Filed under: Custom Made Creations
Customers often call in asking for suggestions to take their promotional or private label campaigns to the next level. It’s not unusual at all for our callers to say “I’m so glad I found you” or “your products are so different from whats out there.” And they look to us for ideas and inspiration to stand out from the rest. Who wants another boring imprinted pen or tote bag? Our customers don’t. If you do, you’re probably calling the wrong company.
One of the most common questions I get is, “how do I pull off the most creative and original idea, but on a limited budget?” Our suggestion is to utilize four color process printing (full color printing). Full color printing gives the opportunity to utilize as many colors as wanted and/or needed and the best thing is that there is only one set-up charge that covers all the colors (unlike silkscreen printing where you need to pay a set-up for each color screen made). Full color printing is like if you were using your regular conventional color printer at home—it can print full color logos, images, patterns, gradients, photo quality images, and so much more! There is no extra charge to do this since our machines are already set-up to print the spectrum of colors. There’s no long turn around time and most importantly, to our creative enthusiasts, no constraints on creativity.
So go ahead and be bold! Express yourself freely through color! It will definitely make your next promotional product campaign go from bland to grand. Here are some of my personal favorites in which you can fully customize the artwork with any full color design—by the way, if you need help with designing, give me a call. 
Posted by Lorena, Design Specialist
May 4, 2011
I have clients ask me every day about neoprene laptop sleeves, and why custom neoprene sleeves are such a good choice for a promotional giveaway or corporate gift. Neoprene has become a more and more popular material used in laptop sleeves, iPod covers, and surfer’s wetsuits. Even high-end designers like Balenciaga, Lanvin, Vera Wang, and Pierre Hardy have used neoprene in their collections, but no one seems to know exactly what neoprene is!
Neoprene is a highly innovative material that is most commonly known for use in bodysuits or wetsuits for surfing and other water sports. It’s thick, washable, soft, and waterproof. Neoprene can even be twisted and pinched and not lose its shape or have weird stretch lines in it like plastic or leather. The reason surfers use it is because it can hold your body’s temperature for hours, so they can stay in the cold water for longer periods of time without getting hypothermia.
Neoprene was invented just a few weeks before nylon in the 1930’s by DuPont Performance Elastomers through a corporate research project. This was the first ever, successfully made synthetic rubber in history! Polychloroprene is the technical name for neoprene. Originally, it was used for automotive parts like fan belts, and other industrial applications like hoses and tires. During World War II, ALL of the neoprene in the U.S. was sent to help with war efforts. Neoprene is a tough material and it can stand up to water, oils, solvents, heat and is even somewhat resistant to fire.
So why make a laptop sleeve out of it? A custom neoprene laptop cover is the perfect promotional giveaway! The material is thick, protective, and it oozes sophistication due to its high quality –which means the laptop sleeve won’t go to waste because people will actually use it. Neoprene laptop cases are versatile and can even stretch up to 0.5” to fit different size laptops. We recently added a wide selection of new neoprene laptop cases and other custom neoprene products to our site and they can be imprinted in a variety of methods, including full color sublimation, screen print, heat transfer, deboss, and embroidery.
Posted by Cathy, Sales & Marketing Coordinator
December 15, 2010
Most of us are somewhat familiar with the idea of embroidery or silkscreen for custom imprinted bags. A less familiar term is dye sublimation, another method to imprint your logo or custom design on corporate apparel, sports team uniforms, totes, bags, make up cases, and anything polyester, neoprene, and a plethora of other textile options. The cool thing about sublimated print and what sets it truly apart is that you can imprint 4 color process and all over design on any tote, bag, or t-shirt.
Although the term may seem foreign, you’ve probably seen these bags in all the major stores like Macy’s, Lucky Brand, GUESS, and so much more. Sublimation is one of the best imprinted methods to get a full color designs on a t-shirt or tote bag, without having to pay for each and every color (like you do with silkscreen process). You pay for one set-up charge and it covers all colors in your all over print designs.
