Cloth Grocery Bags

Cloth grocery bags are an eco-friendly, practical, and affordable alternative to plastic and paper bags.

Using cloth bags helps the environment by reducing pollution and conserving energy, and switching to reusable cloth bags will save you money in the long run.

Cloth bag manufacturing and use has many environmental benefits. Because they are durable and reusable, cloth bags are responsible for significantly less energy usage and pollution than paper or plastic.

Plastic bag production contributes to water and air pollution and requires the use of petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Moreover, plastic bags take hundreds of years to decompose. In the meantime, they add to landfill overcrowding, contribute to litter problems, and endanger marine animals that can choke on plastic bags when mistaking them for food.

While paper bags are biodegradable, and therefore appear more environmentally friendly than plastic bags, the energy required to manufacture and recycle paper is substantially greater than the energy needed to produce and recycle plastic. In addition, the production of paper bags contributes to deforestation and global warming.

The benefits of using cloth bags is not limited to the environment. Cloth bags last longer than paper or plastic bags, hold more and heavier items, are useful for carrying books, clothing, and other objects, and actually cost less over time than other types of bags.

Because retailers give away paper and plastic bags for free, a service that costs U.S. retailers approximately 4 billion dollars annually, they must raise prices on other products to recoup lost profits. By selling cloth bags to consumers, they save money. This savings is passed on to consumers via lower product prices. Some stores, including Albertsons and Wild Oats, even pay shoppers to use cloth bags.

Cloth bags are available in a variety of materials, including cotton, hemp, linen, and burlap. In addition to standard tote bags, some cloth grocery bags have shoulder straps, zippers, and multiple compartments, which is handy when carrying many smaller items. You can find bags in many different colors, some solid and some with patterns or other designs. Many online sellers of cloth bags also allow you to customize your bags, adding photos, personal mottos, or company slogans.

Cloth grocery bags are widely available, with increasing numbers of stores offering them to customers. You can purchase them online or in your local retailer, or you can opt to make your own.

You can find cloth grocery bags online with little effort.

• ECOBAGS offers a large assortment of cloth bags in several materials and sizes. Printed and woven bags are also available, and the site allows customers to customize bags to include a logo or slogan.
• Reusablebags.com sells more than 700 quality, reusable, eco-friendly bags in assorted sizes and for different purposes. Customers can shop by material, weight, price, and type of bag. The site supports Fair Trade practices and donates one percent of all sales to environmental causes.
• Enviro-Tote sells bags made from certified organic cotton, unbleached and colored cotton, and 100 percent recycled soda bottles. All products are manufactured in the United States.

You can also find cloth bags in your local community.

• Cloth shopping bags are available from most major retailers and grocery stores, and in some dollar stores and craft stores.
• Check your local thrift stores and flea markets for cloth bags. You can also try browsing your local Craigslist or Freecycle.
• You may not even need to purchase new cloth bags; many people have unused canvas tote bags laying around the house or stored in closets. Tote bags are also offered as free gifts with membership to certain clubs and organizations.

Switching from plastic or paper to cloth bags is easy. Determine how many bags you will need to transport an average load of groceries, and then browse for bags in the appropriate size and style. Cloth bags are durable and long-lasting, they do not tip over, are not prone to tears, hold more than plastic bags, and are significantly better for the environment. Plus, switching to cloth can save you money over time.

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