7 Mistakes to Avoid When Designing Tote Bags for Your Brand [+Pro Tips]

Are you thinking about creating custom tote bags to promote your brand?

It sounds simple, but once you dive in, you’ll realize there’s a lot more to it than choosing a cute design and hitting “print.”

In the rush to get products out quickly, many creators overlook small but critical details that can significantly impact the final result.

In this article, we will break down 7 tote bag business mistakes and show you how to avoid them so your bags turn heads for all the right reasons.

Top 7 Tote Bag Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

1. Using Low-Quality or Unsuitable Materials

The fabric you choose directly affects the bag’s durability, appearance, and how customers perceive your brand.

While it might be tempting to save money with thin or low-quality fabrics, flimsy totes that rip or fade quickly send the message that your brand cuts corners.

As the studies show, for 74% of customers, product quality is the most important factor in keeping them loyal to a brand.

To make your tote bags more durable, invest in high-quality materials like heavyweight cotton canvas or premium nylon, which offer strength, support heavier loads, and keep your design looking sharp over time.

Here is a breakdown of common tote bag materials, along with their pros, cons, and best uses:

2. Overcomplicating the Design

Your tote is a moving billboard, and people should grasp your message instantly.

When a design is packed with too much text, multiple logos, or clashing colors, it creates visual noise instead of delivering a strong impression.

Additionally, extra elements drive up production costs and increase the risk of printing errors, especially with complex details or multiple ink colors.

As designer Dieter Rams said, “Good design is as little design as possible.”

Here are some tips to help you create a simple but effective design:

• Keep messaging clear by using minimal text, clean patterns, and a limited color palette.
• Use one standout element, such as a logo, slogan, or website, to create visual focus.
• Place text on solid, simple backgrounds to keep it legible.
• Choose font sizes that are easy to read from a distance.
• Leave space around your design to make it feel balanced and professional.

💡 Tip

Consider the color palette and how it aligns with your brand.

For example, blue suggests trust and professionalism, green often represents sustainability or calm, and red brings energy or urgency.

Studying basic color psychology can be a smart way to choose colors that support your message and appeal to your audience.

3. Picking the Wrong Bag Size and Shape

Many new tote brand owners focus solely on graphics, overlooking the importance of physical design.

As a result, they create bags that aren’t customer-focused, too small to be useful, or too bulky to carry around.

For example, studies show that 76% of consumers prefer medium-sized totes for daily activities like commuting, library use, and light shopping

Recommended Tote Bag Dimensions

When choosing a size for your tote bag, think about:

• Who will be using it and for what purpose – Choose a size that fits into your customer’s daily routine, whether it’s commuting, shopping, or traveling.
• How comfortable the handles are to carry – Aim for strap lengths between 20 and 24 inches so the tote can be worn easily over the shoulder without discomfort.
• What items it needs to hold – Think about common carry items like laptops, groceries, or books, and make sure your tote can handle them.
• Which functional features matter most – Consider adding gussets, pockets, or closures to make the bag more convenient and user-friendly.
• Whether it actually works in real life – Always test a sample by loading it with typical items to make sure it meets your expectations before launching.

4. Using Hard-to-Read Fonts or Poor Typography

Typography may seem like a minor detail in tote bag design, but it has a direct impact on how your message is perceived.

You can have the boldest artwork or cleverest slogan, but if it’s hard to read, it won’t connect with your audience.

For example, a popular online retailer once printed the phrase “My favorite color is glitter” in a script font with poor letter spacing. From a distance, it looked like “my favorite color is Hitler.”

Here are common typography mistakes to avoid and how to fix them:

🔴 Text that’s too small – Tiny text can cause key information like your brand name or slogan to be completely overlooked. Use a font size that’s easy to read from a few feet away, especially for important messaging.

🔴 Poor spacing – Tight or uneven spacing can make letters blur together and confuse the reader. Always adjust spacing for clarity and test your design at actual print size.

🔴 Using overly decorative or fancy fonts – These may look stylish up close, but they often become unreadable from a distance or when the tote is moving.

Stick with clean, legible fonts like sans-serif or simple serif styles to keep your message clear.

🔴 Unbalanced text layout – Oversized or poorly placed text can throw off the entire design and make it feel clumsy. Aim for a layout that flows naturally and keeps the overall look clean and professional.

5. Neglecting Eco-Friendly Options

As people become more aware of environmental issues, their expectations of brands are changing.

Today, nearly 8 in 10 consumers say sustainability influences their purchasing decisions.

Tote bags are already a reusable choice, but that’s no longer enough. Eco-conscious shoppers are looking deeper: What’s it made of? How was it printed? Will it last?

Here are some eco-friendly tote bag design tips:

• Choose better materials – Opt for organic cotton, recycled fabrics, hemp, or jute. These reduce waste, avoid harmful chemicals, and send a clear message that your brand cares.
• Print responsibly – Use water-based or soy-based inks. They’re safer for the planet and for people handling them.
• Focus on durability – A well-made tote that lasts for years is far greener than a cheap one that rips in a month.
• Minimize packaging – Skip unnecessary wrapping or tags, and use recycled or recyclable materials. Less waste shows thoughtfulness and reinforces your sustainable message.

6. Skipping Mockups and Sample Testing

Jumping straight into production might seem efficient, but skipping mockups and sample testing can lead to expensive mistakes and customer disappointment.

