Thursday, December 19, 2013

Closing 2013

2013 seems to be the year that was hi-jacked.  There always seemed to be something popping up to get in the way of regular business.

Sure, life is very busy at the moment, but there needs to be some down-time when you can re-group.

Around our office we have a term called "stop the music", which is directly linked to the children's game of musical chairs.

Every now and again the call will go out to "stop the music" and we all find a place to sit and think.

Usually the "stop the music" meetings are called when someone is feeling overwhelmed in their tasks or workload.  It's a time to stop everything, take a step back and have a look at what is actually going on.

My favourite demonstration is when you see a Fly stuck inside a window.  There it is, bashing itself silly against the glass trying to find a way out.

Yet... all it needs to do is move a foot away from the glass to see that the window is actually open and there's a really easy path directly out.

We all need to learn from the Fly.  So "stop the music" and take a step back.

This year, we've had a number of wins with larger orders, new suppliers and new systems.  There's a lot to talk about, so I'm not going to bore you with all the details, but let's say that the number of order we processed in 2013 was up based on 2012.

There's more growth planned for 2014 with new warehousing, more automation and fast production times.

In closing, we wish everyone a happy festive season and all the best for 2014.


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

More Fairtrade Bags from Planet Eco Bags

 Fairtrade Cotton Bags from Planet Eco Bags
Our retail arm - Planet Eco Bags - is always coming up with new little ideas to make a boring old bag just that little bit nicer.

This time they're at it with Fairtrade Cotton Bags from Planet Eco Bags.

The message is simple and subtle... can you get it?


Friday, November 29, 2013

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Bags for Marketing

When you're using reusable bags as a marketing or promotional tools be sure of 3 things.

1)  keep your branding subtle and discrete.  Make sure the user will want to pick up your bag and reuse it rather than someone else's.

2)  be realistic about the costs.  When testing-the-water and ordering lower quantities the prices are usually higher.

3)  get the bag to meet your brand.  When choosing the bags make sure you keep your own brand presence in mind.  If you've got a luxury brand, make sure your bags are at the luxury end... and vice-versa.

There's a lot of things to consider and it's a balancing act with price, quality and quantity.

Bag People can help.  We've been in the bag business for a long time and I'd say we've already helped someone else who was in the same situation you are now.

Contact Us for details.


Monday, November 4, 2013

Mini Jute Drawstring Bag

Another little gem.  A simple little Drawstring Bag made from Raw Jute.

Usable for a great many things; we'll let you decide how to use them.

We've got some ideas, but we've found that our customers always come up with waaaay more imaginative ideas than we even can.

We design & make outstanding bags... we leave it us to you to use them.

Contact Us for more information.


Friday, October 25, 2013

Gone Wild on Retail Ready Bags

We've released a range of Retail-Ready Bags made from Jute & Juco.

Little Birds, Leopards, Zebra's & Cornfields are available to purchase right now.

In time for Christmas & ready to go, get them quickly.

Bag People's Retail Ready Bags.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Up-cycled Rice Bags

Made in Cambodia by a not-for-profit company with the sole purpose of providing education, skills training and meaningful employment for Cambodian's with physical disabilities.

Stable employment and tangible development paths for those who are marginalised means they can take an active part in improving their standard of living aswell as gaining the recognition and pride of making a valuable contribution.

And above all - the sense of belonging.

The bags are made from Woven Polypropylene which is reclaimed Rice Sacks from local production.

With 2 sizes and a variety of colour options they're excellent for any occasion.

Buy online from Bag People.

Friday, October 4, 2013

Fair@Square

Moral Fairground are organising one of the largest Fairtrade gatherings in Australia.

Fair@Square in Melbourne is a free public event offering something for everyone.

With a strong focus on sustainability and Ethical Trade the Fair@Square is an event celebrating ethical, sustainable and morally responsible behaviour.

