Differences Between Woven & Non Woven Tote Bags

Personalized non-woven tote bags are an economical choice when it comes to advertising. But if you're not familiar with the terms "woven" and "non-woven," choosing the right kind of promotional tote bag might be a bit confusing. Both materials make great imprinted tote bags, but they are distinctly different. Each type has unique benefits and characteristics.

The "Woven" Tote
As its name implies, "woven" totes are made from fabric that has been woven. Weaving, of course, is the process of joining individual threads together at right angles to one another. Technically speaking, "warp" threads are laid out perpendicular to one another and a "weft" thread is run through them. Doing this over and over again creates one large piece of cloth.
There are all kinds of different weave styles. Most cloth is made using one of three main types of weaves: twill, satin weave and plain weave. Each style has its own advantages, and certain types of weaves are better suited for certain types of applications.
Any woven fabric has some basic common characteristics. The woven fabric is soft but doesn't overstretch, so it holds its shape well. Woven fabrics are stronger. These properties make them perfect for machine washing, and anything made with a woven cloth will stand up to the wash.
The "Non Woven" Tote
By now you have probably concluded that "non woven" cloth is fabric that is produced by some method other than weaving. In fact, "non woven" fabric can be produced mechanically, chemically or thermally (by applying heat). Like woven cloth, non woven fabric is made from fibers. However, the fibers are entangled together through whatever process is applied to them, as opposed to being woven together.

Non woven fabrics are versatile and have a much broader range of applications in industries like medicine. Non woven fabrics are commonly used in arts and crafts because they offer many of the same advantages of woven cloth but are less expensive. In fact, its economical price is one of the reasons that it is being increasingly used in the construction of tote bags. Its biggest disadvantage is that non woven cloth is not as strong as woven cloth. It is also less durable and will not stand up to being laundered in the same way that woven material will.

However, for applications like tote bags, non woven cloth is perfectly suitable. Though not as strong as regular cloth, it is still strong enough when used in a tote bag to carry moderately heavy items like books and groceries. And because it is significantly cheaper than woven cloth, it is more affordable for use by advertisers.

In fact, some of the personalized non woven tote bags we carry at Mickler are comparable in price to customized plastic shopping bags and make a nicer alternative to plastic bags.