Since 1973, we have been building a business that connects products and people. Today, The Cotton Bag Company combines Belgian experience with our own production in India, stock and printing in Belgium.
Our story starts in 1973, when the Belgian company was founded. Over the years, the business grew with a focus on products, collaboration and customers’ needs. That experience is the foundation we continue to build on today.
Axel joined the business in 2000. What followed was a search for ways to support customers better: closer to production, with deeper knowledge of materials and greater control over specifications. Our ambition was to go beyond simply buying and reselling products.
We opened our own office in China in 2005, allowing us to collaborate locally, monitor products and communicate directly. Our own export licence in China followed in 2009: another step towards taking responsibility ourselves and shortening communication lines.
Axel visited India for the first time in 2017. That visit laid the groundwork for a new step: taking responsibility for production ourselves. At the end of 2018, we opened our own factory, initially as a small workshop. We wanted greater influence over how our bags are made and the conditions in which people work. Respect for employees and better quality control were central to that decision.
From that small workshop, we have grown into a factory in Tamil Nadu, India, with 150 employees today — and we continue to grow. We closely monitor materials, finishing and production, make adjustments ourselves and find solutions with the team. That involvement is reflected in our products and the way we work together.
The project involved setbacks and fresh starts. We had to learn, adjust and try again. Running our own production takes care, patience and presence. That journey taught us a great deal about quality, cooperation and responsibility.
In 2026, we continue to build on all those years of experience. Our own factory in India, together with stock and printing in Belgium, lets us produce bespoke products and supply quickly from stock. We stay close to production and keep working on quality and respect for the people behind every product.
For us, a bag is also about the people who make and print it. In India, we build together with our factory team. In Belgium, we work with partners including De Dageraad. We connect craftsmanship with opportunities for work and give our products a story to share.
