How should I wash and care for my Custom Tote Bag?
To keep your canvas tote looking crisp and protect the printed graphic, machine wash it inside out on a gentle cold cycle with similar colors, then line-dry in the shade. Do not tumble dry, bleach, dry clean, or use fabric softeners. Avoid placing an iron directly onto the printβif pressing is necessary, turn the bag inside out or cover the design with parchment paper first.
Is there a minimum order quantity for Tote Bags?
No, there is zero order minimumβyou can purchase just a single custom tote bag! For event giveaways, retail runs, or corporate gifting, enter your desired quantity into our online pricing calculator above to unlock tiered volume discounts.
What is Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing?
Direct-to-Film (DTF) is an advanced digital printing technique where your artwork is printed onto a specialized PET carrier film, dusted with a heat-activated adhesive powder, and bonded directly onto the cotton canvas using a commercial heat press. This creates vibrant, full-color graphics with crisp detail that flex naturally with the bag without cracking.
Do you offer screen printing, Direct-to-Garment (DTG), or embroidery?
Not at this time. Our custom apparel and tote range is produced exclusively using Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, which delivers rich color saturation, sharp details, and high durability across light and dark fabrics without traditional setup fees.
Can you print onto the shoulder straps of the tote bag?
Currently, print placements are limited to the main front and back panels of the tote bag. Printing on the shoulder straps or bottom gusset is not available at this time.
What are the minimum and maximum artwork dimensions?
Maximum Print Area: 12.0" W x 10.25" H. This ensures generous graphic coverage across the canvas face while staying safely inside heat press platen boundaries to avoid edge cool spots.
Minimum Standalone Graphic Area: 1.25" W x 0.5" H. Standalone elements smaller than this threshold drop below minimum adhesive powder coverage levels and risk corner lifting during washing.
What line weights, font sizes, and detail limits apply to tote graphics?
To guarantee strong adhesion to the textured cotton canvas and prevent peeling, standalone unbacked design elements must meet these technical minimums:
Stroke / Line Width: Minimum 6 pt (2.12 mm). While finer lines down to 1.4 pt can physically print, requiring 6 pt provides a 4x safety buffer for reliable adhesive powder bonding.
Font Height: Minimum 10 pt (3.5 mm). This keeps closed inner letter spaces (counters in letters like e, a, and o) from filling in with ink or adhesive.
Isolated Elements & Symbols: Minimum 5 mm diameter. Standalone dots, stars, or small legal symbols (such as Β© or β’) smaller than 5 mm lack sufficient surface area to anchor firmly to heavy canvas.
Pro-Tip for Micro-Details: If your logo or text falls below these limits, add a solid contour background shape or outer stroke behind the artwork (the "sticker cut" method). A solid backing guarantees 100% adhesive coverage so intricate details print cleanly without lifting.
Can I print trademarked logos, famous characters, or brand marks?
By uploading artwork, you represent and warrant that you are the sole legal owner or have obtained explicit, written authorization from the copyright or trademark owner to reproduce the material, and that your design does not infringe upon any third-party intellectual property, privacy, or publicity rights. We do not independently verify the licensing or ownership of submitted files; by placing an order, you assume full legal and financial responsibility for any claims, damages, or legal fees arising from unauthorized reproduction. We reserve the right to refuse, cancel, or halt any print job at our discretion if we suspect a violation of copyright or trademark laws.
How is white ink handled in tote bag artwork?
Our DTF printer automatically applies a layer of opaque white ink behind every solid shape and pixel in your design, while transparent areas receive no white ink:
To leave an area free of white ink: In vector files (PDF, AI, EPS), delete the shape so the space is completely empty. In flat raster files (PNG, TIFF), ensure that section is 100% transparent.
To display white in your finished print: Because white ink prints as the base layer beneath colors, make sure no colored shapes or layers sit on top of your intended white elements.
Will the printed colors match my computer screen exactly?
Digital screens display color using emitted light (RGB), while commercial printers reproduce color using physical ink pigments (CMYK) heat-pressed onto fabric. Additionally, printing over a white ink underbase on darker canvas bags can cause slight tonal shifts compared to printing on natural or white bags. While our printers are calibrated for accurate color output, an exact 1:1 match to uncalibrated displays cannot be guaranteed.
Can I request a tote bag color not listed on the website?
Our standard selection includes the core stock colors shown online. For high-volume or bulk orders, we may be able to source additional AS Colour colorways upon request. Contact our Customer Happiness Team with your desired color and order quantity, and we will let you know what is available.
Will there be slight print placement variations from bag to bag?
Yes. Every tote bag is individually loaded and aligned by hand on the heat press. While we follow strict registration guides to keep graphics consistent across your run, minor placement variances are normal due to the manual nature of the printing process.
Can I order blank, unprinted AS Colour tote bags?
No. As an authorized AS Colour decorator, we are permitted to supply AS Colour products exclusively as customized, printed merchandise and cannot sell blank, unprinted items.
