Each customer who walks out of your bookstore with a single-use paper or plastic bag costs you money. Instead, why not offer customers an environmentally friendly bag that will result in a profit, as well as provide additional marketing exposure for your store?

ChicoBag Company [4], the creator of unique, reusable, brightly colored bags, is now offering special volume discount pricing for custom bags to ABA members participating in the IndieBound program. ChicoBags come in two varieties -- "The ChicoBag Original," which carries up to 25 lbs., and "The ChicoBag Vita," which carries up to 40 lbs. They both compact easily into an attached pouch that fits in a pocket, backpack, or purse.

Custom ChicoBags are an excellent way to promote your business, help protect the environment, and show your commitment to social responsibility. For maximum exposure, the company will silk screen store artwork onto the integrated pouch and the main body of the bag, so that it is visible whether the bag is open or closed. A minimized version of the ChicoBag logo will appear in the lower right corner of the store artwork in matching ink, much like a trademark, to assure your customers of the bag's quality. The minimum order for co-branded bags is 500. The discounted price for a ChicoBag Original with an IndieBound logo starts at $2.95 per bag; pricing varies depending on the bag style, number of ink colors, etc.

Bookstores can select the bag's color from the ChicoBag Original or Vita color lines. Artwork can be printed in up to four pantone ink colors. For orders of more than 3,000 bags, custom colors are available.

All bags are machine washable and come with a one-year manufacturer's warranty. In addition, ChicoBag has partnered with nonprofit organizations to extend the life of its bags. A repurposing program transforms expired ChicoBags into rugs, placemats, and decorative bowls, ensuring the continued economic value of the material and helping to fund the nonprofit. (More information about ChicoBag's Zero-Waste Program is available on the company's website, chicobag.com [5].)

To place an order, or for more information, including pricing, ABA members should fill out the ChicoBag web form on BookWeb.org [6]. Information submitted via the form will go to ChicoBag's Chrystal Tunnell, who will work with booksellers to help choose styles, colors, logo designs, and more. Custom bags take about 12 weeks for delivery.