Bags & Boxes

With ChickeeBoom I always try to do everything I can by myself.  If I can save a buck and be able to control quality and production then I'm figuring out a way to do it. If I don't know how to do something, I just go to Google, find a video and start learning! YouTube can be your best friend in the world!
 
Lessons learned
When I first started ChickeeBoom, I ordered these really sexy bags. They were almost museum pieces. Beautiful translucent bags with my logo printed in the perfect matching PMS color.  I'm sure women are still using them to carry their lunches to work.
After careful price analysis (Holy heck!), I decided that I needed to go a different avenue the next time I ordered my bags. But I still wanted the custom-printed look and feel. So, you guessed it! I Googled "how to print my own bags - cheap" and began my journey of screen printing my own bags and boxes.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am NOT a master printer my any means. Just enough to get myself in trouble. But I wanted to share some of what I have learned to maybe give you a little inspiration and courage that you can do this on your own and make some really great-looking marketing pieces for your handcrafted works of art.

I purchased the YuDu Personal screen printing machine. I bought mine at JoAnn's Fabrics Several places carry them on-line at better prices as well - but you have to wait. I was able to make JoAnn price match a deal I found so I was able to get mine quickly and get to printing! I have also discovered the Michael's (at least the one near my house in Dallas) keeps a better supply of the screens and other supplies - but it could just be a really good store manager.
You can also watch the sales flyers. The Yudu is one of those items in the super-small print that doesn't qualify for the 40% coupons - but I think the big holiday 25% off your entire purchase coupons work on it and there are quite a few out there this holiday season.

If you get the Yudu machine make sure to do the tutorials. They are really good. My intention with this post is not to do a tutorial - but just to show you some things I've learned and to tell you "you can do it".

Tip #1

Figure out what items you want to customize. After many failed attempts, I have finally got a "master" screen that I can use for just about anything. It has my gift box, gift bag & T-shirt design. I used to try and go the cheap route and re-make my screens each time I wanted something new printed. Don't do this. Figure out what you want to print, what you want to print on and just buy another screen if you want to make some one-time prints (about $25 each - but soooo worth it!). Keep your master screen safe and sound.  If you are printing on paper, make sure to get the 220 screen. This refers to the size of the holes that the ink is pushed through to make your design. The smaller the holes the more clean the print. If you are printing a bunch of t-shirts, go with a screen with larger holes (smaller number). But for paper, 220 is the best bet otherwise your designs will look "mushy".

Tip #2
Mark your box or bag placement on the bed of the Yudu printer. This will make sure that all your printing is consistent.  I'm sure there are high tech ways to make this happen if you are doing a two or three color design. I recommend one-color for your bags & boxes and to just use some tape to mark your box corner for consistency. It looks a little hoopty but it's cheap and it works!


Tip #3
Be sure to "flood" your screening with ink. They go over this on the tutorial - but make sure to do it. It makes a difference in your ink coverage. Flooding the screen is an initial pass of spreading ink over the design before you lay down the screen onto the product. It ensures an even distribution of the ink on your design.



Tip #4
Drying your product. For a while I was laying bags and boxes all over my studio and then tip-toeing through the Chickee bags for hours while they dried. It never failed, a kid or a dog would wander through and leave a print of some sort on the bag. Then I discovered - it's not necessary. The ink is so thin when it's being spread through the screen holes that it really doesn't take long for it to dry. I stack my bags up the side of my table and by the time I print enough to take me to the top, I can start layering them from the bottom up again. You might get one or two bags that have a little ink that isn't dry yet - but it's so much easier and cleaner in the long run.

Similar thing for the boxes. Just stack them up alternating the placement by 45 degrees. Works prefect and it's kinda like a personal game of Jenga.






TIME and COST analysis
I buy my blank boxes from Uline.com - I have found they have the best selection, pricing and customer service (plus there is a warehouse in town in case of a bagging emergency!) I was able to get 100 craft jewelry boxes for $36.00. The ink was $7.99 for my ChickeeBoom blue (100% cyan) ink from Asel Art supply. I have used this same container of ink for about 2 years. It just goes and goes and goes.

Yesterday, I went out to my studio (shed in the back yard) at 4:45. I was able to print 100 boxes and 50 bags and be back in the house just finishing washing out the screen at 5:30 when my husband pulled into the driveway. I remember even saying to myself "holy crap, that was really fast!" I think that is what gave me the idea to write this post. To tell you that with a little prep work, this is really easy!

You can have AMAZING and professional looking marketing items for not a lot of money - and not a lot of time! The best part is the impression on your customers that we aren't able to measure with quick calculations.  The look on the customers face when I am able to box their purchase right there with quality (and expensive-looking) packaging that is ready for gift-giving is priceless. AND when I'm doing a show and I can see my printed bags moving about the show floor screaming my brand for all to see - well, that just rocks.