All posts by Bulletin Bag

Special Surfers: Summer Stoke for Special People

Company News
Special Surfers’ founder, Nanci Boutet, with Jennifer Christensen and kids

On the third Tuesday in June, July, and August, a huge group of amazing people from all over New England—and beyond–converge on Gooches Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine to share in a magical evening of surfing, support, and love with Special Surfers.

Special Surfers is a nonprofit that provides an opportunity for kids and young adults with special needs (emotional, mental, or physical) to surf in the summer.  There is no cost to participants or their families, and all equipment and instruction is provided.

Bulletin Brands staff member Jennifer Christensen has been participating in the event with her son, Jack, since 2012. Jack has Down syndrome, and Special Surfers is a highlight of his summer. While there are many people with Down syndrome surfing, there are literally hundreds of special surfers with many different types of disabilities that participate.  Continue reading →

Rags2Bags: Making Reusable Bags…and a Difference

Green Issues,
Rags2Bags completed bag
Photo credit: Sustainable Tallahassee

Did you know that this month is celebrated as Plastic Free July? The campaign originated in Australia but is now a worldwide effort to encourage people to stop using disposable plastics. They say that it takes 30 days to make a new habit stick, so the hope is that by the end of the month, participants have made some shifts in thinking.

Frankly, if you’re reading our blogs, you likely already HAVE shifted your thinking, like the dozen women in Florida who came together and created Rags2Bags. The organization has made and distributed more than 2,000 reusable shopping bags throughout their community!  Continue reading →

Faux Cotton Tote Bags: A Closer Look

Bulletin Bag Products, Staff Reviews

Faux Cotton Tote BagsLast month we added two faux cotton tote bags to our product lineup: the Faux Cotton Nonwoven Shopper and Faux Cotton Nonwoven Square Tote. These bags are at once familiar and completely unexpected. Here’s why.

Familiar? Yes! These custom totes look like cotton but in reality, they’re nonwoven polypropylene—the same material you find in bestsellers like our Big Thunder Grocery Tote and Medium Nonwoven Grocery Bag. Not only that, but it’s laminated! So you have the durability of nonwoven with smooth lamination that makes for easy spray-and-wipe cleaning!  Continue reading →

Banning the Ban That Encourages Reusable Shopping Bags?

Green Issues, Plastic Bag Bans,

Reusable Shopping Bags Encouraged Despite BanDid you hear the one about the law banning the law banning the bag? Seriously, it’s a thing (in Minnesota, at least). But don’t worry, as some retailers are rewarding those stalwart citizens who bring reusable shopping bags anyway!

It all started last year. Minneapolis city council passed an ordinance banning plastic bags, as may other countries, cities, and states worldwide have done over the past several years. That ordinance, which should have started on June 1, 2017, set the wheels in motion for affected retailers. Note the use of the words “should have”. Continue reading →

Reusable Insulated Grocery Bags: Perfect for Summer Promos!

Bulletin Bag Products

Square Zip Insulated Grocery BagConsidering a bag project that WOWS? Summer is the perfect time to consider reusable insulated grocery bags! If they’re not on your radar, you HAVE to take another look. They’ll keep foods (and beverages) cool for much longer than their non-insulated counterparts. Sure, they’re pricier, but they’re totally worth it—especially for hot-weather promos. It’s pretty much guaranteed that your recipients will 1) not throw away their new bag, 2) carry it everywhere, and 3) love you for doing a branding project with their new favorite bag. And, when you buy them in bulk, the price is even lower, stretching your marketing moolah to the max! Continue reading →

We’ve Added More than 20 New Custom Bags and Pouches!

Bulletin Bag Products, ,

Whew! During the past two months, we have added more than 20 new items to our website, which means your choices for custom bags have grown by more than 10%!

We try hard to listen to what is important to you and find products that address those wants and needs, while maintaining our commitment to integrity and safety. The lesson here? Fill out our post-delivery Client Happiness Gauge survey. You could win a Starbucks card, true, but your feedback really does help drive new product selections!

So, what are you telling us?? Well, you don’t want to see 20 of the same type of bag. You want 20 different options, vetted by our staff, that will bring your branding project to life. Continue reading →

9 Great Ideas for Dental Bags (and What to Put in Them!)

Bulletin Bag Products, Promotion Ideas

custom dental bagsLet’s face it. Those dental bags you get at the end of your visit are like the free gift with purchase of a clean mouth. You already know what’s in them (floss, toothbrush, paste), but you still can’t wait to get that dental goodie bag of love.

What if the whole concept of those bags was thrown on its head? Picture it: you’re pulling that paper towel-thing off your chest, eagerly waiting for your free toothpaste, when…what the…OMGeeee! It’s a Lululemon bag, only with smile-infused quotes all over it. But wow, it’s so cool! You’ll totally use that to tote stuff around town. And what’s inside? A water bottle? Cool travel toothbrush cover? This isn’t dental floss…it’s a pocket mirror! Cool!

People love free stuff. And when they get your super-charged goodie bag, they’re gonna tell their friends (who also have teeth). Sound good? Whether your budget is small or large, here are 9 ways to infuse some ‘WOW!’ into your practice. Continue reading →

Tote Bags Made in the USA, At Crazy Awesome Prices!

Bulletin Bag Products,

New Tote Bags Made in USADid you know that in some industries, more than 97% of production is done overseas. We find a similar pattern in the custom bag industry. It can be faster and less expensive to crank bags out overseas than to keep the production here in the USA, and everyone loves lower prices. Plus, it can be hard (or impossible) to source certain raw materials in the USA. These factors have typically add up to a more expensive bag, but it’s all the more reason why we’re extra excited to offer FIVE new, budget-friendly tote bags made in the USA!

Our USA made bags are typically higher-quality than comparable bags made overseas (notice we said comparable…check sizes and cotton weights to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples), and come with stories of the real-life people behind the bags (like our Tradewinds Custom Canvas Tote, which is made by people with disabilities).

While many of our clients who want USA-made bags know to expect to pay a premium, we also see that the made in USA “must-have” check-box is the first to go away when faced with budget limitations. But that’s changing…starting now! You CAN check off the USA box and keep your budget intact!  Continue reading →

What Do Recycled Bags with a Logo Mean to Us?

Uncategorized

Recycled bags with a logoDoes a new year mean a renewed interest in environmentally friendly marketing programs? We’ve definitely noted an uptick of clients interested specifically in recycled bags with a logo, and we’re hoping this is one trend that won’t fade away as the year progresses.

We take recycled bags very seriously around here. Sure, there are LOTS of bags with some teeny tiny small little percentage of recycled content. Some companies may claim them as recycled bags, which technically has truth to it. However, our conscious decision is to have our Recycled Materials bag category only contain bags that are primarily comprised of recycled materials. Continue reading →