Designed to nourish mind, body and soul. The festival promotes ethical consumption and purchases in time for Christmas.

The event runs on the weekend os 30th November & 1st December & is expected to attract more than 80,000 visitors - which was the number of people from 2012.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Minimum or 50 Bags

Bag People have streamlined a few things recently and by doing so, we can now deliver a Minimum Order of 50 Bags.

Our new website is fully e-commerce enabled which means you can process your whole order online.  More website details to follow soon.

50 Bags are despatched next business day, so there's no delays in receiving your order.

Have a look through the Bag People website, or Contact Bag People directly for more information.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Retail Products are Ready

    

Bag People have been making great custom-made bags sine 1993.

Every bag made (up to now) has been specifically made for an individual customer... made to suit their exact specification.

A little while ago we thought "why can't everyone get the benefit of our excellent bags?", so we launched the retail-ready range of bags via Planet Eco Bags.

These bags are made to the same high standards we have strived for over the years, but you can buy one at a time.

Get these bags to use for yourself, or if you have a shop (be it online or bricks-and-mortar) you should think about selling these bags. There's great margins to be made!

Have a look through the Planet Eco Bags website for more information.

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Anne Geddes Supports the Grace Centre

World renowned photographer Anne Geddes has joined Harris Farm Markets to support The Grace Centre for Newborn Care at Westmead Children’s Hospital.

The Grace Centre provides intensive care to babies who have surgical, cardiac and other complex medical conditions.

Anne's passion for the health care of newborns has brought about this opportunity to raise money for the cause.

Bag People have developed a stunning bag using Laminated Woven PP to reproduce a full colour photographic print of one of Anne's iconic images.

The Anne Geddes Bags are in Harris Farm store now with profit of bag sales going directly to The Grace Centre for Newborn Care.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

5 Years of Blogging


Happy Birthday to our Blog.

::  5 years old
::  248 Posts
::  24,566 visitors

Pretty good statistics considering all we make & talk about is bags.

Plus, we've never recycled a previous story... all new.

Where will we be in another 5 years?


Thursday, August 22, 2013

Adventurers Outdoor Pack

Here's more detail on the Adventurers Outdoor Pack we featured last month.

Turns out you're going to be a fully fledged explorer.

Get all the details from My Kid Craft

http://mykidcraft.com/garden-explorer-bug-hunt/


Friday, August 16, 2013

Fairtrade Bags

From our retail website (Planet Eco Bags) you can get your little share of Fairtrade products.

We've got Shoulder Bags, Tote Bags & Messenger Bags all available for you to buy in small quantities - 1 at a time if you wish.

Fairtrade is gaining more & more momentum within small & large corporations & you'll see many of the big companies now getting involved.

It does not take much to help improve the life & times of the producers.

A couple of dollars from you will go a loooong way to improving everyone's lot.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Up Cycled Rice Bags

Made in Cambodia by a not-for-profit company with the sole purpose of providing education, skills training & meaning ful employment for Cambodian's with physical disabilities.

Stable employment & a tangible development path for those who are marginalised means they can take an active part in improving their standard of living aswell as gaining the recognition & pride of making a valuable contribution

And above all a scenes of belonging.

Buy these bags directly from Planet Eco Bags.


Friday, July 26, 2013

More Ideas


.... and again, more creativity from our lovely customers.

This time, an Adventurers Outdoor Pack.

So simple, yet so clever.

Keep those ideas coming.

We love every single one.

Step 1 :

Step 2:

Step 3 :

Step 4 :

Monday, July 15, 2013

Little Gems of Creativity

There are literally unlimited things you can do with bags.

Our customers are always up to something simple & creative.

Here's one of our favourites.

Using hand prints & a couple of other colours - so simple yet so creative.

Email Us with what you've done with bags.

Thursday, July 4, 2013

No Limits to Reusable

Low cost Reusable Bags have been around for a very long time.  Hundreds (if not Thousands) of years.

