Purple, Violet or Plum Tote Bags: Which One to Print On?
Purple is one of the colours that makes people stop and look at a tote bag.
It is not as safe as navy or black, and not as loud as red or yellow. It sits somewhere in between, and that is exactly why so many brands, shops and event teams like it.
But once you decide on purple, the next question comes quickly. Purple, violet, plum, lavender, magenta, or dusty purple- which one should you actually print on?
Short answer: choose classic purple or violet purple if you want a clear, confident colour with a white print, plum purple if you want something darker and more elegant, and lavender purple or dusty purple if you want a soft, calm look.
All five classic shades cost the same, from €8.67 per bag at 25 pcs with a one-colour print, excl. VAT.
In this guide, I go through every purple bag we have, what each shade looks like, which print colours work on it, what it costs, and who usually picks it.
- Which purple tote bags can you print on?
- Purple, violet or plum: what is the difference?
- Which print colour looks best on a purple bag?
- Which purple suits your business?
- How purple bags look in photos
- Does the fabric weight change the colour?
- What do purple tote bags cost?
- Can you mix purple shades in one order?
- A real order: 100 purple bags for Copenhagen
- How to order purple tote bags
- Why purple feels special: a short history
- Frequently asked questions
Which purple tote bags can you print on?
We have six purple shades in stock, plus two violet bags from other ranges.
Five shades are in our classic cotton tote bags: the 140 g/m² bag with long handles, measuring 38 × 42 cm. They are Purple, Violet Purple, Plum Purple, Lavender Purple, and Magenta Purple, and they all share the same price.
The sixth shade is Dusty Purple, which comes in a heavier Fairtrade organic twill bag of 210 g/m². It starts at 50 pcs, not 25.
Here is a quick overview of how the shades differ.
| Shade | How it looks | Print colours that work well | Often chosen by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purple | A clear, medium purple | White, yellow, light pink | Shops, events, music and culture |
| Violet Purple | Purple with a cooler, bluer tone | White, silver grey, light yellow | Tech, education, conferences |
| Plum Purple | A deep, dark purple with a hint of red | White, gold yellow, light pink | Boutiques, wine, autumn and winter |
| Lavender Purple | A light, soft purple | Dark purple, navy, black, white | Weddings, beauty, baby and spring events |
| Magenta Purple | Purple leaning towards pink | White, black, light yellow | Fashion, beauty, festivals |
| Dusty Purple | A muted, greyish lavender | White, dark purple, black | Eco brands, design studios, gifts |
The descriptions are how the colours read in daylight, and every screen shows them a little differently.
If the exact shade matters, look at the product photos side by side before you decide.
The clear, medium purple, with long handles and a print area for your logo.
A purple with a bluer tone, calm and modern.
A deep purple that looks elegant with a light print.
Purple, violet or plum: what is the difference?
The names sound almost the same, but the bags look quite different next to each other.
Purple is the middle of the family. It is the shade most people picture when they say "a purple bag", strong enough to be noticed but not as bright as a pink.
Violet sits closer to blue. On a bag, it reads as cooler and a little more serious, which is why it often works for companies that already use blue in their branding.
Plum sits closer to red and brown. It is darker, warmer, and quieter, and many people see it as the most elegant of the purples.
Lavender is the light version, with a lot of white mixed in. It feels soft and fresh, and it pairs beautifully with darker print colours.
Magenta Purple leans towards pink, and if you are torn between pink and purple, our post on fuchsia vs magenta bags explains how the pink side of the family behaves.
In short, the more blue, the cooler the bag, and the more red, the warmer it feels.
Which print colour looks best on a purple bag?
White is the safest print colour on almost every purple bag.
On Purple, Violet Purple, Plum Purple and Magenta Purple, a white logo stands out clearly and looks clean in photos. I recommend it if your logo has thin lines or small text.
Yellow and gold tones are the bold option. Purple and yellow sit opposite each other on the colour wheel, so a yellow print on a purple bag really pops, and on plum a warm gold yellow looks rich rather than loud.
Light pink is a softer contrast that works well on purple and plum. It feels friendly and a little playful, which suits shops, cafés and beauty brands.
On the light shades, turn it around. Lavender Purple and Dusty Purple need a darker print, such as dark purple, navy or black; otherwise the logo disappears.
A dark purple print on a lavender bag is also a lovely way to do tone-on-tone, and our post on tone-on-tone tote bags shows why that quiet look feels so elegant.
Avoid dark navy or black on plum, because the contrast is too low and the logo can look muddy from a distance.
If you want more help with print colours in general, our guide on how to choose print colours for your tote bags goes through it step by step.
One more tip: a full-colour logo also works on purple, but the bag colour can shine through light parts of the design.
For a colourful logo on a dark bag, the full-colour printing guide explains how a white base layer keeps the colours bright.
