying a branded bag with the school crest on, it essentially becomes an extension of the uniform, and part of the school image. For prospective students and parents, this image of unity can generate greater interest for pupils to enroll.   We hope this blog has outlined some ideas for the use of promotional bags within the education sector. As is clear a promotional bag does not have to be a low cost give away, and if you think outside

Summer Sun, and Bags of Fun Posted on July 26, 2018 at 11:30 AM With the summer well and truly upon us, and the sun cracking the flags, we thought we should make a focus on how promotional bags can be utilised best during the summer months to get your brand great visibility and what options there are for bags that are suited to promotions in the summer months. In this blog we are going to focus on the types of events and activities that occur throughout the summer. Come rain or shine, using promotional totes, rucksacks and cool bags can give you that extra edge, and ensure your brand does not get forgotten during the summer holidays, when generally, the focus of the population is getting outside and catching the rays, before they are gone. Plus, if you don’t have any ‘summer’ events, promotional bags you can use as alternatives during any trade shows on conferences. Festival season Whether you are running a food stand at Street Feast, or organising your own outdoor music event, using promotional bags at festivals is a great tool for promotion; there are a vast number of options available when it comes to carriers and totes, for every basis. To start with, if you are attending a festival as an exhibitor – be it a food stand, or retail, there is nothing better than giving away your products in a branded bag. The visibility this can gain during the day is massive. Many of these events have thousands of people – so why not make them aware of your offering? Bags like the below can be great to direct people to your location. Kraft Paper Bag Laminated Rope Handle Many festivals will offer a kit on entry – programme, vouchers etc. A great idea is to have these items all within a branded bag. As people come and go during the day, others that are unaware of the festival become intrigued – and thus, encourages others from the surrounding area to visit. Plastic Bags Cotton Shoppers As any festival organiser will know – selling promotional merchandise is a huge part of the financial viability of the event. Alongside the usual tshirts, why not include some well-designed canvas and jute bags. The perceived value of a well thought out tote is high, yet the products are affordable. Plus, as we all know, well-made promotional bags are always re-used, so not only will your brand be promoted on the day, but long beyond, making the cost per impression remarkably low, and massively increasing the awareness of your brand. The below are some great examples of stock items that could be used. However, if you have a large event – it could be worth looking at something bespoke, and creating something really unique, yet still not breaking the bank. Tandu Kuku Charity Events Value Non-Woven Shopper Premium Drawstring Branch Events If you are lucky enough to be hosting or are part of an event on the beach, the same rules apply as per the festivals, and the same benefits can be gained by branding your promotional bags. Below we have some other options that could be used as alternatives, that are more appropriate for sandier conditions. For general give away bags, the below options could be great, some which include a closure on the top, all with great branding space for increased visibility on the shores. Clip Close Vivi Beach In terms of the merchandise options, for re-sale, or more up-market giveaways, we have a great selection of beach bags, that can be well branded, that no doubt would be a popular alternative to your standard canvas totes or shoppers, with one bag even doubling up as a beach mat: Mat/Marlene/Marine And lets not forget about keeping those beers and sandwiches fresh. Cool bags can be a great give away item. Whether it be a 6 can cooler, a wine chiller bag, or a large family cool bag, we have you covered. We even have full picnic bags and kits that could be re-sold, or offered as luxury gifts, to your clients before they escape for the summer holidays. Halfar Family Cool Bag Bottle Cooler Bag As we all know, with the British summer, we cannot always depend on the sunshine, but our events must still go ahead. Within our range, we have some great products that could also be great promotional tools, either as re-sale merchandise or give-aways that would be welcomed if the heavens opened, or for making sure contents stayed dry on the beach. Below are a couple of options from our waterproof range. Scuba Bag Waterproof Pouch The Outdoors During the warmer parts of the year, there is a sharp hike in the amount of people participating in outdoor sports and activities. With this in mind, there is opportunity to deliver to clients, well thought out branded rucksacks, backpacks and holdalls as ‘gift’ items. Generally speaking outdoor bags are not low cost giveaways, so they should be carefully selected and offered to the right customers. And within our range we offer a great number of hiking satchels that could make a great impression in the right hands. On top if this, the nature of outdoor activities leads to great potential for visibility of your brand and identity. No doubt a well-chosen hiking rucksack will travel far beyond your customers office, increasing awareness far and wide. Below is a selection of bags that we feel are great products, and will leave a long lasting, positive impression. BACKPACK AND BAG 2 IN 1 Case Logic Ibira Other events If your company is not running of taking part in any outdoor events over the summer, there is still opportunity to focus your strategy to the season. If you are taking part in an indoor trade show or conference, where promotional bags are required, it would still be hugely beneficial to offer a product that would get maximum use during the time. Switching from a natural cotton shopper to a colour cotton shopper is a great