Technically speaking, sublimation works like this: using a special machine for sublimation printing, the heated sublimation inks become a part of the fabric’s molecules and there is no smearing once transferred. The inks are created to vaporize at certain high temperatures rapidly, transforming from solid to gas quickly and bypassing the liquid phase, so that fine detail and brilliant color can embed seamlessly on soft polyester or poly-coated products. This is how photo quality, complex imprints are printed on custom mugs, t-shirts, and cosmetic bags. And if you were to run your fingers across the fabric, you would feel nothing as the inks become part of the fabric.
After the item cools down from the sublimation process – it is completely ready to be used! These fabrics can be washed 50 times and still have great color! The only thing that fades these inks is extended exposure to sunlight, but there are special coatings to extend the life of the imprint when exposed to UV rays (usually for promotional beach bags or outdoor apparel).
In order to achieve the best heat transfer, the heat press should be at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and sometimes lower depending on the product.
Sublimation printing works best on 100% polyester apparel, cosmetic bags, and totes. Polymer coated substances, such as some mugs and coasters work very well too. To achieve a vintage look on your custom dye sublimation product, you should use a poly-cotton blend t-shirt. You also need to keep in mind that sublimation ink only shows up on white or light colored apparel, rather than dark colors like black or navy. Pretty much, the ink must be darker than the fabric to sublimate well.
We LOVE custom sublimation because it offers the greatest room for creativity. Set-up is a little more expensive. Where as silkscreen printing is only $25 or $35 per color, dye sublimation is usually over $150. However, if you think about how much it costs to imprint 4 colors in silkscreen, it’s pretty comparable. Plus, sublimation is the only way to get that photo quality all over print design onto a tote bag or t-shirt. Here are our favorite personalized sublimated bags:
Posted by Cathy, Sales & Marketing Coordinator
November 11, 2010
What are these soybean candles all about anyway? With the widespread consciousness of using sustainable, earth-friendly products, soy candles are the choice for savvy consumers who want a better smelling candle, one that lasts longer, burns smoother, and is made from all natural soy wax. (Our soy candles in particular are American grown, sustainable, and carbon neutral.)
So what’s the skinny on soy vs. traditional paraffin wax candles? Besides being eco-friendly and grown on American soil, soy candles on average burn 50% longer, produce little to no soot while burning, are non-toxic, and their scent reaches farther and emits stronger fragrance than traditional promotional candles made of paraffin wax. If you think about how much is spent on $5, $10, and $15 traditional candles that promise to produce good quality fragrance but then falls short, one can easily see that the investment in soybean candles is well worth the cost.
Did you know that our candles are poured after you place the order? That’s how we can offer such a plethora of wonderful fragrance options and you can be assured that you’ll get fresh candles to giveaway to your customers and partners.
Here are our favorite, hand-poured, all-natural custom made soy candles perfect for any promotion or event:
Personally, I only give out soy candles as gifts to my friends and family because I know with soy, no matter which brand I go with, they will always smell fabulous. Now if you are looking for a really premium candle to give as a corporate gift or spa treat (like something you would find in a high end hotel), I recommend Seda France’s Custom Luxury Candle Gift. Lifestyle guru, Colin Cowie, recommended these candles as the “perfect gift” on Oprah and Martha Stewart has also featured them as “the gift of luxury.” These candles burn for 40 hours and are hand poured in the USA. The packaging is extremely premium with a wide selection of box and ribbon options. Recently we did a promotion of 100,000 pieces for a Gift With Purchase program for a nation-wide retail chain and it was one of their best promotions to date.
Posted by Amanda, Marketing Associate
October 20, 2010
We are amongst such giants as the iPad, smart phone, and laptop computer but I’m willing to bet that somewhere on the cluttered desk next to the Macbook there’s an old fashioned paper notebook with all kinds of interesting tid bits in it. Why are notebooks and journals still in use when we have such amazing technology at our fingertips, you ask? The truth is that notebooks still satisfy certain desires that all the technology in the world can’t and never will. Notebooks are inexpensive, multi-functional, extremely tangible and durable, and channel creativity in a way that can’t be matched.
