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Green Shopping Bag Designer/ Manufacturer

Nearly every store has a green shopping bag display now, right at the checkout lane. Many people bring their own however, and the green shopping bag industry is a wide open one to explore for the person, with the right skill set.

What Education or Skills Do I Need?

To be a green shopping bag designer, the ability or training to do graphic design is a plus. An artistic eye and the knowledge of green techniques are also important. You can't sell someone a green shopping bag that uses toxic materials or dyes, after all.

To be a manufacturer of green shopping bags you need to know the techniques of mass production, coupled with green practices or you will lose quality in the process. Making sure that your manufacturing facility, no matter what size it is utilizes green techniques is also very important.

What is the Target Market?

Everybody who is eco-conscious has a selection of green shopping bags, but many of them are fairly bland or strictly functional. For those who are ready for a little kick of color, would like a little more design appeal to their bag or are just in serious need of replacing their old ones will be looking for the right bag. Your design must be both, functional and attractive or you will find yourself only selling a bag or two and then failing.

What are the Risks?

If you are unable to find the right source for your raw materials, you will have to increase your prices. If you are unable to complete orders on time you will lose business. These are just some of the risks you might face. The person down the hall from you, may have an equally attractive design but has a friend in the garment district who can have ten of these bags knocked out in an hour when it takes you that long to do half. Competition may be fierce in some areas, meaning the price will be the final deciding factor. On the other hand, there may be no call at all for a designer green shopping bag when the local store sells them for a dollar at the register.

What is the Start up Cost?

You will need a facility, unless you are going to start small and work from your own home. Materials, dyes and fabric paints will be needed. Marketing costs should also be evaluated especially since you will have to advertise your product in places other than at the local stores who will view you as competition for their own shopping bags.

Why Should People Buy This Product?

Plastic bags do not decompose and are rarely recycled. Paper bags are not always made from recycled paper because the stores say that they are weaker. Using reusable, washable and heavy duty green shopping bags eliminates the need of having to choose between two fairly bad choices.

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