Whether you make bags to pass time or as a commercial activity, there are certain materials you need for the process. Without these materials, it is impossible to achieve your goal of making bags.

In this post, we will be answering two very important questions. The first is, “what are the different materials for making bags?” Secondly, “how much do these materials cost in Nigeria?” Without further ado, let’s get to the crux of this post.

Prices of Bag Making Materials in Nigeria

Bag-making for some individuals is just a hobby, an activity that they use to pass time. For other individuals, they make bags to survive. It doesn’t matter which side of the divide you fall to, you cannot make bags without materials. Of course, the kind of bags that you make will determine the kind of materials that you need. However, certain materials are common across the board and we have listed them and their prices below:

• Bag fabric: From N500 per yard
• Sewing machine: From N10,500
• Webbing: From N300 per yard
• Zippers: From N100
• Magnetic snaps: From N250
• Purse locks: From N300
• Bag bottoms & feet: From N1,000 per pack of four

Note that the prices of these items are quite volatile. This implies that they change frequently due to certain factors like demand, location, vendors, government policies, etc. We will update this post as soon as we notice a price change so that you can be aware. Now, that this is off the table, let’s discuss some of the items listed above briefly.

Materials Needed for Bag Making

Bag-making has become one of the most lucrative low-capital businesses in Nigeria today. Once upon a time, women alone were seen as the primary market for bag makers. Today, bags are not just a fashion accessory, they have become very functional elements in our daily lives. Now that you know the materials needed in making bags and their prices, let’s discuss some of these materials.

Bag fabric

There are different types of fabric used in making bags. From jeans materials to leather, cotton to local “Ankara” fabric. It all depends on the design that you want to achieve and the functionality of the bag.

We must let you know that the kind of fabric that you use in the creation of a bag will affect its longevity. It is not enough for the bag to have an attractive design, it must also be capable of withstanding stress.

Sewing machine

We wouldn’t regard a sewing machine as a material, rather, it is a piece of equipment. Notwithstanding, we will have to mention it since we are discussing the items needed in bag making. If you make bags on a commercial basis, then you need to make use of a sewing machine.

You can either choose a manual sewing machine or an electric machine. The machine that you choose depends on your purposes, how much capital you have at hand, and the scale of your business. It will also depend on the kind of materials that you use for producing your bags.

Without a machine, the process of making bags can be quite stressful and frustrating. If you operate on a large scale, your best bet is to purchase an industrial machine. Ensure that you survey the market properly before you shell out funds for a machine.

Webbing

Webbing are the materials that we use in making the handles of bags. Usually, bag handles are made using the fabric that was used in making the bag. In some cases, it is difficult to use such materials to make the bag handles. Let’s also not forget the fact that these bag fabrics may not be sturdy enough to be used as handles.

Webbing is mostly made of cotton or nylon fibres. As such, they are very easy to manipulate and make the bag convenient to carry around. Since the edges of the webbing materials are neatly finished, they add some sturdiness to your bags. You can find different sizes and colors of webbings on the market.

Zippers

These are the most important parts of bags and purses. How else would we secure the contents of our bags without zippers? There are different types of zippers on the market that can be used to make bags. Some of these zippers include:

• Closed-end zipper
• Separating zippers
• Two way separating zippers
• Continuous zipper chain
• Nylon coil zippers
• Metal teeth zippers.
• Moulded plastic zippers
• Pant Zippers
• Invisible zippers
• Bag zippers
• Water repellant zippers
• Lapped Zippers
• Centered Zippers
• Exposed zippers
• Fly zippers

You can survey the market to find out which of these zippers suits your purposes best. Ensure that you purchase high-quality zippers from trusted vendors to avoid embarrassment.

Tips to help you make better bags

As a bag maker, you should strive hard to make the best bags possible. In this section, we will share a few tips that will help you make better bags.

Choose the right fabric

There are so many types of bags on the market today. Different bags perform different functions. When choosing your fabric, you should consider the function of the bag that you want to make. The fabric should be attractive and also strong enough to handle the functions of the bag. This way, your bags will be beautiful and stand the test of time.

Use walking foot machines

Most times, we associate walking foot machines with quilting. Well, they perform several other functions. The walking foot is just an attachment to your sewing machine that makes it possible for the top of your fabric to enter the machine. This type of attachment comes in handy when sewing multiple fabric layers which happens when making bags. It makes your work easier and faster.

Cover webbing with fabric

When making bags, there’s the temptation to leave your webbing uncovered. After all, they’d still look good. However, covering the webbing with the fabric that you used for the exterior of your bag adds a touch of excellence. It makes the bag look more attractive and increases its value.