Bagging Ideas Around the Globe! Posted on June 14, 2018 at 11:30 AM At bags of ideas we pride ourselves in delivering a specialist website for all of your promotional bag needs; whether it be for conferences and trade shows, or bespoke technical rucksacks, made to your exact requirements for your staff. To ensure we keep delivering the service you require, we invest time into ensuring that what we offer online really does match our slogan. That’s why every year, we take trips around the world; from the UK & Europe to India, from China to the States; to research the industry and deliver the best possible experience to our clients and prospects. This year our travels took us to Germany, the States and the Far East. Before we leave for such trips – we sit down as a team to discuss exactly what it is we should be looking for. What are we currently doing well at with our promotional bag offerings, how can we improve and what are we missing to give our customers the best experience, both when finding us online, and when building lasting relationships. This year our aims were to look for new trends in the market – as fashion and legislation changes all the time, so does the market for promotional bags. It could be a certain material that is popular on the high street that is now high in demand for merchandising purposes. A material that has had bad press – that leads us to search for satchels that are ‘FREE’ of this material. Or rucksacks with a new feature that people are beginning to desire in the promotional market. We also wanted to look at new technologies and printing capabilities; what more can we offer to our clients when they order their marketing backpacks when it comes to branding options. On these trips it is also a great opportunity to see if there are potential new manufacturers with new products that can be used within our supply chain that can allow us to provide a better offering to our customers. As an organisation, we know price is not everything, and we pride ourselves on offering value, in comparison to ‘cheap’. If we spot an opportunity that can allow us to offer better value products, these will always be looked into, and if we believe our principals are retained, we welcome new certified manufacturers. Anti-Theft and Security The first new trends that stood out from our travels were the anti theft and security bags and rucksacks. We have focused on this previously in the following blog. With this new trend we have allocated a section of our website to this style of satchel, which can be found here. The simple philosophy behind these bags is a design that makes your bag safer; when on your back, or laid down in public – with concealed zips, pad locks, safety chains and some with knife proof front covers. Berlin Rucksack Bobby Ant-Theft Milano Rucksack Mélange Finish If you have not heard of the word – Mélange is a type of finish used on fabrics. Within the promotional bags market we noticed a small number appear last year – but this year it seems to be the on-trend material to have your should bag or shopper made from. With this increase in popularity we have added some great briefcases, document wallets, rucksacks and holdalls that not only are fit for purpose, but look the part. One great thing about this type of material is the high perceived value – cost wise the difference between a standard polyester case and one with a mélange finish is not huge, but the impression the product gives is that it is far superior, thus if supplying to a customer, the impact as a promotional gift can be great. Below are some examples of this finish across a range of styles: Halfar Modern Classic Shopper Berghaus TRAILBYTE F&C Campster 15 Male and Female Sizes A new trend that appeared this year was manufacturers noticing the differences in requirement for males and females. Generally with promotional bags – specifically sports and kit bags and holdalls, there is a one-size-will-do ethos. However, this seems to be changing, with first movers HALFAR now offering 2 sizes on a selection of their range. The main reasoning behind this is that women’s items are smaller (most of the time) – shoes, clothes etc. as well as themselves. So not only are women carrying round rucksacks and backpacks half empty, but most likely uncomfortably too, as they are designed for the average 6 foot man. Below is the first in the Halfar Male and Female range – offering a 14 and 22litre rucksack, with the same design. Halfar Step Medium Halfar Step Large Printing Technologies Printing technology has evolved massively from the simple 1 colour screen print we know and love. However, it can be the adaptability of the technology that limits the promotional market, and does, in terms of what you can print, where you can print it, how big the print can be, how many colours are possible on the bag and how quickly they can be delivered. In most cases if you wanted the perfect product, it would be a bespoke, made to order design. But – there is hope! Printing technology is adapting to the promotional market, which will allow for a variety of improvements; in service, speed and creativity. Throughout our time abroad we came across a vast array of printer manufacturers showcasing their latest technologies, and how it can be utilised for over printing items, such as bags, rucksacks, wallets and other promotional materials. The most noteworthy improvement is the quality of the digital printing has massively increased – sometimes referred to as direct to garment digital printing, or DTG for short. When a company designs it logo and corporate identity – printing this design is always a factor in the final decision – are the details to small, how small can the logo be printed clearly, will

