In February 2019, we printed 1,000 natural cotton tote bags for Pro Miikka Soivio ry, the support association for a Finnish parliamentary election campaign. The order used black printing on one side of each bag.
The design brought together a short line of text, a central graphic and a campaign hashtag. All three elements used the same ink colour, with the natural fabric visible between them.
The dark print stands out against the pale fabric. It covers both the solid hand silhouettes and the finer lettering, giving the design a consistent appearance across the front of the bag.
Using one colour keeps the relationship between the text and graphic straightforward. The difference in their size gives each part its own place in the layout.
Five hand silhouettes surround a star-shaped area of unprinted fabric. Above them sits the line "Ihminen edellä", while the campaign hashtag appears along the lower part of the bag.
The graphic occupies most of the printed area. The upper and lower lines remain separate from it, so the lettering does not compete for space with the central shape.
The project used a 38 × 42 cm tote made from 140 g/m² cotton, with long handles for carrying over the shoulder. Its natural colour provided the background for the black artwork.
The same bag can be printed with your own design. A simple layout like this leaves room for a large image and a short line of text.