There are so many options for the material for reusable grocery bags like cotton, jute, hemp, polypropylen (PP), recycled PET,… All of the fabrics bring different benefits, and they are all environmentally friendly because we can reuse them again and again. We’ve broken down a list below of various fabrics and materials that are most commonly used to produce reusable grocery bags.
Cotton bags
Cotton bags are a common reusable alternative to plastic bags. They can be made from organic cotton (grown without pesticides), recycled cotton (reclaimed cotton scrap), or traditional cotton (chemically treated, raw and natural). Cotton bags are soft, smooth texture, durable, biodegradable, widely available, and ease of washing.
However, cotton requires so many resources to grow and cultivate. They are not moisture resistant unless chemically treated, high cost of production and shipping, and shrinking from machine washing.
Hemp Bags
Hemp is also a reasonable natural alternative. The plants themselves require little water, and one acre of hemp can yield up to 6 tons of fiber. Hemp reusable bags are pretty solid (they’re multiple times stronger than cotton), durable, rot-resistant, soft and smooth to touch, and can machine wash. The only disadvantage to hemp bags is their travel footprint. Hemp cannot grow in most Western countries, which adds to the overall cost of the bags to import.
Polypropylene (PP) Bags
PP bags are durable, reusable plastic bags for multiple uses. They can made from both non-woven and woven polypropylene and come in a variety of colors and sizes. PP bags are strength, resistance to chemical corrosion, ease of wiping clean, low porosity, diversity of color options, and the flexibility in brand printing. Its major disadvantages are not compostable, and not recommended for machine washing.
Recycled PET Bags
Recycled PET is a durable, eco-friendly fabric made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles and containers. Using recycled PET reduces waste and conserves oil and non-renewable resources. However, the process of transporting, sorting, and recycling post-consumer waste expends energy and can create pollution. They do not recommend machine washing (handwash only).
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