Author Archives: Laura

Metallic Elastic Loops with Ball Kick Up Holiday Hang Tags

The National Retail Federation foresees great things this holiday shopping season: a 6-8 percent increase in retail sales on higher-end luxury items that had languished in previous years. If you’re selling any of the following items, stock up on elastic loops with ball ends to kick up your holiday hang tags!

Silver or gold elastic loops with a ball instead of a plain knot add a touch of panache to your hang tag design, particularly for items like these:

  • Bottled Gourmet Foods and Beverages—If you sell high end liquors, sauces, syrups or anything else that goes in a bottle, metallic elastic loops with ball ends add a classy finishing touch to your hang tag marketing efforts. Consider using heavier stock for the hang tags when you use these elastic loops as it increases durability.
  • Fashion Outerwear—The holidays are a big selling time for coats, boots and other types of heavy-duty outerwear. We have a variety of durable, yet classic metallic hang tag loops with ball ends that will go beautifully with a variety of outerwear items and look great on and off the shelf.
  • Big-Ticket Travel Items—As the economy gets better, people are traveling again and they’re upgrading their luggage. This is a perfect product for elastic hang tag loops with ball ends. It helps enforce the idea of durability and quality.

Of course, these aren’t the only products that need colored elastic hang tag loops. Generally speaking, metallic elastic loops with ball ends are great for hang tags on heavier, high-end merchandise. Lighter-weight fashion items may benefit from the silky, knotted rayon hang tag loops instead, because the ball can sometimes snag when items are packaged or moved.

Either way, regardless of your hang tag loop needs, Elastic Connections can get you what you need in a variety of colors, widths and lengths! Contact us today at 847-426-6830 to stock up for the holidays!

Elastic Loops and Stretchy Cords for Office Supply Manufacturing

Although the paperless office is something we still talk about, there is still strong, and even growing need to manufacture paper office supplies. The key to today’s trend is making them environmentally friendly and functional. Office supplies manufacturers will need to stock up on bulk elastic loops and stretchy cords for these popular products:

1. Expandable File Folders with Elastic Cord Enclosures

Business executives, secretaries, students, teachers and everybody who wants to keep their papers organized needs these. But because everyone’s needs are different, there are different ways that office supply manufacturers can go with them. For example:

  • Expandable file folders with button and elastic cord enclosures.
  • Expandable file folders with stretchy cord that encases the entire package
  • File folders with elastic cords on the corners

Office supply manufacturers can get different types of sturdy, bulk elastic loops and stretchy cord in a vast array of colors to suit the current styles people want.

2. Notebooks with Elastic Loops and Stretchy Cord

Paper notebooks are still vastly popular in the office, home and at school in every grade. Manufacturers are using more recycled products to produce them and reduce environmental impact. They’re also improving designs to make them more useful, with stretchy loops or cords to attach pens and pencils, or with stretchy, secure pockets to stash extra notes, memory sticks etc.

3. Stretchy Cord to Manufacture Promotional Items

In addition to custom manufacturing the two items above for a variety of office applications, stretchy cord is essential to producing promotional office supplies for companies headed to trade shows. Bulk elastic loops and stretchy cord can be used to upscale the functionality of these items so they hold useful items like ID badges, lip balm, snacks and even phones.

Office supplies manufacturers looking to upscale their products this year should contact Elastic Connections at 847-426-6830 to discuss their options for bulk stretchy cord and elastic loops.

Elastic Hang Tags for Beverage Bottle Packaging

Elastic hang tag loops for beverage bottle packaging may be come more important than ever for elegant beverage merchandising in the coming years. According to reports from many in the beverage packaging and merchandising industry, more and more companies are adopting plastic PET bottles over heavier, classic glass.

The fact is, PET, for all its apparent benefits, is unlikely to carry the same weight (literally) marketing wise as good old glass beverage bottles. Using elegant elastic hang tags to merchandise and market can bring your plastic -bottled beverage some swag and elegance regardless.

Switching from glass to PET bottles has some unexpected environmental benefits. Recycling centers for PET bottles are readily available around the country. PET is also significantly lighter than glass, so transportation and fuel costs go down significantly. Broken glass is also a safety concern for many companies, whereas PET is safer and more durable, particularly in transit.

