Ink help-FDA approved for printing on bags?

[Shanarchy]

I have a potential local customer. They manufacture scallop bags for the fishing industry. They have a customer that wants their logo on all the bags. One color logo, one sided, potentially 30K pieces/year...

Here's the catch she is requesting an FDA approved ink as they will be putting scallops in the bags.

A) Do they make such a thing?

B) Does she really need them? It didn't sound like this is something that she's done before so I do not know if she researched this or just making an assumption.

Any help, or suggestions of places to call would be super appreciated!

[kingscreen]

My guess would be that she needs an FDA approved food-grade BAG. The ink shouldn't matter as much bc it's on the outside and not in contact with the scallops. I certainly don't know for certain.

[Frog]

Then the question may also arise "what about the inside?" What about adhesive residue?

I am assuming that rather than bags used to pack and market scallops, these are the bags used by snorkelers to gather scallops and they themselves, decorated or not may not even fall under Food and Drug Administration rules but that your client is merely being cautious (or wanting an additional selling point) I believe that most are poly mesh, and I saw one clever "hands free" one that is like an apron pouch.

So, for these, an approved ink for what material?

[broadway]

   Most commercial bags are plastic port hole mesh. I have seen some  with the printed labels on the the bags. I do not see why it matters since the label is on the outside of the bag.  I scallop in season and the last thing i would be worried about is the label on the bag. Marketing ploy or not. Maybe have an industrial hang tag on the bags.

[Shanarchy]

Yeah, these should be the bags that the fisherman are gathering/collecting the scallops in.

I am waiting to find out exactly what the material is. She said cotton/poly stuff. But I'm guessing it is either poly or nylon, or a combo. I believe she makes the bags but this will be the first time their customer requested their logo printed on it.

I'm thinking that she is paranoid about the FDA approved ink and that probably isn't the case. I understand that the bags will get very wet and think she may be worried about the ink/chemicals mixing diluting into the water and then into the scallops.

I just want to make sure I present her with my best options and am as clear as possible what is in the inks and she can decide from there. My old neighbor used to manufacture scallop bags which she needed printed (I did not do them) and she tried a lot of different options to have them printed but she was never concerned with what was in the ink.

[Frog]

And remember you will also have the mesh issue to deal with