Varieties of Elastic Cord for Product Tags

Product tags are often one of the last-considered elements of the merchandising process—although it’s usually one of the first things a customer looks for when first encountering your product. Elastic Connections makes a wide variety of looped elastic cord in different gauges, colors and lengths so you can design and attach the product tag that will best fit into your merchandising strategy. For example:

Elastic cord with knot (knotted elastic loops)

These are the simplest type of attachment for product tags and are most commonly used for clothing tags. You can design literally any type of hang tag you want to go along with your apparel merchandise, and then we can provide bulk knotted elastic loops in many different colors to fit your design specifications. Of course, knotted elastic loops are appropriate for any product that needs a basic hang tag.

Elastic loops with ball

Elastic loops with ball attachments make excellent product tags for higher-end items. A silver or gold ball covering the knotted elastic loop can add an extra panache to products like handbags, luggage, some heavier apparel items like coats, jackets, boots, etc. Depending on the packaging, elastic loops with ball can also be used for food items in jars, perfume and similarly packaged items. The main thing to remember about using elastic loops with ball attachment is that they add just a little extra bling to your product packaging.

Pre-Tied Elastic Bows

If your product comes in a box, pre-tied elastic bows are an excellent way to merchandise. Gourmet boxed food items, jewelry, boxed apparel, etc. can all benefit from pre-tied elastic bows. These bows come in a wide variety of widths (anything from satin ribbon bows to metallic elastic cord bows) to fit your product packaging and design needs.

Contact Elastic Connections today at 847-426-6830 to discuss the type of elastic loops or pre-tied bows you need for your product tags or packaging.

Pre-Tied Elastic Bows and Packaging Trends

A team of packaged-product marketing experts from Deloitte University recently published a study predicting the direction of consumer goods and packaging over the next five years. While they aren’t psychic, they illuminated burgeoning trends that marketers and product developers would be wise to note while investing in bulk pre-tied elastic bows for their packaging:

Consumer Market Bifurcation—The gap between the lower and middle classes and the affluent continually widens, leaving the majority on the former end feeling continually behind the curve. Margins are tight for these folks, so packaging should be simple, useful and elegant; consumers often want to reuse or recycle packaging. Pre-tied elastic bows not only convey the feeling that a product is special regardless of price point, it’s something the consumer can reuse.

A Common Demand—Regardless of a consumer’s place on the spectrum, the overwhelming direction of packaged consumer goods is towards health, wellness, ethical and environmentally-friendly products. That means demand for naturally-derived personal care products, organic gourmet foods, ethically-made apparel products, etc. will continue to increase. Pre-tied elastic bows in all different colors and sizes hold these things together to make great, easy, classy and ethical gift-giving options.

Digital Channels—Consumers’ main shopping experience will be a highly-digitized and mobile one; it already is. Pre-tied elastic bows stand out in product images consumers view online and help grab attention in a cluttered, noisy marketing world.

Customization—Consumers are continually being divided into smaller and smaller niche markets; they expect their products, more than ever, to speak to their individual needs (and, indeed, their individualism) right down to the packaging. Product developers and marketers can use a variety of pre-tied elastic bows in different widths, colors and finishes (matte or metallic) to a.) drive home the brand message while also b.) giving the consumer a choice they like.

Contact Elastic Connections today at 847-426-6830 to discuss custom pre-tied elastic bows you can use for your forward-thinking product packaging.

Elastic Hang Tag Merchandising Trends

The humble elastic hang tag has become far more than a merchandising afterthought reserved for the price. It’s valuable, tangible real estate in a cluttered marketing world. More than just a small plot for your best graphic designers to flash your brand image, it’s also a place to link customers from the product in their hands to the bigger world of other products your company sells. Whether you need bulk elastic hang tag loops for clothing merchandising, food packaging, personal products or boutique items, consider incorporating the following on your next hang tag design:

Simplicity Rules—Retro, black and white and simple color schemes are in right now. Keep an eye on the Pantone Colors of the Year and branch out with tag colors that evoke desire. (Pro tip: orange makes people hungry – try it on food product hang tags!)