A soft, light purple that looks best with a dark print.
Which purple suits your business?
The right shade depends less on taste and more on where the bag will be used.
Shops and boutiques
For a shop bag, plum purple and classic purple are the strongest choices.
Plum looks expensive with a white or gold print, which suits boutiques, bookshops, wine shops and concept stores. Classic purple is more cheerful and easy to spot on the street.
A shop bag is carried for years, so pick the shade that matches your shop sign or your interior.
Events and conferences
At events, a purple bag stands out in a sea of natural and black bags.
Violet purple and classic purple both photograph well under stage light, and a large white logo is visible from across the room. If your event has a theme colour, match the bag to it and print the logo in white.
People find their own bag faster when it is not the same as every other bag in the cloakroom.
Weddings
For weddings, lavender purple and dusty purple are the usual favourites.
Both are soft enough for a spring or summer palette, and a dark purple or white print with the couple's names looks delicate. If you are still deciding between colours, our post on white, natural white or coloured wedding tote bags can help.
For autumn weddings, plum is a beautiful alternative.
Schools, universities and clubs
Many schools, student groups and sports clubs already have purple in their colours.
For them, violet purple or classic purple with a white crest is a natural fit. The bags are light, easy to fold and cheap enough to give to every new student or member.
The same bag also works for school shops and open days.
Beauty, wellness and fashion
Magenta purple and lavender purple suit beauty and fashion brands best.
Magenta feels lively and modern, and lavender feels calm and clean. Both look good on social media, where so many beauty brands sell.
Pick the one that sits closest to your packaging.
A muted, greyish lavender in a heavier organic twill.
How purple bags look in photos
Purple behaves a little differently on camera than in real life.
Bright, medium purples like Purple and Violet Purple often look slightly bluer in photos taken in shade or under cold office light. In warm evening light, they move towards red.
Dark plum can look almost black in a dim room, so a white or gold print really helps the bag keep its shape in pictures.
Lavender and dusty purple photograph softly and look lovely outdoors, but they can lose some colour in very bright sun.
If your bags will end up on Instagram or in event photos, a strong contrast between bag and print is worth more than a perfect shade match.
That is also why I suggest a white print on most of the darker purples.
Does the fabric weight change the colour?
Yes, a little, and it is worth knowing before you choose.
Our classic purple bags are 140 g/m², a light and soft cotton. Light cotton lets a bit of light through, so the colour can look slightly brighter when you hold the bag up.
The Dusty Purple bag is 210 g/m² organic twill. Twill has a fine diagonal weave, which gives the colour more depth and a more matte, quiet look.
We also have a Violet Purple cotton tote bag with logo print in 140 g/m², and a violet bag of 200 g/m² for buyers who want a slightly thicker bag in that shade.
Our guide on cotton bag weights explains what each weight means for strength and feel.
For most logo bags, 140 g/m² is perfectly fine, and for a gift or a shop bag that should feel more premium, a heavier bag is worth the extra cost.
What do purple tote bags cost?
All five purple shades in the classic range have the same price, so you can choose the colour freely.
Here are the prices per bag with a one-colour print, excl. VAT, as shown on the product pages today.
| Bag | 25 pcs | 50 pcs | 100 pcs | 200 pcs | 500 pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic tote 140 g/m² (Purple, Violet, Plum, Lavender, Magenta) | €8.67 | €5.47 | €3.87 | €3.09 | €2.48 |
| Violet Purple tote with logo print 140 g/m² | €8.04 | €4.71 | €3.17 | €2.58 | €2.06 |
| Dusty Purple organic twill 210 g/m² | not available | €9.90 | €9.17 | €8.67 | €8.35 |
The jump between 25 and 50 pieces is pretty big.
For example, 25 classic purple bags cost €216.75, while 50 cost €273.50. That is only €56.75 more for twice as many bags.
At 100 pieces, the classic purple bag costs €387.00 in total, and the Violet Purple tote with logo print costs €317.00, so it is the cheaper violet if you need 100 or more.
A second print colour adds a little to the price: 100 classic purple bags with a two-colour print cost €4.52 each instead of €3.87.
Delivery within the EU is free, and VAT is added at checkout depending on your country.
For a full overview of how quantity, print and fabric change the price, see our post on what sets the price of custom printed tote bags.
Can you mix purple shades in one order?
Each purple shade has its own product page, so each shade is ordered and priced on its own.
That means 50 plum bags and 50 lavender bags are priced as two orders of 50, not as one order of 100. Because the price per bag drops with quantity, one shade is usually cheaper than two.
If you really want two shades for the same event, for example lavender for guests and plum for the team, write to us before you order, and we will check what is possible.
A good alternative is one shade with two different print colours, which keeps the look varied and the price low.