For example, my smart phone and laptop computer both pale in comparison to the mini Moleskine day to day planner that is kept in my purse for quick jotting and note taking. I don’t know about you, but I happen to have the short term memory of a gnat, therefore my pocket notebook does more than come in handy, it’s a life saver!
My number one reason for owning a journal is for the feel of it! Yes, I could easily log my daily thoughts in a tidy file on my computer but it just doesn’t feel the same as having a pen in hand and scribbling my thoughts down as they come. There’s a sense of self expression that one gets from writing that can’t be replicated. Not to mention the fact that while the use of phones and computers is prohibited in some settings, notebooks and journals conveniently are not.
For these reasons, you’ll never see a customized notebook or journal go out of style. It will always be one of the top promotional products to give away because it is perfect for an executive gift, a sales person, a professional, a nurse, a student, a doctor, a mom, a teen, a meeting attendee… you get the idea. 
And if you choose an exciting look and feel, you can bet your logo will be seen and recognized daily on your custom notebook or journal.
This brings us to the next question, what type of promotional notebook will be the most loved and widely used? Small compact notebooks, sizes 4×6 or the most popular 5×7 are easy to carry and extremely popular since they can be used for jotting notes, brainstorming, making lists, and as a pseudo day planner. Full size notebooks are more formal and give you greater area for a cool design. The material selection is essential since you want something that will stick around for as long as possible. Leather (or leatherette), vinyl, and polypropylene are popular. However, eco friendly notebooks made of recycled paper and organic inks are gaining popularity and may be the way to go.
Finally you’ll need to decide on a type of binding. There are quite a few to choose from such as spiral, comb, sewn, clasp, pressure, and perfect bound. Personally I’m a big fan of spiral bound notebooks. Being that I am left handed I find them to be much more efficient. It’s more comfortable and I’m able to use the entire page instead of one fourth of it! Spiral notebooks are also more convenient in that they have built-in pen holders. Although, spiral or bound, nowadays there are hundreds of custom notebooks and journals that include a pen look or a built-in pen holder feature to make your next promo journal or notebook completely functional.
Here are a few of our most popular notebooks and journals:
Posted by Amanda, Marketing Associate
October 19, 2010
We are so excited to announce the launch of our new Custom Made Creations (CMC) line! This line is specifically designed so that you can get exactly what you want, on time, and at a competitive price. We know that some events, promotional giveaways, personalized client gifts, and private label collections require completely custom products to make them perfect – sometimes the stock options just don’t cut it. But when the sky is the limit, the options can be a bit overwhelming. CMC gives you the perfect place to begin!
Our CMC line breaks this entire process down into 4 simple steps that will take you from concept to completion:
Step 1: Select an idea. Choose from a variety of product options to select a general concept for your Custom Made Creation.
Step 2: Define material, shape, size, style, pattern/imprint, and colors. Once you have a product idea, you get to do the creating!
Step 3: Approve mock-up. After you’ve put the finishing touches on your Custom Made Creation design, we’ll create a virtual mock-up for you to approve. That way, we’ll be sure that we understand your vision!
Step 4: Ideas come to life. After you approve, production begins! Depending on the product you have designed and the quantity you need, we will have your order to you within 4 weeks for most orders! Only the very high quantity ones (in the thousands) would require a couple of months lead times.
The options are limitless with our new CMC line: custom bags and totes, custom leather merchandise, promotional jewelry and key chains, books, journals, notebooks, spa and beauty items, housewares, and so much more! And with our Custom Made Creations program, you can be sure to get high quality materials with excellent construction.
