A logo on a waterproof bag is not a printing job in the ordinary sense. The surface is a plastic film that flexes, gets wet, and is folded into a pocket. The method that works on a cotton tote will crack on a TPU pouch within a season. These are the three we run most, and what each one is good at.
Silk screen printing
Ink is pushed through a mesh screen onto the film and cured. It is the workhorse method for PVC and EVA: strong, opaque colour, good on large solid areas and simple line artwork, and the cheapest option once the screens are made.
The limitation is colour count. Each colour is a separate screen, so a four-colour logo is four setups. Gradients and photographic artwork do not reproduce. On TPU, standard inks need a primer or a different ink system to key to the surface, which affects cost.
Best for: one to three colour logos, large brand marks on dry bags and duffels, promotional volumes.
Heat transfer
The artwork is printed onto a carrier film and pressed onto the bag under heat. It handles full-colour work, gradients and fine detail that silk screen cannot, and it holds registration across small text.
The trade-off is durability under flexing. A transfer sits on the surface rather than in it, so on a pouch that is folded repeatedly along the same line, the edge of the transfer is where wear starts. Placement matters: keep transfers off the fold lines and away from the welded edge.
Best for: multi-colour logos, detailed artwork, small quantities where screen setup would be disproportionate.
Woven labels and rubber patches
A woven label is sewn on, and a rubber or PVC patch is welded or sewn on. Both give a raised, tactile brand mark that reads as a higher-value product, which is why they appear on retail dry bags and outdoor ranges.
Both add a component and a process step, so they cost more than printing and add a little to lead time. They also need a placement that the construction supports: a label needs a sewn seam to sit on, and a patch needs a flat panel to weld to.
Best for: retail ranges where the brand mark is part of the perceived quality, and bags that are sewn rather than fully welded.
What changes on TPU
TPU is the material that catches buyers out. It is a lower-surface-energy film than PVC, so inks and adhesives that work on PVC do not automatically bond to it. We test the ink system on the actual film before production rather than assuming the PVC artwork will transfer across.
If your range includes both PVC and TPU models, expect the print method to differ between them even when the artwork is identical.
What we need to quote it
- Vector artwork, or a high-resolution file at the print size.
- Pantone references for each colour.
- Placement and size on the bag, with a marked-up photo if possible.
- Which material the logo goes on.
Send those four and we will come back with the method, the setup cost and a sample in 3 to 5 days. If the logo is going on a catalogue model, the travel and accessory range has the most print-friendly panels.