Remember your Mother or Grandmother would have "that favourite" old bag made from Cotton, Hemp or perhaps String.

She'd take it everywhere & use it at every possible occasion - it was always at the shops, then it would go to weekend sport, it would also make an appearance at an after-school activity or two.

It was indestructible & it's probably still going.

Now... bring the clock forward to your world.

Do you have that indestructible bag that you use for everything?

Try one of the selection from Planet Eco Bags, there will be something in there for you.

www.planetecobags.com


Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Focus Marketing

A little while ago we had a customer who wanted to test the effectiveness of their Reusable Bags in brand awareness.

It was a simple exercise whereby they did 2 very simple & low cost things.

They acquired a different telephone number & URL to print on their bags.

These 2 new contact methods were printed only on their bags.

Then, they tracked the number of customers that contacted them via those 2 new methods.

Simple method of a note-pad next to the phone & tracking web traffic via their selected analytics package.

Quick & easy way to track whether bags were effective or not.

Now... they have not shared the "actual" effectiveness of the bags.

BUT - they've placed 3 re-orders for their bags with us.

I'll let you decide what the results might be?




Monday, June 17, 2013

Website Re-fresh

We've recently set about making www.bagpeople.com an industry leading website.

Simple navigation, easy to access information, great product images and very fast loading.

You'd think that these few things were easy to get sorted.

Fact is, it's actually quite difficult to make things easy, simple and user friendly.

When we're going through any changes in our Company, we always try to think how an inexperienced user might interact with us?

Is it easy to get what you want when you need it?

Hopefully we think we might have got it... but we're always learning.

If you've got any suggestions or comments about our website we'd love to hear about them.

Contact Us directly with your ideas.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

NEW JUTE IS HERE

Our new range of Contrast Coloured Jute Bags are now in stock and going strong.

More & more customers are discovering the value of Jute, not only for their brand, but also for the environment.

What does your brand need?

Contact Us for more details.


Friday, May 31, 2013

Fairtrade Options are now Available

Always bringing more options to the table and making sure our range stays fresh we've brought a couple of new Fairtrade Bag options to our customers.

Tote Bag now available in Fairtrade Cotton :
  Bag Dimensions :
   - 38cm wide
   - 38cm high
   - 8cm base gusset
  Handle Dimensions :
   - 65cm long
   - 3cm wide





Messenger Bags in Natural and Black Fairtrade Cotton :
  Bag Dimensions :
   - 38cm wide
   - 38cm high
  Shoulder Strap :
   - 95cm long
   - 6cm wide





Remember that Fairtrade is the equitable option which aims for a better deal for the primary producer.

Contact Us for more details about Fairtrade.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Itty Bitty Jute Bags



Aawww... look at it, it's just sooo cute.

What would you do with such a cute little thing?

Tweet us @bagpeople with your idea to win a little bag for yourself.

There's only a few free ones being given away, so be sure to get in quickly.

Buy a lot... over 50 from Bag People
Buy 1 or 2 from Planet Eco Bags

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Price Talk - Cotton

In March of 2011 we posted about the dramatic increase in the cost of Cotton.

Here's what's been happening in more recent times since the price peak at USD$229.67 in March, 2011 which was the biggest fluctuation in the last 30 years.


Cotton pricing has returned to pre-spike levels, but is on the way up again - albeit much slower this time.

We'll keep you updated as things change.

Source - Index Mundi Commodity Price Index

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Coloured Jute Arrives Next Week


Our Jute Bags with Contrast Coloured Features are arriving next week.

Which colour will suit your brand?
Do you need printing on them?

Contact Us for more information.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Stop the Music

Every now & again you need to stop everything & see where you are & where you want to be.

Around here, we call it the "STOP THE MUSIC" meeting.

Exactly like musical chairs - when the music stops, you need to see where you & where you want to be.

3 times a year we'll have a Stop The Music Meeting to be sure we're doing the right thing by everyone.