With each order, you receive first a virtual mock-up and then upon approval, a prototype to approve where you can touch and feel your custom made product. Our easy, streamlined process will ensure that your design is clearly understood prior to production, so you can rest easy knowing that your full run order will produce exactly the way you want.
Our Custom Made Creations line makes designing and producing completely custom products simple! Here are a few ideas of what we can do to design your own custom made products:
Posted by Amanda, Marketing Associate
October 7, 2010
Custom made cosmetic bags are one of the most successful promotions for women and teens, young and old. Lancome, Clinique, and most of the major brands give them as Gift with Purchase and no matter how many you have, you just can’t pass by a cute designer cosmetic bag. (That’s how you know as a marketer, it works!)
Signature cosmetic bags and travel make up bags are a great way to get your brand in front of customers and potential buyers. Custom made cosmetic cases make great corporate gifts for employees or clients, giveaway items at trade shows or expo’s, wedding favors for bridesmaids, branding/marketing items to promote your business, fundraisers such as church groups and non profit fundraisers for women’s groups like breast cancer or ovarian research, and as mentioned above, a really great Gift with Purchase program that never gets old!
Most importantly, these promotional make up bags are one of the most easily customizable and inexpensive products to produce.
The most important thing to keep in mind when creating a designer bag is the material and the color. Why? Because the goal is to get your bag used and adored daily. The cosmetic bag’s goal is to become a “best friend,” an item that your recipient takes along with her wherever she goes! We recommend choosing a fashion-forward (non-traditional) material, which doesn’t necessarily mean that you are required to pay more. In fact, sometimes you can find more cost effective options choosing a trendy fabric or combining different fabrics together.
For example, some avant-garde materials are patent leather, quilted satin, cotton canvas, organic cotton canvas, genuine leather (premium faux leather is OK too) or neoprene, one of our most cutting-edge materials (it’s made of a surfer’s bodysuit material, which is very durable, washable, and ultra cool.)
The next step in the process is choosing the right pattern. Think of your logo or design, then think of the recipient. Do you want it feminine, sophisticated, fun, darling, funky, or unisex? Do you want solid colors or prints? You may also consider using two fabrics to achieve a catchy two-tone design, which is a great way to make your bag stand out amongst others. The icing on the cake in my opinion is the interior of the bag. Adding a satin liner that contrasts the exterior color is a simple way to give the bag more of a luxurious feel. Often times we can even do a classic step-and-repeat of your logo making your custom cosmetic case feel premium with a unique, signature liner which can be seen with many high priced designer bags nowadays.
Finally, if a simple bag is what you have in mind then think of a (very creative or visionary) imprint or logo to use that will give the your bag that stylish and inspired look. Using one or two imprint colors keeps your costs low but if you make the design more fashionable, it will be the most bang for your buck therefore the recipient will probably like it more and use it frequently.
Posted by Amanda, Marketing Associate
September 30, 2010
With the increasing demands and pace of daily life, the need for more getaways and personal pampering is on the rise. For health, wellness, spa, and personal care focused companies looking to promote and market their products and services, we know that pens and coffee mugs just won’t cut it. And for resort-themed events, like retreats and exclusive parties, finding spa and beauty promotional products can be down right challenging.
Luckily, Femme Promo has a wide selection of spa and beauty promotional merchandise with top products like custom imprinted cosmetic bags and candles. Here are some of our top sellers:
For more personal care related items, we feature custom imprinted mirror compacts, lip balms, chapstick, promotional manicure sets, lotions, and so much more!
Click here to visit our unique and stylish collection of Beauty & Spa related promotional products. For unique signature packaging, resort towels, robes, and custom spa sets, our Custom Made Creations program can offer unique solutions to fit almost any product or packaging needs.
