Reusable
shopping bags are fast becoming the number one fashion
accessory. For high quality reusable
shopping bags, NotAMall has some great options!
Help reduce the volume of waste in our expanding landfills,
conserve our forests and petroleum resources and prevent
the death of hundreds of thousands of sea turtles, whales
and other marine mammals who eat discarded plastic bags
mistaking them for food. By changing your shopping habits
in one simple way, you can make a significant impact. Start
using reusable shopping bags!
Encourage everyone you know to start carrying these reusable
shopping bags ... a small step can make a HUGE difference.
Our bags are made of 100% natural, unbleached cotton. The
fabric weight is a strong 10 ounce canvas duck and can
hold up to 40 pounds.
Our NotAWaste
canvas bags are printed with a few of the many compelling
facts that emphasize the importance of reducing needless
waste and pollution.
Americans consume 100 billion plastic shopping bags every
year. Over 500 billion are consumed worldwide and about
4 billion become general litter.
Plastic bags don't "biodegrade", they break down
into tiny toxic bits which contaminate soil and water. They
can take 1,000 years to break down.
Fourteen million trees were cut in 1999 to produce the
ten billion paper grocery bags used by Americans that year.
Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons
of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts
of energy and 7,000 gallons of water.
Reusable Shopping Bags - Buyer's Guide |
| There are many options available when
you shop for reusable grocery bags, but you need to
have the right bags or it will simply be a nuisance
and might even be worse for the environment. |
| Dimensions: |
The ubiquitous paper grocery bag remains the best overall model for any general purpose shopping bag. The size has stood the test of time and only the construction needs to be updated for reusability. Make sure the bags you buy are made from a pattern that has actual depth to the design. Don't buy bags that are simply two pieces of cloth sewn around the perimeter! A good guide for overall dimensions is: 5 1/2" x 13" x 16" tall |
| Bottom: |
A bag with a flat bottom is very important. Some designs have cardboard that folds down to make a flat bottom but that will quickly wear out. It is more important that the pattern of the bag itself has a flat bottom because it will load better and the contents will be more apt to keep it sitting upright in the car and on the counter while unpacking. |
| Handles: |
Handles should be a durable material that is wide and thick enough to keep them from biting into your hands if the bag is loaded up and heavy. Many handles we have seen are too long which make the bag harder to carry and lift. They should be only about 6" from the top of the bag and need to be very well stitched to the bag. |
| Material: |
Two different materials stand out from the crowd for both environmental and practical reasons, natural canvas (100% cotton) and recycled PET (typically made from beverage bottles). Canvas is durable, washable, biodegradable, renewable and more cost effective while recycled PET is very strong, washable and resistant to soiling but is typically about 30% more costly. |
| Quality: |
Beware of cheap bags at the candy aisle.
They are likely to be a bit too small, poorly made,
and/or made of a polymer-based material that is not
recycled and will not biodegrade after failing from
a limited number of uses. |
Any bag that is reused (including a disposable bag)
is a smart step in the right direction! |
Our privacy policy is definitive ... no
spam, no selling lists, no abuses period!
New items are
added regularly!