And I mean everyone... our Customers, our Suppliers & Ourselves (both personally & professionally).

We've got our Mission Statement to keep us on course.

What do you do to make sure you're on the right path?


Friday, April 26, 2013

Approval Processes

We have a 3 stage approval process which starts with a low-resolution layout of what the bags will looks like.

We keep these at low-resolution so we can turn them around quickly without large costs.

When the layout is confirmed we then complete a full set Technical Drawings which our factory uses to produce the bags.  These have all the detail of print areas, colours, stitching methods & overall dimensions.

The 3rd stage is a complete pre-production approval sample - this is an actual finished bag as it will be manufactured.  Most customers are happy with approval photo's, but some require the sample & in these cases we'll get it delivered by courier.

These 3 stages of approval make sure that the possibility for errors is greatly reduced & that the end product is correct.

We have a whole load of other process checks :
 - Quality Assurance
 - Quality Testing
 - Factory Inspections
 - Audit Certification

But these are pretty boring... the only thing you need to worry about is getting the design right, so you have a nice looking bag.

Contact Us to find out more.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Everyone is accountable - YOU can do more

In any situation - no matter who you are or where you're from there is always something that you can do.

Have a think about any situation you've been in before.  There were times when you took action to get involved, there are other times when you supported the people that were involved & there are other times when you did nothing to get involved.

As you can see, you've got 3 options to try to make things better.

You might not think your contribution does not add too much - but be assured that no matter what you do, your input it valued & is valuable.

An individual is always going to be part of the whole & what you do as an individual can have an effect on everyone.

As an individual, you are part of the multiplier & your contribution DOES COUNT.

Let's do some simple maths for a years worth of Plastic Bags by imagining you make 2 trips to the store each week & you take 5 Plastic Bags per visit, that's 520 Bags per year for your household.

Now multiply 520 by the number of people in your community.  Let's say there's 1,100 households that use your local supermarket.

572,000 Plastic Bags going in to the community per year.

It's does not take much to get involved.  It might not be sexy, nor something you'll talk about at dinner with your friends, but it all adds up.

In fact - no... let's talk about it at dinner next time.  Make sure you hold other people to account for the future of your planet.

There's no need to hide away & not talk about it - everyone is accountable.

Make sure you're doing your bit.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Friday, April 5, 2013

Your Own Single-Use Bag Tax

All around the World there are Communities, Regions, States/Territories & Countries all working to minimise the continued proliferation of Single-Use plastic bags.

How about starting with the Constituency of One = YOU.

Put the notional thought of a "Single-Use Bag Tax" in your own head... kind of like a Swear Jar.

Each time you're out & about, try thinking "if I take this plastic bag it's going to cost real money".

If you take it... when you get home put a Gold Coin in a Jar in the fridge.

Then, at the end of the month (if there's any money in the Jar), you need to donate it to your Charity of choice.  It's not for you to go out & spend on yourself.

See how you go.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

You Can Make a Difference

A few weeks ago we Tweeted the question whether an individual can really make a difference?

Sure, Bill Gates is making great inroads in a number of areas, but we asked can the average business or person do anything remarkable?

One of our customers - Footgear - is making a good effort.

Bag People have made a Bamboo Drawstring for Footgear to offer their customers to assist keep their shoes in top condition.

Footgear have gone one better by offering customers an option to take a free Paper Bag or a Bamboo Bag in exchange for a $1 donation to Animals Asia.

"The uptake by customers has been about 95% for the Bamboo Bag which includes the $1.00 donation" said John of Footgear.

What a brilliant result for Footgear as a business, their customers, the products & most of all the Animals Asia Charity.

What can you do to make a difference?

About Footgear :: www.footgear.com.au
Footgear is a specialist retailer selling only the world's leading brands in comfort/lifestlye footwear, both online and in 6 Stores accross South-East Queensland.  Family owned since 2005.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Planet Eco Bags are Available

The new bags are available from Planet Eco Bags. The simple place to buy great quality eco-bags.