The Tech Connection—Make elastic hang tag QR codes mean something to the customer. If it’s a tag for a shirt, that specific QR code can bring up coordinating wardrobe pieces on the consumer’s phone to suggest outfit ideas (and sell more product). QR codes on food item hang tags can suggest recipes or food and wine pairing ideas.

Laser and Die Cut Creativity—Make your hang tag stick out by using die and laser cuts in different shapes or even for layering. The cooler and sturdier the tag, the more likely a customer is to keep it and use it as bookmark. This keeps your brand identity continually popping up on the customer’s mental radar.

You don’t need to stick with the standard white elastic loops for your hang tags either. Elastic Connections can create bulk custom elastic loops for hang tags in a variety of colors and gauges so you can find an exact match for your hang tag merchandising. Contact Elastic Connections today and we can help you get the right elastic hang tag loops for your merchandising projects.

Barbed Elastic Cord for Trade Shows

Whether you’re organizing or attending, barbed elastic cord is an essential element for success at any trade show event. It is one of the basic foundational items behind so many of the aspects of a show, regardless of what role it’s playing. For example:

Name badges—It’s all about networking, so there’s almost no point in a trade show without name badges. Everyone needs one fitted with sturdy, barbed elastic cord. But make your trade show name badges extra smart:

Name and organization should be in large, easy-to-read print
Include a QR code for a special offer or freebie
Print a map of the venue or neighborhood on the back

Welcome packages—Don’t forget the bulk barbed elastic cord for the folders you hand out when everyone arrives. Attendees really appreciate the envelop-type of folders secured with elastic cord so things don’t fall out. Go the extra mile with thick barbed elastic cord loops where they can safely stash their pen or other items as they roam the booths.

Signage and displays—For those designing their booths for the next trade show, you know that barbed and looped cord is essential for any hanging display in your booth. Focus on good layout and don’t over clutter the displays; but don’t go for overly simple either (a trend that is on its way out). Look for ways to incorporate technology in useful ways, even with your display materials.

For example: understand that the smartphone is an essential tool for attendees and organizers. Incorporate QR codes, displays that make good selfies, phone charging stations, touch screens and image projection into your booth this year!

We have a wide range of barbed elastic cord and barbed elastic loops available in custom widths, lengths and colors so you can get your trade show displays, welcome folders and name badges perfect for your upcoming event!

Contact Elastic Connections today at 847-426-6830 to discuss your specific needs.

Bulk Barbed Elastic Cord for POP Displays

Several trends in the merchandising industry are making bulk barbed cord and barbed elastic cord an absolute must for POP displays. Budget conscious, multi-configuration displays are particularly on trend right now at shops across the country because the economic atmosphere, though brighter than a few years ago, is still shaky. POP display trends reflect that sentiment:

Portability—Merchandisers for big chains and smaller local shops alike want their POP displays to go anywhere they know they can get the biggest bang for their bucks. They fit in smaller spaces, they hang from the ceiling and they’re easier to move to different areas of the store depending on current need. Hanging signage and POP displays fastened with strong, yet light barbed elastic cord meet this need.
Flexibility—Gone are lavish, wasteful, one-time only displays. Merchandisers need ways to adapt, reconfigure, reduce, reuse and recycle POP display elements multiple times while still keeping the displays fresh. Barbed cord for hanging displays can be reused time and time again in many POP display configurations.
Environmentally-Friendly—Speaking of recycling, merchandisers and their retail customers must respond to the growing demand for using eco-conscious materials in their end products; marketing materials and POP displays must also keep pace with this need.
Quick Turn-Around—Unlike the long-range merchandising planning cycles of the past, today’s retail POP cycle is faster and tighter. POP displays attached with barbed elastic cord are flexible enough for quick changes and multiple design iterations, they’re perfect for what’s next in POP display design.

Elastic Connections can fill big merchandising orders for barbed elastic cord and non-elastic barbed cord for POP displays and signage. We have standard colors in stock for bulk orders, but we can also create custom bulk orders in different colors and gauges to provide that extra level of customizability for the end client.

Contact Elastic Connections today at 847-426-6830 to discuss barbed elastic cord for your POP display designs and orders.

Barbed Elastic Cord for Menus, Booklets and Programs

Bulk barbed elastic cord is an essential element for large print jobs with multiple pages. The elastic gives the printed piece a level of flexibility for the customer while the barbs secure the pages in place.

