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Totes vs. Backpacks: Which Custom Bags Works For You?

Last Updated: 16 May 2025

Branded items have become so much more than just free stuff. In business, first impressions matter, and sustainability is a concern. The choice of the correct branded item can reflect your business a lot. If you are in the process of purchasing the big, huge conference, welcoming new employees or building loyalty with your customers, the bag type you opt for is a tote or a backpack. The choice between the two custom bags can determine your customers’ perception of your business.

Both do the job and look great with your logo. But which one makes the impact you’re after?

Why Totes Are Great for Boosting Exposure

Tote bags are usually the ones we use when time and scale make us choose the easiest way. Personalised tote bags are an effective way to make your brand known without investing much money in advertisements. Moreover, they can be carried everywhere and leave much room for branding.

• High Visibility: The tote bag’s flat surface keeps your logo and branding in the public eye regularly.
• Budget-Friendly: Provides an option for a bulk purchase that suits major marketing events.
• Convenience: The bags are lightweight, foldable, and easy to carry, making them the perfect fit for recipients to use time after time.
• Eco Choices: Tote bags made of organic cotton, or custom jute bags are easy to spot, making them ideal for spreading the message of sustainability.

What to Watch Out for With Totes

For instance, each product has its own drawbacks. Totes enable you to stay simple and have a smooth journey, although they may not perfectly suit all cases.

• Less Structure: They are not as good for carrying weight as backpacks.
• Lower Retention Rates: In the end, if the design is not flexible, it might be forgotten somewhere or thrown away.

When Backpacks Make a Bigger Impact 

Branded backpacks are a physical representation of “gift” rather than “giveaway.” They signify quality, caring, and usability to last a long time. If you are in the business of high-value client participation, running exclusive promotions, or giving internal staff incentives, using branded backpacks is more likely to make your brand stay in the public’s memory.

• Daily Use: From students to professionals, backpacks are an integral part of the routine for people.
• Durability: Made durable to support the overloading and long-term use.
• Convenience: It is convenient in the city where movement and speed are vital.
• Perceived Value Increase: It is always considered a more generous, practical, and cost-effective gift.

This is how eco-friendly company backpacks are the most logical option for welcome packs, employee milestones, and customer appreciation kits.

Things to Consider Before Choosing Backpacks

• Higher Price Per Unit: Such giveaways find application in very specific or well-identified market segments, not for huge numbers of indiscriminate people.
• Branding Space: With less space for the print, it will be necessary to be particularly careful about the planning of where to place the logo and make it visible.

How to Pick the Right Bag for Your Business Goals

Deciding between tote bags and backpacks isn’t only a matter of design. It is a strategic choice. You should match the item with your brand’s message, audience behaviour, and the campaign’s purpose.

🤔 Start by asking:

• Who will be receiving these bags?
• What’s the context—large-scale event or selective gifting?
• How much are you allocating per unit?
• Will your audience value practicality, or are you aiming for perceived quality?

Get the Bag That Carries Your Brand with Style

At Cubic Promote, we specialise in customised eco bags that combine functionality with branding opportunity. Whether working on an outreach campaign, preparing for a key event, or planning client gifts, we help you find the right fit—tote or backpack.