This range is made from reclaimed Rice Sacks from Cambodia.

2 sizes options (Large & Regular) available in 3 colour combinations. They're in stock & available for immediate despatch.


Visit www.planetecobags.com for more product details.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

A Jute Rainbow

Nothing more to say except that we've got Jute Bags on the way & they've got Contrasted Features (gussets & handles)

Our Stock Colours will be :
  • All Natural
  • Black contrast features
  • Green contrast features
  • Red contrast features
  • Blue contrast features
  • Brown contrast features
More details coming soon.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Ask Yourself

When selecting a bag for your business, event or promotion you should ask yourself a few questions about what you want to achieve so you can get the most from your investment.

What message are you trying to send?  Have a think about what you would like other people (customers, patrons, consumers, etc) to think about you & your business as a result of seeing your bags.

Is it overt, or subtle marketing?  Do you want to get in people's faces with your bags, or will the message be somewhat understated?  There are a number of school's of thought on this one, but we believe 'less-is-more'.  By only saying a little bit or making sure your branding is subtle you should get your message across in a more convincing way - rather than the alternative of the loud & brash print message.

Do you have a budget in mind?  Simple - how much money do you want to spend on your bags?

Can your current logo be printed effectively?  All too often we get people wanting print jobs that are massively overcomplicated or the task at hand.  You bags from Bag People will be a fairly low-cost item.  It serves no purpose to have a $9.00 print on a $2.00 bag - it completely misses the make.  There are things that can be done - just ask.

What delivery time do you have?  The longer the delivery time the better off you'll be.  Both from a price perspective, but also quality.  Here's a great post on the pyramid of price & quality.  It explains in very very simple terms how things 'actually' work.

So... it's actually very simple.

It's just a matter of a few questions so we can deliver the right bag at the right price for the task at hand.

Have a look through the Bag People website, or Contact Us directly if you'd like more details.

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Fairtrade Cotton

The Fairtrade movement is certainly gaining momentum - we're finding more & more consumers are asking specifically for Fairtrade.

Bag People have been supporting Fairtrade for a number of years.

Because we are in direct contact with the factories, we also have contact with the millers & growers.  So we see the absolute need to ensure the primary producers are looked after & earn a fair amount for their products.

The momentum for Fairtrade products has lead us to develop a number of new styles using Fairtrade Cotton.

The new styles are in product right now & will be launched properly in the next few weeks - after the stock has arrived.

Stay tuned for more information.

Find Bag People on Facebook
Follow Bag People on Twitter


Or go old school using email.

Or even older - try the telephone.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Tea Towels Coming Soon

Although they're not bags... well derr!  We know that.

Tea Towels are a very simple addition to our offering.

They come from the same factories as our Cotton Bags & are of the same exceptional quality.

So it's a very simple & easy extension to our range for you to buy.

Because it's a product from Bag People, you know it will be printed nicely & arrive on time.

Stock is arriving very soon.  More information to follow ASAP.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

More from Planet Eco Bags

Planet Eco Bags is the retail arm of Bag People.

It's the simple & easy place to buy 1 or 2 bags at a time.

Plus, Planet Eco Bags have a few styles not available via Bag People... but at the moment it's all a bit of a secret.

The new styles are on the way & we don't want to let the surprise out - just yet.

A sneaky view can be seen on the Planet Eco Bags Pinterest page.

Just a quick look until we get everything sorted.

It should all be done by 15th March, 2013.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Be Predictable and Random too

OK.  Yes, it's a weird title to start a Blog post, but hear me out.

Our business has 2 aims as seen in Bag People's Mission Statement :
  1)  building value & profitability within our business (doing things right)
  2)  aiming to be the supplier of choice for reusable bags (doing the right things)

The 1st point is up to us, we look after the profitability part by making sure we're doing things the right way within our business.