Here’s how to test your design properly, step by step:

✅ Step 1: Start with a digital mockup

Before placing any orders, see how your design looks on a tote bag, not just on your computer screen. A digital mockup provides a realistic preview, helping you identify visual issues early.

To do this, you should:

• Use platforms like Dynamic Mockups or tools like Photoshop and Canva.
• Try your design on different bag colors, sizes, and styles.
• Check how your logo, text, and colors appear on the bag.

✅ Step 2: Order a physical sample

Even the best mockup can’t tell you how a design will feel or print in real life. A physical sample helps you check quality firsthand and avoid costly reprints.

When you receive your sample, look for:

• Print quality – Ensure the colors are accurate and the lines are crisp.
• Material – Confirm the fabric feels durable and aligns with your expectations.
• Construction – Check that the seams and stitching are clean, even, and securely done.

📌 Note:

If getting a physical sample isn’t an option, say you’re using a print-on-demand service or an overseas supplier, at least get a high-quality digital proof or product photo.

Always ask for:

• A high-resolution preview of your design on the actual tote.
• Details about placement, scale, and any adjustments made.

✅ Step 3: Don’t approve until it’s perfect

Only when you’re happy with your mockup or sample, give final approval for full production. Pause and inspect every detail one last time. Look for:

• Typos, especially on URLs or brand names.
• Misaligned or cropped design elements.
• Unexpected changes made during the proofing process.

💡 Pro Tip

Creating mockups one at a time wastes valuable hours and often leads to inconsistent results.

Instead, use tools like Dynamic Mockups’ Bulk Mockup Generator feature to create up to 100 mockups in just 10 seconds.

It’s perfect for testing your design across multiple product styles, colors, and angles, without wasting hours.

With this feature, you can:

• Generate mockups in seconds instead of spending hours manually creating them.
• Maintain visual consistency across all your products and variations.
• Preview every design before it goes live, so there are no surprises for your customers.

7. Underestimating Print Techniques

Not every printing method is compatible with every type of tote bag material.

Using the wrong combination can result in issues such as faded colors, cracked prints, poor adhesion, or an overall low-quality appearance.

Here’s how to pair each technique with the right fabric:

🟢 Screen printing – This method is perfect for bold designs with limited colors and offers excellent durability at a low cost.

It works best on natural fabrics like canvas, heavy cotton, and jute, but doesn’t adhere well to slick materials like nylon.

🟢 Heat transfer – Ideal for photo-quality images and vibrant, full-color designs, especially in small batches.

It works on cotton and polyester blends, though it may crack or peel over time, especially on thick or textured fabrics like canvas.

🟢 Embroidery – Offers a premium, textured look that’s perfect for logos and simple branding. Best suited for sturdy fabrics like canvas, leather, and heavy cotton, but too heavy for lightweight or stretchable materials like nylon.

🟢 DTG (Direct to Garment) – A great option for detailed, multicolor artwork and artistic designs.

It works best on 100% cotton and light-colored canvas but doesn’t perform well on synthetics or dark fabrics without a special underbase.

Conclusion

Now that you know the 7 biggest tote bag business mistakes to avoid, you’re well on your way to creating standout products that truly represent your brand.

However, to sell successfully, you must show your products in the best possible light. High-quality visuals help customers connect with your brand and imagine your tote bags in their daily lives, which builds trust and drives sales.

And when it comes to creating professional, eye-catching mockups, nothing beats Dynamic Mockups!

How Can Dynamic Mockups Help You?

Trusted by over 3,000 top brands and platforms, including Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, and Amazon, this user-friendly automated mockup generator is designed to help POD and e-Commerce businesses create high-quality visuals with ease.

With our Embeddable iFrame Mockup Editor, you can integrate our powerful mockup editor directly into your website so you and your users can create high-quality, professional mockups without ever leaving your platform.

Here are some of Dynamic Mockups’ features to help your store stand out:

✨ Explore our Mockup Library and discover a wide selection of popular and timeless designs for tote bags, T-shirts, hoodies, wall art, pillows, mugs, and more!

✨ Design Library keeps all your design files in one place, so you don’t have to waste time searching through folders or cloud drives.

✨ API Functionality

Create eye-catching Photoshop mockups in no time with our powerful API.

Just upload your designs, and our tool will generate high-quality mockups that align perfectly with your brand.

✨ Advanced Editing Tools

Elevate your designs with powerful yet easy-to-use features:

• Explore curated color palettes from Printful and Printify to find just the right shade.
• Add depth, texture, and character using Photoshop-style effects.
• Let the tool auto-adjust your design’s size and position for a perfect fit every time.

✨ AI Mockup Generator

Transform your product images effortlessly, without altering your original designs.

With the Dynamic Mockups AI Generator, you can create custom scenes and stunning backgrounds in just a few clicks, giving your visuals a polished, professional look.

How it works:

• Enter a description in the Background Prompt, and our AI will generate a beautiful, brand-aligned backdrop.
• Use the Negative Prompt to remove any unwanted elements for a clean, distraction-free result.

✨ Seamlessly integrate with eCommerce platforms like Etsy and WooCommerce.

Get started with Dynamic Mockups for free and create high-quality tote bag mockups to showcase your designs with confidence!

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