The important thing to remember about trends in large print jobs these days is a high level of customizability. More than ever, customers are demanding more customization to ensure that their printed pieces are totally unique and stand out. That is because each printed piece is an element of the marketing strategy and must fit within that framework.

As the economy expands, printers need to stock up on varying lengths, widths and colors of barbed elastic to handle incoming print jobs such as:

Menus—As restaurants, pubs and other eateries expand with the improving economy, the need for menus is also expanding. While menu trends vary wildly, many establishments, particularly the higher-end ones, still prefer the classy, go-to menus attached with barbed elastic or twisted rayon cord. Longer, thicker menus require a thicker gauge of cord than thinner, shorter menus.
Theatrical Programs—Barbed elastic or twisted cord is also a great choice for large print runs of programs for plays, musicals and other ongoing cultural programs.
Trade Show Programs and Freebies—Trade show organizers are coming up with all kinds of reasons to ask printers for products with barbed elastic cord elements. Beyond multi-page program spreads, they’re also incorporating barbed elastic pieces as attachments for securing writing implements, identification tags, etc.
Booklets—Aside from menus, programs and trade show pieces, printers need to keep a variety of barbed elastic in stock to handle a wide variety of custom booklet orders.

Elastic connections carries an impressive range of lengths, widths and colors for both bulk twisted rayon cord with barbs and barbed elastic cord. To order bulk barbed elastic for big, multi-page print jobs, contact Elastic Connections at 847-426-6830 today and we can discuss your needs.

Elastic Tying String for Bundling Produce

Real food is a big deal; consumer demand for quality produce has never been bigger as more people are turning away from boxed and packaged foods and back to real, natural foods: fruits, vegetables, herbs, etc. And demand isn’t only growing in the domestic market; a growing world population needs more food annually. If you’re in the agriculture market, you know that getting your produce from farm to table requires more than just growing and hauling. Packaging is essential to safe transport and marketing efforts. Produce such as green onions, parsley, cilantro, carrots and other items that are sold in bunches at the store require elastic tying string for bundling.

Elastic Connections sells a wide variety of bulk elastic tying string options for bundling produce that falls under two categories:

Knotted Individual Pieces of Elastic Tying String for Bundling Produce by Hand

This is a good option for smaller farming operations taking large orders to farmers markets and expanding into bigger markets as well. We produce bulk amounts of the knotted, individual pieces of elastic tying string that make it quick and easy to hand-bundle anything from onions and carrots to chives, rosemary and cilantro (and everything else that needs bunching and bundling).

Bulk Elastic Tying String for Bundling Produce by Machine

For farms that own their own automatic produce banding machines, we also do bulk elastic tying string orders that come on spools. Simply tell us the type of machine you have and we can custom produce bulk amounts of elastic tying string you can use to quickly, yet gently bundle lots of produce to get it ready for market.

To order bulk elastic tying string for bundling fruits, vegetables and herbs, contact Elastic Connections at 847-426-6830 today. We can fulfill custom requirements for your produce bundling needs, including different widths, colors and lengths that will fit your branding needs, your bundling machine needs, or your hand-bundling needs.

Elastic Yarn and String for Manufacturing Hair Nets

With the recent spate of food contamination incidents across the country, the demand for bulk orders of protective clothing for food prep workers has increased. No matter which part of the food supply chain is involved, items like hair nets, masks and other protective clothing are essential to the quality of the end product—there’s even an increasing demand for beard nets today.

But it’s not only the food industry that requires these elastic yarn components: medical and research laboratories, doctors’ and dentists’ offices, high-tech manufacturing companies and many other industries where hair, fingerprints and dust are forbidden require bulk orders of hair nets, beard nets, masks, elastic booties that go on over shoes, etc.

Because there are so many different industrial and commercial applications for hair nets and similar protective clothing items, manufacturers usually need to produce hair nets using elastic yarn in different gauges, with different elongation requirements, in a variety of colors, etc. At Elastic Connections, we fulfill bulk orders for custom elastic yarn for hair nets, beard nets, masks, etc.

