In the last century, they were known as “Drummers”, the salesmen who traveled door to door, town to town, bringing goods of every kind to homes, farms and shops by horse and buggy, carrying their wares in heavy trunks. Someone once said, “the more things change, the more they stay the same,” and here is an exact example of that truth. The drummer is now referred to as the more lofty sounding “manufacturer’s rep”, but he still travels the country, now by car and airplane rather than horse and buggy, and he brings with him the products that he hopes to sell, no longer in cumbersome trunks, but now is sleek efficiently designed lightweight cases. Every product must be presented to the buying public in order to succeed, and today, the case itself has become an important part of achieving that success. As every product is different, so is the size, shape and design of the presentation case that carries it to the public, and this is met by our very talented team of design professionals.
The soft sided case is an extension of the salesman no matter what the product is that he is selling. With it he must take his products to the potential customers. Usually, they are not going to come to a showroom or factory that could be hundreds of miles away. Of course the product case identifies the company and we have been designing and making these cases for over fifty years. It is hard to think of an item from stove parts to diamonds to indescribable medical instruments for which we haven’t designed a soft sided carry case. They have had foam inserts, protective plastic walls, directional drop down panels explaining the contents and where it fits into a protective rigid sculpted bed, and in short just about anything required for the contents to be transported safely. The highest quality of materials and workmanship will ensure a long and useful life at the job that it was designed to do. In 1994 we designed a carry case for a kitchen and bath remodeling company to carry cabinet doors. Recently we were contacted by the original customer’s grandson who has grown the business and was wondering if we could supply us with a new supply of the case his salespeople were still using that we designed and manufactured 25 years ago. Of course we can, and probably come up with some new and improved ideas. There is literally no limit to how the soft sided case can be designed.
Inventive minds are everywhere, and they are always coming up with ideas like the next hoola-hoop or the paperclip or a flying deckchair. As these ideas evolve, they will need a carry bag of some variety for this new and unaddressed job in a design and artistic shape and decoration that hasn’t been seen before. These brilliant inventors need a manufacturer to turn their ideas into reality. Over the years, they come to Canvas Design Group for help in bringing their ideas to the buying public with soft sided cases that finally present their ideas and products in the best possible image and functionality.
In truth, some new product ideas are really terrific, and in truth some are really terrible. Either way, we work with the developers, produce patterns and prototypes so they can get a clear idea of what they are envisioning. For a step further, we will even supply shipping services when the orders (sometimes, often not) start to roll in. No idea is a bad idea. Every idea needs to be explored to the fullest in order to make it succeed, and we are here to do just that.
Success is not a certain thing. It doesn’t just suddenly arrive, settle in and happily remain in the maximum state indefinitely. Success is mercurial, elusive, and infuriatingly hard to achieve, but something we all pursue and it is the aim at Canvas Design Group to assist where unique design of a soft sided carry case can contribute presenting a new or existing product to the public. We have a special program for new product packaging that over the years has proved that artistic and distinctive presentation is an integral part of that products success with the public.
And now that we have established that the carry case is an integral part of the product development, what actually is its job. Three part actually: Transportation, content protection and branding. The case must be durable and designed to effectively and efficiently carry its cargo to the buyer. It must be designed to protect its contents anticipating the hazards of travel and finally it must present a positive image of the company it represents not only with artistic decoration of its corporate colors and logo by embroidery or silkscreen, but also by fabric, color and distinct design. The case that the salesperson carries instantly presents an image that the company wants to project. It is an important tool in the branding process for the company. It is actually an extension of the company.. Bright whimsical colors if the product is for children, subdued if the product is medical instruments, sophisticated design if the company is perhaps directed toward fashion or home furnishing. The corporate logo it carries is a moving billboard introducing itself and its product. A first impression on the road to success is vital and the product carry case is a vital part of that first impression as it moves through airline terminals, subways and crowded streets. Positive branding begins with visual recognition of a company name, and the more often a person sees that company name and logo, the more receptive he will be when he is presented with the company products and is asked to make a purchasing decision.
As to the basic design of the soft sided carry case, the contents it will transport really dictates how complex or simple it ultimately will be. Delicate medical equipment often employs a molded plastic insert to encase each device whereas custom kitchen or bathroom doors require padded dividers to keep them from damaging each other. A shoulder strap for easier transport through airports, leather handgrips for heavy loads, outside or inside (or both) pockets for catalogs and descriptive literature, perhaps a battery charging compartment for cell phone or tablet. And certainly a place for a discrete water bottle pouch can always be found. All this and more is possible.
Canvas Design Group has earned the trust and confidence of its many loyal customers over the years for innovative, imaginative thinking and customer service when it comes to design and manufacturing of the custom made bag or portfolio.