If you’re hosting a trade show, 5K, or any other big event, it’s a good idea to offer swag bags to the people who attend. After all, everyone loves going home with something cool!
You may be excited, but you still have to be careful not to go overboard when it comes to putting these bags together. There’s an art to filling up swag bags for a big event, and the trick is to ensure it’s never too heavy. You shouldn’t stuff too much stuff inside!
Follow these tips to keep you on track!
1. Choose Lightweight Bags
First things first, you need to select custom bags to fill that are already lightweight. They should be comfortable to carry, yet durable and large enough for everything inside.
Luckily, you have plenty of awesome options to choose from!
Microfiber or canvas are the best options. They have a low thread count, so you’ll have an easier time keeping down the weight.
2. No Books or Catalogs
When you’re moving to a new house, you don’t put a bunch of books in one box, right? The same goes for swag bags.
A stack of paper or a bunch of catalogs gets heavy awfully fast. In fact, the catalogs I received at a recent trade show clocked in at 2.35 pounds. Imagine that on your shoulder, walking around all day in a crowd of people. Definitely not comfortable.
Save the trees and hand out small promotional items or redeemable coupons instead.
3. Fill the Bags with Small Swag
People are not going to sweat the little things. They will sweat, though, if your swag bags are so full, even Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson would struggle to pick one up!
These branded promotional items are easy to carry and fun to receive:
Custom PopSockets
PopSockets™ are all the rage in this digital age! The best part is this fun accessory only weighs about 0.48 ounces according to Amazon.
Custom Lip Balm
Add a bit of flavor to your swag bag by throwing in some promotional lip balm. Standard Chapstick tubes weigh 0.14 ounces, while a stylish container, like an EOS egg, weigh about 0.24 ounces.
Custom Sunglasses
You can find a pair of custom sunglasses that fits any personality. They’re great goody bag items as most styles, from aviators to round framed, weigh between 0.5 and 1 ounce.
Custom Bottle Openers
Promotional bottle openers come in a variety of materials and shapes. They will weigh about 0.10 ounces if they’re made from metal and 0.05 ounces if they’re made from plastic.
Custom Stress Balls
If you want an item in your bags that’s as light as a feather, you can’t go wrong with custom stress balls. A stress ball typically weighs somewhere between 0.05 and 0.30 ounces.
Plastic Water Bottles
The average weight of a typical half-liter water bottle is about 0.34 ounces. It won’t be any heavier unless your guests fill it up and carry it around in their bags.
Phone Chargers
A portable phone charger or power bank will weigh next to nothing in your swag bags. In fact, a small USB port weighs roughly 0.50 ounces.
Promotional Pens
The original ballpoint pen invented in 1888 weighed 0.20 ounces. Pen design hasn’t changed much since then, which means this is a weightless gift to add to your bags.
You can buy all of these promotional items, put them in your swag bags, and they still won’t be a burden to carry! In fact, if you average out the ranges and add everything together, you’re looking at about 2.7 ounces total in each bag.
Now compare that to the catalogs mentioned earlier. The total combined weight of all these items is about 1/12th the weight of just the catalogs. And all that paper will just end up in the trash anyways!
Your guests are much more likely to appreciate small promotional giveaways like pens and sunglasses. They can use them after the event and won’t have to deal with painfully carrying around their bags.
4. Allow Room for More
Even after you fill your bags with promotional gifts, there should still be ample space for people to put in more and still not feel as though their arms are going to fall off.
This is especially true at community festivals and trade shows where a bunch of booths are present. However, it also holds true for events that don’t have displays.
There should at least be enough room in the bag for car keys and jackets!
Final Takeaway
A heavy duty bag can cause serious damage to your shoulders, back, and neck. The last thing you want is for someone to associate your event with pain and discomfort.
The long term effects of carrying a heavy bag potentially include:
- Cork
- Hemp
- Jute
- Organic cotton
- Polyurethane
- PVC
- Rubber
- TPE
- Vinyl
Take precautions and make sure your goodie bags aren’t tipping the scales. It’s as easy as sticking with the tips and tricks above!
And remember a reusable bag is always a good idea, especially if it’s lightweight and easy to carry. Not only is it better for the environment, but it will be used time and time again at the grocery store, beach, and everywhere in between!
Reach out to the team at Quality Logo Products if you have any questions about filling a swag bag!
Alyssa Mertes
Alyssa Mertes is an expert on branded swag. She's done it all, from uncovering the world's first custom tote bag to interviewing the designer who created AC/DC's logo. Her work has been featured on several podcasts and media websites.