Posted by Melissa, Marketing Associate
February 24, 2010
Bags, totes, and cosmetic pouches are among the most popular and most customizable promotional products our there. Corporations hand them out, trade show booths are filled with them, and everyone is familiar with the gift with purchase cosmetic bags that companies like Clinique and Lancome offer. There are 2 ways to create a custom bag campaign. The first option is to choose from a pre-existing selection of cute, designer bags and totes. This is referred to as “stock bags” because we already have the bags readily available in stock, and we are able to easily imprint or embroider, within certain parameters, upon request.
The second option is to create your own bag from start to finish, with your choice of colors, fabrics, dimensions, and design. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for in the stock bags, this option gives you the ability to create the perfect bag from scratch! In the design process, you’re able to pick and choose the color that matches your brand perfectly, the dimensions that are the most functional, the material that ties it all together, and a number of other design details to make your bag exactly what you want.
Stock bags are slightly more cost effective, approximately $0.20-$1.50 cheaper per bag, depending on the bag. However, they are not necessarily faster to produce, as many people tend to believe. Because we produce custom bags domestically, they can be completed within 2-3 weeks! Creating a custom bag with your own signature design can be very rewarding and, of course, fun! It’s definitely worth paying a little extra to have the perfect bag.
Check out some of our custom bag projects below. Take notice of the variety – the sky is the limit! We can do allover imprints, make use of different fabric patterns, include unique details, and much much more!
Posted by Melissa, Marketing Associate
February 10, 2010
There’s nothing better than getting exactly what you want…well, maybe except for coming up with a brilliant idea and then getting exactly what you want. When you have a particular item in mind, you probably have it down to the exact color, material, shape, and size. As you begin Googling, you start realizing what a daunting task it is hunting for your vision, yet anything less than perfect is just plain disappointing. This especially rings true when you’re searching for a particular item that matches your company’s brand message and style guide. Companies spend countless hours fine-tuning their brand with the perfect strategy and design language, and the same scrutiny is required when designing private label merchandise. What good is a private label handbag if the color is “off” when it sits beside the rest of the collection, the style doesn’t appeal to the target audience, or the material is lacking in quality? Nine times out of ten, you might be able to find a bag that is close to what you’re looking for, but it may be mission impossible to find one that fits all of your criteria. Don’t settle, there are options out there that so many are surprised to find out about and yes, they are affordable!
When you create a custom signature product that represents your brand, you are making a bold statement, and you need an item that your company will stand behind. The strength of a signature piece is the full alignment with your brand and brand strategy. Signature pieces are used for many purposes, including reselling, gift with purchase, promotional give away, events marketing (e.g., themed events), corporate gifts, and many more. For each purpose, the signature piece exudes quality, meaning, you didn’t opt for the more affordable standard, stock bag. You are a visionary, creating a signature, one-of-a-kind creation. (Go you!)
So what’s the hesitation? Why not create a signature piece? The usual culprits are price, time limitations, and finding a reliable source. Most of our customers are surprised to find out that many of our items don’t take 12+ weeks, but can actually be produced in 2 to 4 weeks. Another big surprise is that we custom produce original products within the U.S. for many items, so you don’t have to wait for the cargo to dock at the ports and for customs to clear your merchandise. Of course, we go overseas when we have to, especially for large quantity orders, but both our options (domestic and overseas production) have produced some of the most innovative, original pieces for well known brands such as: American Express, Disney, Time Warner, Saks Fifth Avenue, etc. Our price and quality must be exceptional to please these leading brands. And to minimize risk for you, we have check points along the process, such as creating mock-ups, prototypes, and sending you samples and swatches so you can see, touch, and feel your way through the process of getting exactly what you want.
The bottom line is this: our customers are frequently surprised at how easily and effortlessly creating a signature piece is, and that it’s not significantly more expensive than opting for a standard, stock piece. If you are looking to achieve an exact look, create high perceived value, and/or make a bold statement in a very specific way, consider custom manufacturing a private label bag, key chain, notebook, jewelry piece, or houseware item. Contact us for a quote or to get answers on how easily it can be done.
Posted by Melissa, Marketing Associate
December 17, 2009
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