The 2nd is all up to you guys.  We make sure we do things right which is will be the catalyst for our customers to keep coming back.

The easiest was to do this is by being predictable.  Some might thinks it's boring, but predictability to the absolute key to success.

We make sure the things happen the way we say they will.  That's our promise to every customer.  We do everything within our power to make sure things happen as planned.

Yet - sometimes the best laid plans can come unstuck & again, it's our job to deliver the news.  Most of the time it's bad news (usually a delayed delivery), but we promise to let you know the news as soon as we can + let you know how we're going about fixing it + what an alternative might be to get you out of trouble.

It's predictability that also makes sure we respond to emails within 24 hours & return phone calls by the next business day.

It's predictability that let's us set a price & stick to it.

It's predictability that let's us be certain our products will do the job you need them to do.  We know what the end result will be & can use the masses of knowledge we've attained to ensure we can offer the best solutions & the back them up without a shadow-of-a-doubt.

Now the 2nd part of the post title is Random by that I mean creative & inventive - not random (but that's a boring title)... how many times have you heard the term creative thinking or something similar?  Yawn; you'll never read that post based on the title.

But random has a chance of getting your attention.

And THAT'S what we want for your bags - get people's attention, get them to start the conversation about your company/brand.

Because we have the predictability of knowing our products we have fantastic grounds to be able to get creative for you & really make something that will stand out.

No one wants "just another boring shopping bag".  You're bag needs life.

It's our creativity that gives you that life.

So, you should Contact Bag People to be sure & find out what you should use for your next project.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Laminated Woven PP

WOW what an impact a Laminated Woven PP bag can give you.

With these bags we have the capability to print every surface in photographic full colour.

Nothing is out of the question.  You name, we do it.

The picture tells more than 1,000 Words.

    

All this & a very happy customer too...

Thanks for the wonderful service - the bags are awesome! :)

I can highly recommend the communication and care to detail on all accounts!

Thanks again.

Contact Us for more details.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Jute Experience

There are a couple of thing to know about Jute Bags when selecting them for your business, promotion or event.

1st - Minimal Refining
The growing & harvesting processes of Jute do not use much energy or water which means that the overall environmental footprint of Jute is one of the lowest when compared to other fabric options.

Jute is a very raw material & does not go through the same milling & refining processes as other natural fibres (such as Cotton & Canvas).

The finished product for Jute fibres is a course & rough finish, there are a few little Jute threads that can come away from the base fabric - it's only quite minor, but worth considering when choosing your fabric options.

2nd - Open Weave
Jute as a very open-weave finish.  It's quite easy to count the threads of Jute fabric with the naked eye.  Whereas Cotton & Canvas have a much much tighter weave.

3rd - Print Options
Because of the open-weave finish of the Jute fabric, printing on Jute can look wonderful or terrible - this is totally dependent on the artwork to be reproduced.

When printing on Jute, just imagine that your artwork could end up looking a bit pixilated (like pixilation that occurs on photo's on your computer screen).

To be sure to eliminate any pixilation your artwork should have big, bold lettering & round edges as opposed to little tiny points & thin lines.

Thin & tiny lines might end up disappearing all together.

Get Artwork Assistance from us to be sure your design will work.

4th - Delivery Lead Time
Our Jute comes primarily from India.  The usual delivery lead-time from the factory is about 12-14 weeks with a minimum order quantity of 1,000 units.

Because this lead-time is quite long we have taken to holding a variety of Jute Bags in stock.  This short-circuits the lead-time & minimum quantities.

Our stock is delivered within 10 days & has a minimum order quantity of 100 bags.

Final word
When looking for any bag to represent your business you need to ask the right questions to get the right result.

Some options might be better suited to your needs than others, so be sure check out all the fabric options.

Jute is a favourite of ours & it is quickly becoming the "new black" in the bag world.

Be sure to Contact Us if you'd like more info.