How to Start a Reusable Grocery Bag Company 

A reusable grocery bag business looks to supply durable and decorative grocery bags, designed for multiple uses, to help reduce the reliance on plastic grocery bags. As more consumers decide to ditch the plastic bags, options for reusable shopping bags will become more and more popular. Some stores already require customers to bring their own bags with them for their shopping experiences.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

Tailor Brands ($0 + State Fees)

Start a reusable grocery bag company  by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Reusable Grocery Bag Company 
  2. Form your Reusable Grocery Bag Company  into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Reusable Grocery Bag Company  for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Reusable Grocery Bag Company 
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Reusable Grocery Bag Company 
  7. Get Reusable Grocery Bag Company  Insurance
  8. Define your Reusable Grocery Bag Company  Brand
  9. Create your Reusable Grocery Bag Company  Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your reusable grocery bag company . These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Reusable Grocery Bag Company Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a reusable grocery bag company ?

When considering the costs to open and operate a reusable bag business, you’ll need to consider a few variables ahead of time, such as

  • The material the bags are made of
  • The graphic designs or printing on the bags
  • The size of the bags
  • The marketing and advertising dollars you’ll spend in the first two to three years
  • Creating an LLC or forming a corporation for your business
  • Securing insurance coverage for your business

You will also need to factor in the workers who will construct the bags, the sewing and printing equipment needed, and the shipping and distribution costs. Based on the number of DIY options available online, though, this can be a fairly low overhead business to get started. Equally, the business can operate successfully from a home location, as much of the work can be completed by a few employees to begin. A reasonable estimate would be between $5,000 and 8,000 for initial start-up.

What are the ongoing expenses for a reusable grocery bag company ?

Once your business is regularly manufacturing and selling bags, most ongoing expenses will involve materials, manufacturing labor costs, shipping/distributing, and marketing and advertising. This sort of business could operate for quite a while at a low overhead cost, which helps to maximize profits.

Who is the target market?

Your customer base will consist of consumers who consider themselves conscientious shoppers, wishing to do their part to reduce overall plastic consumption. Many of your customers will range between 20-35 years old, although there are customers across the spectrum who will be intrigued by a stylish bag appearance, as well as a quality, durable product.

How does a reusable grocery bag company  make money?

Selling reusable bags makes the majority of the money for this business. Because these bags are available in many forms and locations, you will need to create a brand that is different from other products, both in design and features.

How much can you charge customers?

Most reusable bags are fairly inexpensive, often in the $2-5 range, depending on the material and prints or designs.

How much profit can a reusable grocery bag company  make?

If you can partner with grocery or retail chains, they may boost your profits by buying bags in bulk. If you only sell directly to consumers, you may be able to charge more for customizable bags. Overall, a reusable bag business could pull in between $30-50,000 annually.

How can you make your business more profitable?

  • Offer unique or custom bag designs. Customers may even be able to upload their images to be printed on their bags.
  • Cooperate with other eco-friendly companies or organizations to promote various green solutions.
  • Find opportunities to network with organizations engaging in neighborhood clean-up efforts. Or, you can make your bags part of swag takeaways from popular local and regional events. Word of mouth is an excellent method of advertising.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your reusable grocery bag company  is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your reusable grocery bag company  were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

Ready to Turn Your Business Idea Into a Reality?

Tailor Brands is our top recommendation because it guides you through every step of the formation process with hands-on support — from paperwork and compliance to devising a detailed plan to help you achieve your business goals.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate an art consulting business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a reusable grocery bag company 

With more and more customers making the switch to reusable bags, much of your marketing will revolve around showing why your bags are better than the rest. Show off your designs. Develop an ad campaign that appeals to the ecological nature of customers and includes graphs indicating the positive effects of reusable bags. Social media can be an invaluable tool in sharing your company plans and initiatives. This is also where you will tap into individuals in the age range in which these products seem to matter the most.

How to keep customers coming back

Customers, especially the Millennial and younger generations, are often fairly socially active, themselves. Use this to your advantage by positioning your company as a leader in the movement to battle global pollution. Show your audience your business cares and is doing its part to improve the lives of all humans on Earth. In turn, make sure your company stays involved in programs that dedicate time and effort to cleaning up natural spaces and creating awareness as to how we can all make a difference.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Are you a creative person with a background in retail? Do you have a desire to help make an impact on the amount of disposable plastic entering landfills daily? Opening and operating a reusable grocery bag business offers a chance to show off both of your flair for design and your ability to promote change in society. Form and function are equally represented in this business model.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a reusable grocery bag company ?

This business offers owners the opportunity to show the world their artistic and graphic design skills. It is also a nod to social awareness and change. Therefore, most days will consist of producing new bag graphic designs, monitoring ongoing production numbers, and connecting with businesses and organizations who share your visions for plastic reduction. You will also spend time contacting regional and national grocery store chains and retail businesses to offer your bags as alternatives to plastics.

Since this is somewhat of a unique business, you will also need to spend some time marketing and promoting your bags and bag designs to consumers. A dedicated social media presence and use of online marketing techniques will be necessary to inform customers of your products. You may also be spending some time preparing and shipping orders of your reusables to stores and customers, alike.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful reusable grocery bag company ?

As mentioned previously, there are several outlets for acquiring reusable bags. Unfortunately, many are poorly made and deteriorate or break after a moderate amount of use. Furthermore, the designs are often cheap and represent an advertising campaign more than a reliable, long-lasting product.

Individuals who have experience in graphic, textile, or even clothing design will possibly have greater input on how to construct a longer-lasting, as well as more visually appealing, bag design. The products should cause customers to reach for them, instead of recoil.

Additionally, experience in advertising and marketing, as well as business finance, will give these business owners a leg up on the competition. Knowing how to get your product to stand out from the rest is also a critical factor in overall success.

What is the growth potential for a reusable grocery bag company ?

With more and more customers choosing paper or reusable bags over plastic bags currently, this type of business can become quite lucrative. Features, such as thicker material, zippered tops, extra external pockets, and interesting graphic designs will help propel your reusable bag company among consumers, as well as grocery stores and retail businesses.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a reusable grocery bag company ?

Entrepreneurs just starting their business should consider the following advice:

  • Conduct thorough market research and create a product equivalent or superior to the better quality competitors’ products.
  • Offer different designs to fit different personalities. Some like flashy, others may prefer simple, yet durable.
  • Partner with different stores to offer your bags in-store. Many retailers and grocery stores can significantly reduce their costs by eliminating plastic bags. Some charge customers for plastic bags when they don’t have their reusable bags. Reusable bags are a win/win.
  • Market to the right crowd. Seek out the socially conscious and aware audience and market heavily through social media and online.

How and when to build a team

With this sort of business, you may be able to get going with only a few team members. You’ll need to be hands-on yourself in order to get up and running. You may only need a couple of extra workers to help with production, at first. As the business grows, though, you can assign more workers to both the fabricating and printing, as well as marketing and advertising. Most small businesses look to remain solvent for at least the first two years before adding too many additional employees.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading