The Cotton Bag Company and De Dageraad Strengthen Their Collaboration

The Cotton Bag Company and De Dageraad Strengthen Their CollaborationThe Bonheiden-based company The Cotton Bag Company, the only European firm with its own cotton bag factory in India, is deepening its collaboration with the social enterprise De Dageraad in Kontich. What started three years ago as a logistics partnership has evolved into a sustainable alliance focused on ethical production, local employment, and high-quality printing.

From Logistics to High-End Printing

Initially, De Dageraad supported The Cotton Bag Company’s logistics operations, from unloading containers to preparing shipments. Trust grew quickly, leading to a joint investment in full-colour printing technology for cotton. Since then, smaller orders – up to 500 pieces – can be printed in Kontich within two working days.
 While most companies opt for printing in Eastern or Southern Europe, The Cotton Bag Company and De Dageraad prove that the opposite is entirely possible: fast delivery, fair employment, and top-quality results – all from Belgium.

Local Commitment with an International Heart

Founder Axel Debruyne emphasizes that this partnership aligns with his company’s broader vision: “In India, we’ve created jobs for over 130 people through our own factory, often for individuals coming out of poverty or long-term unemployment. Together with our clients, we also invest in their children’s education through our Bags with a Storyproject.”
 Now, Axel brings that same philosophy to Belgium: “We want to contribute to the local economy and social employment here as well. De Dageraad fits that perfectly. They’re not just subcontractors – this is a true partnership.”

Stefan De Vos and Charlotte from De Dageraad confirm how smoothly the collaboration is going: “We made the investment and researched the right machinery together, in full transparency. There is open and respectful communication between both teams. Our organisations are constantly aligned, with mutual understanding of what matters and where challenges arise. It truly feels like an equal partnership, not a typical client-supplier relationship.”

Expansion into Mugs

Since June 2025, personalized mugs have been added to the offering. Starting from 30 pieces, customers can expect high-quality photo printing with fast turnaround. The investment in machinery and the expertise to use it optimally were once again shared by both companies.

Strong Together in Quality and Price

Axel is extremely enthusiastic about the partnership: “The people at De Dageraad work with great precision. Their supervisors combine technical and human expertise, and the print quality is truly excellent. Quality issues are practically non-existent. The workers themselves also take great satisfaction in what they do – they see the impact of their work.”

 Despite intense international competition, The Cotton Bag Company remains highly competitive. In terms of price-quality for both cotton bags and printing, we’re a strong player, even compared to Eastern or Southern European printers. For the bags, this is largely because we operate without intermediaries – everything is direct, from production to delivery. With printing, it’s not just the investment in machinery that matters, but especially the technical knowledge and continuous process optimisation.

Sustainable, Social, and Local: The Future

What began as a practical collaboration has become a partnership that unites sustainability, quality, and social value. The Cotton Bag Company and De Dageraad demonstrate that local production is not only possible but also economically and ethically sound.

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