If your beverage bottling company is considering a switch from glass to PET—or not—stocking up on elastic hang tag loops makes good sense. You can design beautiful, environmentally-friendly hang tags to enhance the look of your beverage on the shelves. The following hang tag trends are going strong right now:

Vintage—limited ink colors with a vintage feel on heavy stock are very popular, particularly for brands with a history.

Simple—If your target market craves simplicity or you have a good, natural beverage with few ingredients, don’t complicate your elastic hang tags. Bold colors focused on cool fonts work well.

Promo Codes—Include a QR code on the back of your elastic hang tag that customers can use to engage with you or take part in a contest.  

Contact Elastic Connections today to order bulk elastic hang tag loops, or even classy, pre-tied metallic bows to bring your PET or glass beverage bottle merchandising into the now and the classic with ease and elegance, now and in the future: 847-426-6830.

3 Ways Bulk Pre-Tied Elastic Bows Make the Holidays Easier for Retailers

The holiday shopping rush is just beginning to bubble, and retailers across the nation are feeling it. Shoppers are out earlier, trying to get ahead of the big rush, while many more will wait until the last minute. Preparation is essential for helping brick and mortar and online retailers delight their customers. And bulk pre-tied elastic bows can make that happen.

1. Bulk Pre-Tied Stretch Bows for Quick Sales

If you sell high-end gifts online or in a shop, having a stock of your most in-demand gifts already packaged, wrapped and finished with a silver or gold pre-tied stretch bow will make the sale quick and the customer happy. Your gifts will look elegant and you’re ready to send multiple packages out the door with a hoard of holiday customers, or to the shipping department.

2. Your Customers Love Pre-Tied Stretchy Bows Because They’re Easy

Driving more sales often hinges on what you can do to simplify the lives of your customers. If you sell an elegant gift, beautifully packaged and tied up with a pre-tied stretchy bow that requires no Christmas Eve wrapping rush into the wee hours, your customer will remember you with delight and a sigh of relief, and probably come back for more.

3. Pre-Tied Elastic Bows are Customizable

No matter what you sell, or your marketing scheme, there are pre-tied elastic bows that will fit beautifully into your plans. You can order them in several different metallic and matte colors, and in varying widths and lengths to fit your particular boxing needs.

Using pre-tied stretch bows to prepare for your holiday customers will save you and your customers time, enabling you to focus more directly on delighting your customers so they come back for more. Contact Elastic Connections to order bulk pre-tied elastic bows, or call us at 847-426-6830 and make this holiday retail season a beautiful breeze.

Bulk Apparel Elastic for 5 of Next Season’s Fashion Trends

London, New York and Milan have spoken: Apparel manufacturers are gearing up to create for spring/summer 2018 fashion trends! Eye-popping colors, black and white combos, stretchy fabrics, denim and soft sequins seem to be the order of the day, so if you manufacture clothing, stock up on bulk apparel elastic for the following hot items:

  • Catsuits—Worn alone, with a shrug or a blazer, this skin-hugging fashion trend was all over the place at the recent Fashion Week shows. Bold colors, soft sequins, shiny fabrics and stretch are on point for Spring 2018, so make sure to get lots of bulk apparel elastic for this one.
  • Bike shorts—This is another stretchy fabric trend that was all over the catwalks! The major fashion houses had them dressed up for dinner, the market, the office and the street. From denim to satin stretch, everyone will be wearing bike shorts pretty much everywhere next spring.
  • Pencil Skirts—This svelte, sleek classic is making a big comeback. (Did it ever really go away?) From bold to more understated patterns, soft sequins (yes, those are all over the place too) and classic black and white looks, manufacturing these skirts does require some comfort-enhancing bulk apparel elastic.
  • Denim—Americana style, from head to toe, dressed up or down is still on topic for spring 2018. Remember to get bulk apparel elastic for any denim styles you manufacture as well—we left stiff, scratchy jeans behind decades ago. It should flow, stretch and work with the wearer.
  • Color—Bold two-toned black and white or contrasting color pieces as well as earthy greens seem to be springing up everywhere for 2018. Lollipop colors too! You can get bulk apparel elastic in all of these colors and more!