A real order: 100 purple bags for Copenhagen
In September, a company in Copenhagen ordered 100 purple bags on our website.
They chose the classic Purple tote in 140 g/m² with a one-colour print on the front. Their logo arrived as a PNG file, so we made a vector version and sent it to them to check.
They approved it the same day and asked when the bags would arrive. They needed them before 7 October, so we planned for the bags to leave the print house by 2 October, in good time.
What I like about this order is how simple it was: one colour, one bag, one clear logo.
It is also a good example of why we always send a proof first, so you see exactly how your logo will sit on the bag before anything is printed.
Purple was the right call for them, because nobody mistakes a purple bag for someone else's.
How to order purple tote bags
Ordering is the same for every purple shade.
- Choose your shade on the product page, and look at the photos side by side if you are unsure.
- Choose the quantity, from 25 pcs for the classic bags and from 50 pcs for the twill and 200 g/m² bags.
- Choose the number of print colours, or full colour if your logo has many colours.
- Upload your logo, ideally as a vector file (AI, EPS, PDF or SVG), and if you only have a PNG or JPG, send it anyway and we will help.
- Approve the digital proof that we send you by email before anything is printed.
- Receive your bags at your office, shop, hotel or venue.
Production and delivery typically take 10 to 15 working days from artwork approval, or we adjust to your desired delivery date.
We deliver to most countries in Europe, and you can see the details in where we deliver custom printed tote bags.
If you have a fixed date, add it in the date box in the cart so we can plan around it.
Why purple feels special: a short history
Purple has a long reputation as the colour of luxury, and there is a reason for that.
For centuries, purple dye was rare and very expensive to make, so purple clothing was something only the richest people could wear. That is where the link between purple and royalty comes from.
Everything changed in 1856, when an 18-year-old student in London, William Perkin, tried to make a medicine and accidentally made a purple dye instead. His mauve became the first commercial synthetic dye, and you can read the story of mauve at the Science History Institute.
Suddenly purple was affordable, and it quickly became fashionable.
Today a purple tote bag costs the same as a navy one, but it still carries a little of that old feeling of something special.
That is a nice story to tell when you hand your bags out.
Purple with a touch of pink, lively and modern.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between purple and violet tote bags?
Violet has a cooler, bluer tone, and purple sits in the middle between blue and red.
On our classic bags, Violet Purple looks calmer and more modern, while Purple is clearer and more classic.
Which purple tote bag is the cheapest?
At 25 pcs, the Violet Purple tote with logo print is the cheapest at €8.04 per bag with a one-colour print, excl. VAT.
At 100 pcs it costs €3.17 per bag, compared with €3.87 for the classic purple shades.
What is the minimum order for purple tote bags?
The five classic purple shades and the Violet Purple tote with logo print start at 25 pcs.
The Dusty Purple organic twill bag and the 200 g/m² violet bag start at 50 pcs.
Which print colour is best on a plum tote bag?
White and a warm gold yellow both look great on plum.
Avoid black and dark navy, because the contrast is too low.
Can I print a dark logo on a purple bag?
On Lavender Purple and Dusty Purple, yes, a dark print works very well.
On the darker purples, a dark logo is hard to see, so choose white, yellow or another light colour instead.
Is there an organic purple tote bag?
Yes, the Dusty Purple tote is made of Fairtrade organic cotton twill, 210 g/m².
It has a muted, greyish lavender colour and starts at 50 pcs.
Will the purple look exactly like the photo?
The bags are very close to the product photos, but every screen shows colours a little differently.
If the exact shade matters for your brand, tell us your brand colour and we will tell you which purple comes closest.
How long does it take to get purple tote bags?
Production and delivery typically take 10 to 15 working days from artwork approval.
If you have a deadline, add the date in the cart so we can plan around it.
Choosing your purple
There is no wrong purple, only a purple that fits your logo, your event, and your light.
Choose classic purple or violet purple for a clear, confident bag, plum for elegance, and lavender or dusty purple for a soft and calm look. Then keep the contrast high, with a white print on the dark shades and a dark print on the light ones.
Whichever shade you choose, it will be the bag people remember.
Find your purple tote bag
Five purple shades from 25 pcs, all at the same price.
Shop classic tote bags See the purple tote
Learn More About Custom Printed Bags
Fuchsia vs Magenta Bags: What's the Difference?
How to Choose Print Colours for Your Tote Bags
Tone-on-Tone Tote Bags: Why a Light Print on a Light Bag Looks So Elegant
Should Wedding Tote Bags Be White, Natural White or Coloured?
About Prints & Bags
Prints & Bags is a European B2B supplier of custom-printed and embroidered pouches, jute bags and cotton tote bags, sold directly through our online catalogue. Choose a bag, upload your logo, and order online — from 25 pieces, with free EU shipping, a free digital proof, and production in 10–15 working days after approval.
