Home / Guides / Drawstring bags vs tote bags: which style should you order in bulk?
Drawstring bags vs tote bags: which style should you order in bulk?
Both are fabric bags, both carry your branding, and both arrive by the thousand. But a drawstring pouch and a handled tote do different jobs, and buyers who pick on looks alone often end up reordering the other style a season later. This guide compares the two on the points that matter in a bulk order - carry, closure, print area, packing and typical use - so you can brief once and buy once.
The short version
- Drawstring bags are light, close with a pull cord and suit small goods, gift sets, favours and anything that benefits from a closed top.
- Tote bags are open, handled carry bags. They hold more, carry heavier loads and suit retail, grocery, books and events where the bag stays in use.
- If the product is small or given away, start with drawstring. If it is carried, start with tote.
How each style is carried
A tote carries on two handles, by hand or over the shoulder, and the open top makes for quick loading at a till or stall. A drawstring bag cinches closed on its cord and is usually carried by the cord, slipped inside a larger bag or handed over as a wrapped item. For something the customer carries all day, handles win. For something presented, stored or gifted, the cord closure earns its keep.
Closure and what it protects
The drawstring's closed top keeps contents together and out of sight - useful for gift sets, cosmetics, jewellery, coffee or anything small or loose. It also adds a small unwrapping moment, which is why gift and favour packaging leans on it; the wedding favour bags guide and the wine bottle bags guide cover two such uses. A tote's open top is faster to load and unload, and suits bulky or tall items that would fight a cinch cord.
Print area and branding
Both styles print well. A tote offers one large flat panel per side, which suits bold logos and detailed artwork. On a drawstring bag the usable print area sits below the cord channel, so designs stay smaller and simpler. The print methods guide and the print method picker tool walk through which technique suits which fabric and artwork.
Packing, storage and shipping
Drawstring bags are light and pack flat, so a carton holds more of them. Totes take more room once handles and hems are involved, and heavier fabrics add carton weight. Freight is quoted on packed cartons rather than loose bags, so ask for carton counts and packed weights with your quote - that keeps comparisons honest across styles and suppliers.
Typical uses
| Use | Style that usually fits |
|---|---|
| Gift sets, favours, small products | Drawstring |
| Wine and bottle gifting | Drawstring or carrier - see the wine bags guide |
| Retail and bookshops | Tote |
| Grocery and produce | Tote - see the reusable grocery bags guide |
| Events and giveaways | Either - drawstring for kits, tote for carry |
Getting the size right
Style first, then size. The drawstring bag size guide covers pouch dimensions by product type, and the tote size and GSM guide covers fabric weight and capacity. If you have the product dimensions at hand, the bag size guide tool gives a quick check.
Ordering
Whichever style you land on, the ordering path is the same: share fabric, size, print and quantity, approve a sample, then confirm the bulk run. The sample approval checklist lists what to check before you say yes. When you are ready, browse bulk drawstring bags or bulk tote bags and send your enquiry - your quote confirms fabric, size, print, quantity and price for your specific order.
Pick the bag for the job it does after it leaves your hands, and the order tends to be right the first time.