If you need to stock up on bulk apparel elastic to start churning out hot fashion items in your clothing manufacturing location, contact Elastic Connections today to discuss your needs: 847-426-6830.

Elastic Display Loops for Holiday POP Displays

Soon, the holiday POP displays will be everywhere—”Hallowthankmas” is on its way! A recent Path-to-Purchase retailer survey reported a 24% sales increase from holiday POP displays. This year, make sure you have enough extra elastic display loops to hang your Holiday displays—they’ll come in handy all year!

You’ll need elastic display loops for these Holiday POP Trends:

Elasticated loops for holiday POP displays fit retailer’s needs to update their POP displays quickly around the fall and winter months. Elasticized loops with barbs secure POP displays, and they are reusable for:

  • Experience-Based POP Displays—Most shoppers would rather purchase online than brave holiday crowds—unless the store has an *experience* planned for them. Whether it’s selfie booths, visits with hipster Santa or an in-store charity cupcake booth, your POP displays work best when they bring customers into the store for an event rather than just to purchase.
  • Bold Colors, Simple, Engaging Messaging—You’ll need bulk elasticated display loops to hang POP displays that grab attention, but keep it simple. Bright, engaging colors and simple words that connect with your target customer are winners every holiday season.
  • Tell a Story—The images on your POP displays need to tell a story and visually lead the customer straight to the product that continues that story. Show, don’t tell.
  • Endcaps are Still Powerful—As you stock up on bulk elasticized display loops with barbs, keep in mind that endcaps are still prime real estate in your retail experience. Pay special attention to any displays you hang there.

Elastic Display Loops

Keep in mind that you can’t do one-size-fits-all on any of your Holiday POP displays. Do your market research and aim your signage, imagery and in-store event/experience marketing directly to the needs of your target customers and they’ll be more willing to spend. And make sure to stock up on elastic display loops in all colors and types now, before the Holiday rush! Contact Elastic Connections today at 847-426-6830 to order.

Choir Folders with Strings

Choir, band, orchestra—the hallmarks of a well-rounded education from middle school on up, as well as the passion of thousands of dedicated musicians who spend their lives filling the world with glorious sounds. While the musicians and directors themselves are laser-focused on practicing their craft and keeping their instruments in top shape, there is one piece of hard-working music equipment they often take for granted: their choir folders with strings.

If you manufacture choral folders or music binders, elastic string and chords are an integral part of keeping the musicians’ sheet music and pencils together through long hours of rehearsal and nights of touring. Elastic Connections supplies high-quality, durable bulk elastic cords for music binder and choral folder manufacturers. We can cut elastic chords to specifications, or ship standard bulk sizes ready for immediate production.

Choir Folder with String

Choir Folder with String

Our bulk elastic string and cord for music folders keeps all the sheet music in place and is sturdy enough to handle the most demanding practice and travel schedules. Our elastic cords can also be incorporated into special features like pen or pencil holders so musicians can quickly write notes the need and not constantly lose their writing implements.

We can also supply bulk elastic chords for music folder manufacturers to keep on hand to sell as replacements should heavy use lead to broken chords, as is frequently the case, particularly for high school and college bands and choirs that see heavy, often rambunctious use.

For professional performers, our music folder elastic chords are classy basic black so they fit seamlessly into the binder so as not to distract during a performance, while being sturdy enough to get the job done and keep music where it needs to be.

Music binder and choral folder manufacturers looking for bulk quantities of elastic chord, either for product production or to create replacement packages, can contact Elastic Connections today at 847-426-6830 to discuss lengths, widths and quantities.

Perfume Bottle Packaging Elastic

The fragrances industry is booming at $50 billion annually, with projections taking it even higher in the near future. There are some important trends developing, however, one of which is how the fragrances are packaged and merchandised. Classy, natural and individually-focused trends are in, and pre-tied elastic bows for perfume bottles, or elastic with a ball fit the bill wonderfully. Keep an eye on these fragrance marketing trends including elastic perfume bottle packaging:

Forget the Celebs—Celebrity-named or focused fragrances, which used to be huge, are falling fast. Honestly, nobody wants to smell like someone else, even if they are a mega star. The rise of the individual is on…

Individually-Tailored Fragrances—Enter the packages of mixable fragrance notes that come in boxes. Consumers like being able to take various notes from a floral, bright, earthy or mysterious scent collection and mix them to create their own signature fragrance. You can use pre-tied elastic bows to secure and merchandise these fragrance collections.

