Labelling products

[Serveza]

For my final project in the graphic design program at my university, I have decided to create a tour that stops at four raves across the world. As a part of my deliverables, I am submitting a water bottle, a bottle of suntan lotion, and a bottle of anti-bacterial handwash in a backpack. All of these items have to be branded with my tour company's logo.

What I thought was I'd just get some clear plastic labels and use my inkjet to print on them and put them onto de-labeled containers. The only thing is the water bottle - I want one of those sturdy, reusable ones (not the recyclable ones) but they all have screenprinted logos on them already. Any suggestions of ones that don't have that, or how to remove such a logo?

For the backpack, I'm looking for high-quality iron-on labels as I have no idea how to use a silkscreen press and don't really have the time either. Any suggestions on a brand to use? I can probably find them in a supply store near me (I'm in the Toronto area).

Any help is appreciated. Also, if you know of places that would print directly onto products like these as one-offs, that would be wonderful. Thank you!

[PrintDriver]

You can buy generic plastic water bottles at any sporting goods shop (bike or hiking section). If you can't find one, come up with a creative way to cover one that is there (sign vinyl comes to mind). Or tell your story that the brand is a sponsor of your event. LOL. As for the suntan lotion or anti bacterial goop, check the travel-sample section of a store like Walmart that carries small empty unbranded containers for putting travel portions in. Usually the drugstore section.

Your backpack is problematic unless it is white. Most iron on material you can buy at Office Max has to transfer to a white material. The colors you print are not opaque and you can't print white. You may try googling to see if there is an iron on white fabric patch type material that will take inkjet printing. One where you peel off the back and iron it on.

One-offs are always expensive. And silk screening costs multiply with the number of colors you are using. Pay someone you go to school with to screen one for you. Even if you do screen print, if your backpack isn't a light color, you may have to underprint in white. That's an additional screen on top of all your colors.

PD is a grande format digital print dude. His advice/opinions may not apply to the 4color/offset/web world of printing

[uncle carbunkle]

water bottle - you can just get a powerade or gatorade one (they're quite thick) and spend some time scraping off the glue, or head down to mountain equipment co-op (http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=672909&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=121847&bmUID=1110202606352)(king & spadina) and get one of those ones. the only difference is that the mec one's are clean, but you don't get the powerade. :(

the back pack - depending on the material, you may be best to either a) print it with some of those ink jet t-shirt transfers onto some iron on 'patch' material for mending, (get them cheap around queen & spadina - fashion district) although they aren't very durable and the quality of the print transfer can be a bit suspect. what i would do is b) make a stencil and spray on the logo with spraypaint. how hot is that? use metallic spray. durable, pretty un-screw-up-able - just try it out on a few test swatches first.

hope that helps.

hey - where are you going to school? ocad? sheridan? international academy of art & design? devry? :) just curious.

::Don't call me Foreman, for I am your Boss::

[Drorain]

have you though of creating a patch to sew onto a bag. Not sure what embroidery costs, but might provide a better look

http://www.grivakisgraphics.com/images/img_logomark.jpg

"OH what a big man you are!...Let me buy you a pack of gum, I'll show ya how to chew it..."

~Al Pacino, Glen Gary Glenn Ross

[Serveza]

Thank you for the suggestions. I might go with the spraypaint idea, although I'm not sure about metallic. My logo is bright orange though, so it might work...

I'm in the York/Sheridan program actually :)

[Eraser Nubbin]

Do you mind me asking what you thought of that program? I booted out to Toronto to check you guys out, the commute between York and Sheridan turned me off a little, but the Sheridan itself seemed like a pretty spiffy school. Any comments?

Match in the gas tank, boom boom.

[uncle carbunkle]

cool. you've got some pretty spiffy lecturers there - soak that stuff up.

::Don't call me Foreman, for I am your Boss::