4 Reusable Bag Materials for a Greener World

Reusable bags, what are they good for? Absolutely everything! The need, and desire, to create a more environmentally-friendly world that’s occurred over the past couple of decades has created the popularity of promotional bags. You’ll find the bags used for many purposes at many different locations every single day.

Reusable shopping bags are made from organic, sustainable materials that do not pollute or otherwise harm the environment. Exactly what type of materials are the bags made from? There are many biodegradable materials available for eco-friendly bags. The three most popular materials are listed below.

1. Cotton

It’s the fabric of our life, according to the commercials and most people can feel. Organic, recycled, or traditional cotton bags are available. There are several cotton densities to suit many needs. A cotton canvas bag is the most expensive of the three options.

Cotton bags are soft, smooth, and durable, but also offer a plethora of additional benefits, including easy cleaning and washing, strong, and biodegradable. There are a few disadvantages of cotton, such as shrinkage and moisture damage, but overall, it’s one of the best choices for a reusable bag.

The fun fact is, you can make your cotton bags artistic by using oil paint, acrylic or even by embroidery.

2. Polypropylene

Polypropylene is another option for a reusable bag material. The resin polymer is durable and strong, giving it claims as a top material amongst many people. It is especially common as a shopping bag. They’re stylish, easy to design, and available in tons of color and style options.

The bad news is that the bags cannot be tossed into the washing machine if they become dirty, so you cannot easily remove stains. The lifetime is also influenced by this fact.

3. Nylon

Nylon is used as silk in fabric production. It’s easy to use and maintain so it’s used in the reusable bags industry. The lightweight bags are easy to fold, can be used in many industries, and offer affordability where it’s needed the most. The bad news is that the material is not biodegradable and can look worn out very quickly.

4. Hemp

Many people use hemp bags these days. They’re often used to create grocery and shopping bags, promotional wine bags, and more. Hemp is the most preferred natural material being used today, even in reusable bags. It’s free of fertilizer and pesticide, long-lasting, strong, and durable.

Hemp is stronger than cotton and resistant to many types of damage other materials cannot overcome. It’s smooth and soft and can be designed in any number of styles that suit your needs.

The popularity of hemp continues to increase in locations across the U.S., but it’s still one of the most expensive of the reusable bag materials. Plan to spend more money if using hemp. It’s easy to sell this style bag, however.

Choosing the best material for your reusable bag needs is simple when you are an informed shopper. The information above is only a bit of details that you need to make this decision. Search your options and get the reusable bags most suited to your needs.

Reusable shopping bags

The use of reusable bags is not only the smart way to carry your belongings or groceries. There are plenty of reasons you have to opt for reusable bags, no matter if you feel the urge to ditch them in exchange for your favorite and handy plastic bags. 

In 2019, some large retail stores in three states and other major cities in the United States had already started banning single-use plastic bags.

Many other countries have also implemented mandatory fines and penalties for the use of plastic in stores and markets.

Why Should People Prefer Eco-Friendly Reusable Bags Over Plastic Bags?

So far, people were using plastic bags which are made up of petroleum and the industries manufacturing such plastic bags often contaminate the environment by spilling off the toxic byproducts into streams and rivers. More than that, plastic manufacturing also causes emission of various hazardous gasses such as sulfur oxides and nitrous oxides which are harmful for the environment.

But, contrary to that, reusable shopping bags are made from sustainable materials that are mostly renewable and don’t cause any toxic emissions during the manufacturing process. Reusable bags not only limit the disposal of thin sheets of plastic, but also prevent the necessity of making such harmful products in the first place.

Some of the reasons why you should patronize reusable bags include conservation of resources, prevent recycling issues, protect animal species, minimize pollution, and above all, save money, as cited by Tote Bag Factory. Thus, make it a good habit to pick a reusable bag when you to the shopping mall!

Conservation of resources

You might think that plastic bags are just ordinary things because they are light and small, but in reality, these materials are contributed a lot in terms of increased energy consumption.

The Waste Management Northwest said at least 12 million barrels of oil are utilized to produce the number of plastic bags people use in the United States alone every year.

On a small level, a person can drive his automobile a mile for the same amount of gas it takes to produce 14 plastic bags. 

Protect animal species

Plastic shopping bags cause the death of over 100,000 marine animals each year when the latter mistake the bags floating in the seas for food.

These plastic shopping bags can also trap, suffocate, and kill wildlife in the environment.

Prevent Recycling Issues

A 2016 Business Insider report said that much of the recycling machinery could not handle the task of recycling. 

Most of the plastic materials are hard to separate. Others get snagged on the machines, while some may be carried by the wind or water 

outside the recycling facilities.

The ideal way to avoid recycling problems is to put the plastic bags in designated drop-off centers in your community or local stores.

recycling

Minimize Pollution

The impact brought by the use of plastic is massive in terms of pollution.

It takes between 15 and 1,000 years for plastic bags to break down. 

Worse, if these plastic bags are in the landfill, their toxic material may still have the chance to wind up in rivers, streams, and oceans.

Accordingly, only around 1 percent is recycled out of the 100 billion plastic bags Americans use each year.

Save money

Though it only costs a dime or a nickel, the use of plastic shopping bags can still add up to your budget, especially when you go shopping more often.

The Natural Resources Defense Council reported that the typical American family also uses 1,500 plastic shopping bags annually.

Reusable Grocery bags Reduce Litter

Lightweight bags like plastic bags can somehow find their way to anywhere from landfill sites to neighborhood areas, resulting in clogging of drains. But, the widespread use of sustainable reusable bags has reduced the litter and clogging of drains. Since they could be reused again and again, their disposal never contributes to the ever increasing pollution in the way that plastic bags do.

The Bottomline

People may think that it is impossible to solve the problem of the prevalent use of plastic shopping bags

But if you look deeper, generations of people thousands of years ago were able to survive without using plastic bags when they go to the market or buy something outside. In short, you can decide to use reusable bags as an alternative to plastic shopping bags!