A custom elastic yarn order starts with a 3-inch sample of the fabric you want to use. Going from this, we can produce bulk elastic yarn orders for your food industry, medical, laboratory or manufacturing hair nets, beard nets, booties, face mask, etc. These are some of the elements we can customize for your project:

Color (From the sample, you provide, we can match the custom elastic yarn to the desired fabric color.)
Rubber gauge (We can create a custom elastic thickness and composition at a gauge perfect for your application.)
Yarn type (There are several types of elastic yarn types that work best in different applications. We can find the one that’s right for your order.)
Elongation requirements (How far does the elastic yarn need to stretch?)

To discuss elastic yarn for hair nets, beard nets, booties or masks, contact Elastic Connections at 847-426-6830 today.

Elastic Tag String for Car Air Fresheners

The market for car air fresheners with elastic tag string is booming. Analysts project that this particular market will continue to grow globally to well over $10 billion by the year 2020. There are several reasons that you will need to stock up on elastic tag string for car air fresheners as the market is growing so quickly around the world:

The Asia-Pacific market for simple, inexpensive car air fresheners is exploding; it’s the area where sales are climbing the highest now and where they are projected to climb in the future, even despite economic concerns about China.
Markets in Europe, Latin America, North America, Africa and the Middle East continue to be strong.
Aromatherapy and essential oils are extremely popular. The preferred mode of delivery for aromatherapy, however, has shifted dramatically away from environmentally-unfriendly aerosols and chemicals and toward natural, organic, essential oils.
While battery-powered and electronic aromatherapy delivery systems are popular, they are not always the best solution for people in the growing market area. They also have a negative environmental impact, which is something more consumers are eager to avoid.

Elastic tag string for simple, organic and natural car and home air fresheners is the solution many consumers will seek as the market continues to grow:

These types of air fresheners are affordable to a wider range of consumers.
A large variety of essential oils and natural scents can be used in these hanging air fresheners.
Elastic tag string is durable enough to allow for extra decoration to the air freshener such as beads, artificial flowers, etc.—it’s not just for those tree-shaped things anymore.
Thin, elastic-tag-string-attachable air fresheners are even being used as promotional giveaways and tradeshow freebies because their scent (and marketing message) lingers for a long time and cements a positive memory in the users’ minds.

To order bulk elastic tag string for car air fresheners, just contact Elastic Connections at 847-426-6830 today.

Elastic Tying String for 2016 Florist Trends

The floristry industry is set to bloom in 2016 as the economy continues to grow. The demand for flower arrangements, bouquets, wedding and event décor, and more is up! So florists, stock up now on bulk elastic tying string to stun with these floral design trends:

Festival — Vibrant, hot colors combined with rustic, world-market accents such as fabrics, wood, beads, brightly-colored glass or fascinating ceramics. Use elastic tying string to bundle chrysanthemums, roses, gerbera, delphinium, sunflowers and other richly-colored flowers.

Sorbet — Taking its inspiration from the frozen treat, this trend is a combination of soft, springy pastels with bright pops of color interspersed. Cymbidium, tulips, lilies are set off with roses, delphinium, etc. Bundle with elastic tying string and arrange in uniquely-shaped, modern vessels of light-colored glass, ceramic, potentially accented with denim, wood or cork.

Lustre — A formal floral trend, particularly hot for events and weddings. Use metallic accents — gold, silver, mirror and bronze vessels with a high gloss — and include jewelry-like accents that sparkle. Use boldly shaped flowers ranging from crisp white to cream and pink blush. Think calla lilies, ranunculus, spray roses, and stock, combined with metallic leaf and floral accents.

Lavish — All about romance, the hues here run from red to blush with roses, carnations and dahlias, interspersed with stock and purple hypericum berries. Tie these flowers together with elastic tying string and place in antique or vintage-inspired gold, brass, crystal-shaped glass and candelabra-inspired vessels along with velvet and satin accents.

When developing floral designs, remember that 2016 is the year for Pantone’s blushing Rose Quartz (13-1520) and cool Serenity (15-3919), a refreshing combination with a range of potential color pairings from Orchid Haze and Silver Gray to Lentil Sprout, Cocoon and Sphinx.

Stock up now on elastic tying string for dramatic floral arrangements, and don’t forget to order plenty of flat knitted elastic to prepare for corsages when prom season hits. Contact Elastic Connections at 847-426-6830 to discuss your needs.