Natural Ingredients—Consumers in droves are leaving crazy chemicals behind in favor of fragrance ingredients they can understand, identify and pronounce. Even better if the ingredients are organic, non-GMO, vegan, cruelty-free and have an aromatherapy health benefit tied to them. On that note, essential oils are one of the big trends in fragrance as well. If you’re bottling a natural scent, or collection of scents, try an elastic cord with a ball to attach the label.

Gender-Neutral Fragrances—There is a growing demand for fragrances that are neither excessively masculine nor excessively feminine, but that hover in the space between. For labeling, you can use classy metallic pre-tied bows or elastic with ball ends as these come in a host of colors depending on the direction you want to go with your product.

If you’re marketing fragrances, contact Elastic Connections today at 847-426-6830 for bulk pre-tied elastic bows in all colors and finishes, elastic cord with ball ends, and other perfume packaging elastic supplies for your fragrance merchandising project.

Elastic Neck Cords for Name Badges

If you run a company where employees need to wear name badges, you probably spend a lot of time thinking about the name badges themselves—the employee picture and name, department designation, barcode for access scanning, maybe even an employee benefit QR code on the back for local lunches, etc. But there’s one thing you might often run out of if you’re not paying attention: the elastic neck cords for name badges.

Ordering bulk elastic neck cords for name badges is a smart idea for any company. They’re versatile, no-fuss and, unlike lanyards with company logos, they cost less and you won’t have to waste that investment in case your company merges, changes its logo, etc. They’re also nice if you have temporary employees or visitors who need a quick, easy name badge elastic cord. Simple black lanyard elastic for name badges stands the test of time.

Another great reason to keep elastic cord with metal end tips for name badges on hand is, of course, trade shows. If your company runs or visits trade shows, you know that the name badge is an essential piece of equipment. And even if you are attending a trade show where they provide their own name badge lanyards, bring some of your barbed elastic cord along for emergencies. It can be used to attach and secure items, and can also be used to hang signage.

If you have employees that travel a lot and need to do demonstrations or bring portable signage with them, barbed elastic cord can be used to help them as well, so it’s a very handy item to have bulk quantities of in the supply room.

Our elastic neck cords for name badges also have metal tips or barbs so that the badge itself is easy to attach. To order bulk elastic name badge cords or any other barbed elastic cord for POP or signage, contact Elastic Connections today at 847-426-6830.

Stationery Converters Stock Up on Elastic Bows and Tassels

It’s that time of year for stationery converters: the big rush for graduation announcements, programs, wedding announcements and other fancy, formal cards, and programs that require a little extra bling in bulk quantities. Bulk pre-tied elastic bows in all colors, as well as elastic loops with ball end, can add a touch of class to these announcements and invitations. Stock up now on the following elements:

Pre-Tied Elastic Bows for Invitations and Announcements

If you need bulk quantities of an easy-to-assemble element to ship in large quantities, consider pre-tied elastic bows. They come in a host of colors, including metallic varieties. You can keep large customers such as wedding announcement printers, high schools and colleges satisfied with these finishing touches because they can match school colors or wedding colors easily.

Elastic Loops with Ball Ends

Because these come on a heavier elastic cord with a ball, they make a great addition for bulk orders of graduation programs, which require something heavier.

 

Elastic Loops with Tassels

Some of your customers may prefer ordering bulk graduation announcements with different colored elastic loops with tassels as well. These also go well on smaller graduation programs.

Elastic Loop with Tassel End

Finding the Right Elastic Cord for Invitations, Announcements and Programs

You might also search for these items under terms like “elastic cords to bind booklets” or “elastic cord to bind invitations”. For massive printing jobs like these, we usually recommend either the elastic bows with loops, balls or tassels instead of the elastic cord with barbs—those are great for other mass printings, but the decorative aspect is essential with graduation and wedding invitations.

If you’re a stationery converter or printer needing bulk quantities of elastic bows, strong elastic loops with metal balls or even elastic loops with tassels, contact Elastic Connections at 847-426-6830 and our representatives will help you order the supplies you need for the spring graduation and wedding announcement printing rush.