Secure your bag for Business Posted on May 4th, 2018 at 01:30 PM Promotional merchandising, including bags, on the whole is viewed as a low cost motivator; where products are purchased in bulk, printed with a company logo, and handed out at large events, or distributed to large numbers of clients or prospects. However, there is another side to promotional giveaways that can add real value to your brand. A lot of companies now are seeing the benefits of investing in alternative promotional products, especially bags, and not only for customers, but staff too. Over recent years there has been an upward trend in organisations promoting their name through high quality, and in some cases, co-branded bags. Of course, if you are hosting an event with thousands of prospects, it may not be viable to hand out a top of the range OGIO rucksack to everyone that visits your stand. But what about your current customers, and of course your employees Sending a branded cotton shopper to your best customers at xmas may not give the best impression to some of your biggest clients, and giving your top salesperson a low cost motivator may not send the right signals around the company. This is where our range of high quality, technical bags, with designs for a variety of uses come into play. Looking at customers first – it’s a given that 99% of them use a bag to go to work. The way business is moving, everyone has to be mobile, and needs to take with them the vast array of technology wherever they go, safely. Providing practical, on trend, high quality rucksacks or holdalls to your best clients will give a great impression, not only from the initial receipt of such a relevant product, but the longevity of use, if chosen correctly. If you know your customer’s business well, choosing the perfect bags from the CASE LOGIC, OGIO, ZOOM , or the many other ranges should be easy. And with some tasteful co-branding, applying your company’s logo, no doubt your corporate image will only improve. To help a little further we have picked out 3 bags from our range, outlining what they off as a promotional tool, and highlighting the unique attributes, and the potential industries/job roles they may be suited to: BAG 1 – Proton Rucksack – Ideal for travelling Sales professionals – Airport friendly, large space for laptop and accessories, plus a large flat surface for clear company branding. BAG 2 – LAPTOP BAG 15 – Ideal for teachers/lawyers – large storage capacity for paperwork, laptop plus more. Multiple compartments aiding organisation. Heavy-duty, ergonomic design, tailored towards daily use. Generous branding space, for logo application. BAG 3 – Macau Trolley Bag – A perfect option for sales staff and travelling professionals; this product offers more space and improved mobility compared with a shoulder bag alternative. An Ideal option if travelling with more than just a laptop; e.g. pharmaceutical sales. Airport friendly. Large space for company branding on the front of the trolley. Providing staff with fit-for-purpose luggage also has great benefits. Firstly you can issue a bag that works for the individual – with a large choice of rucksacks, holdalls and trolley bags available, there will be a bag to suit every job description. By providing quality, branded satchels to your staff, you also ensure they are selling the correct corporate image wherever they go and create uniformity and consistency throughout your company. Every client, or prospect they see, and whenever they travel, that rucksack or briefcase, when on show enhances the strength of the organisation and hugely increases visibility and brand awareness. It is also common for these types of bags to come in a ‘range’, with 3 or more bags all with matching fittings and trim – like the CASE LOGIC, OGIO or ELLEVEN options – allowing you to choose one brand to work with even if you require 3 different types of bag.When staff are on the move or working out of office, there is of course the potential worry of the high value bags and its contents being a target for theft; it happens on a daily basis to even the most careful of us. Our new range of bags, (now available) are designed to mitigate this issue to the absolute minimum without compromising on usability, longevity or aesthetics. Our Anti-theft range comprises of luggage that will ensure contents are secure, whether on the tube, or in a coffee shop. The video below highlights some alarming statistics when travelling, and how these unique bags have been created with both security and usability in mind to hopefully bring those statistics down. Bobby Bag Video: Within the range of anti-theft bags, there are a variety of rucksacks and holdalls each with unique design aspects that will secure your contents. Some of the bags, such as the Bobby Briefcase have an anti-slash material on the outside – toughened to withstand the potential slash of a blade, keeping your contents inside the bag, where they belong. One of the other features on the bags is concealed entrances/zips. Many of the secure bags have been designed so that, once on your back, the zips are not accessible without removing the back from your person, stopping thieves taking advantage on busy trains or buses, and sneaking into your rucksack. To top of the security features, some of the bags come with a locking mechanism designed for when you may have to leave your bags momentarily (like in the video), and also designated pockets for your contactless payment cards to avoid anybody swiping the data. To see the full range of bags that offers the unique combination of brand enhancement + peace of mind, click here. One great aspect of high quality, co-branded bags, is that they are just as suitable for promotional branding as dedicated ‘promo’ bags are, though we found this is not common knowledge amongst all consumers. Whether you require full colour logos, screen-printing or embroidery – the options available are not limited due to being a branded product. In many cases the aesthetics and design can