Reusable Bags is not only having amazing closeout deals on reusable bags right now, (good ones) but also closeout prices on other cool reusable gear; EarthLust water bottles and green cleaning kits to name a couple.

Bangalla has 10% off ALL green holiday gifts and plenty of reusable bags made their list. PLUS get free first class shipping for spending just $30 – they’ve got some of the best bag set deals I’ve seen in a while too. Well worth a visit.

Not really a sale, but you should know that Original ChicoBags are just $5 which means you can afford to stuff one into every stocking PLUS if you buy any five Original ChicoBag brand reusable bags the fifth is free! All kinds of colors to choose from.

Lastly, Night Owl Paper Goods has their fab owl Book Tote available for just $8.00 – a totally cute bag for a great price!

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Reusable bag sales for the holidays

Icecream Love Tote Bag and the Dancing Bunnies Tote Bag both from mymimi. Reusable bag goodness wrapped up in an ultra cute package.

Hey! Fever Bath Mallow from Bomb Cosmetics! I LOVE Bomb products with a capital L for their ultra cute and often pretty qualities contained in their bubbly fun bath products. This pretty bath Mallow is full of natural Cocoa Butter. It’s hand mixed with delicate Heather flowers and pure Vetiver and Bergamot oils to help strengthen and calm in the tub. They make the sweetest little cupcake shaped soaps too.

Giimmo Rabbit Nightlight or the Giimmo Frog Nightlight – adorable little rechargeable LED nightlights with an internal LED light that gradually fades through the entire color spectrum, producing a mesmerizing, kaleidoscopic effect. The light does not emit any heat and it’s portable so this little bunny or frog can go with you all over the house.

I’d get the tote, then put my cool bath mallow and nightlights in their and be on my way

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Three Cute Green Finds

I’d rather see someone using a reusable bag made of a plastic material than someone using plain old plastic or paper grocery bags. If you’re looking for an inexpensive and pretty option, Mudlark has some seriously cool designs to ponder.

Mudlark Reusable Totes are constructed from 100% High Density Polyethylene Fibers (HDPE), and last through 100s of uses. These stylish bags come with a snap closure and fold up like paper bags for easy storing. As a nice bonus the bags feature a large interior pocket to hold keys, coupons, and more. You can wash these bags down with a damp cloth and by using them you eliminate paper and plastic disposable bag use.

Best of all are the designs and price. They’re less expensive than most cloth bags, but a little more than some other HDPE bags (which is worth it for the designs). Small tote sizes are $8.95, 2 for $16.00 and large tote sizes are $12.95, 2 for $24.00. These are a good sort of reusable bag for someone who just needs a few and wants a dash of style with their eco-habits.

Learn more about Mudlark Reusable Totes.

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Pretty & stylish reusable grocery bags

Reusable Bags offers these (and other) facts related to plastic bags:

• 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used per year – or one million per minute. Insanity; um yeah. Most don’t make it to a recycling facility.
• “According to Australia’s Department of Environment, Australians consume 326 plastic bags per person, per year.”
• “Plastic bags are among the 12 items of debris most often found in coastal cleanups, according to the nonprofit Center for Marine Conservation.”
• In 2001, Ireland consumed around 316 plastic bags per person. After the PlasTax, a tax on plastic bags was introduced in Ireland, plastic bag consumption was actually reduced by 90%. That amount has saved around 18,000,000 liters of oil.

Think paper bags are the answer? Think again. Paper bags are almost as much of a drain on the environment as plastic bags. The only green option is to go reusable. ECOBAGS can help you out as they carry many different reusable bag options and offer affordable prices too. I recently tested two of their bags…

ECOBAGS Certified Organic Cotton Lunch Bag: At just $7 this 100% GOTS certified organic cotton canvas lunch sack  is an excellent value, but has a few cons. First the pros though – Fair Trade, SKAL Certified Organic, lovely natural creamy shade, easy to use VELCRO like closure, natural string handle and flat-gusset bottom, plus it’s machine washable. Nothing fancy just a nice basic lunch sack for a great price.

My con with a bag like this is that you can’t put an ice pack in it. You can get a reusable ice pack with a cloth cover but a sack like this just won’t keep food cold for all that long. Also, with bag style lunch sacks I’ve found that my son will dump out all his food or he won’t and then won’t find stuff (i.e. he’ll fail to eat). He likes to pop open his lunch kit and see his food laid out. There are better reusable lunch bags for kids. However, if you’re an adult on the go, and don’t need the icepack this is a great simple lunch sack. It’s also roomy enough to use for a bunch of toddler snacks and small gear, for say, a play date.

ECOBAGS Organic Net Drawstring Bag: I don’t usually like drawstring, mesh bags. I own produce bags but they’re basic organic cotton, non-mesh bags. In any case, it turns out that this mesh bag is pretty useful. This produce bag is GOTS certified organic and can be used for carrying vegetables, fruits or whatever else you choose to tote.It’s also machine washable, and when I did wash it (in cold) it cleaned up fine, and didn’t massively shrink or experience undue wear and tear.

The best thing about this is how cashiers manage this bag. I get so many freaked out cashiers when I use reusable produce bags. Cashiers roll their eyes, sigh, and make a big deal of pulling out a flipping apple to see what type it is. Yeah, they shouldn’t, but they do. With these bags, the cashiers are able to glance at the bag, and still see what’s inside which makes their job faster and I get fewer eye rolls. At just $4 (less when you buy more) these are an excellent deal. You can never have too many reusable produce bags in my opinion because not only can you use them for produce, but you can also use them for bulk soaps at the farmers market, and the non-mesh ones for other bulk food items.

Visit ECOBAGS to see all their reusable bag options and check out their cute Loofah Art products too!

[images via ECOBAGS]

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ECOBAGS Organic Bag Choices

Buy products that come sans packaging. For example does a Frisbee need a package? Do you need to buy tomatoes that come in a box wrapped in plastic, when a bin of non-wrapped tomatoes sit nearby? No not really. Buy the package free variety of items whenever possible.

Buy stuff in reusable packaging. For example a soy candle in a reusable glass jar or soap in a tin. Just make sure if you buy products in reusable containers that there’s not a package free version first.

Buy items in recycled and recyclable packaging. Make sure that when you buy food, cosmetics, or other products that they come in packaging that’s recycled and packaging that can be readily recycled again. Look for recycling logos on the packaging and know the recycling policies in your city.

Take your own packaging. You can buy tons of food in bulk and cleaners, soaps, shampoos, and conditioners in bulk as well – check your local natural food store. This way you can take your own reusable bulk bags, refillable containers, and so on vs. buying packaged goods.

[image via stock.xchng]

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Choose greener product packaging

Joey Totes

Joey Totes are not the usual carry-around reusable bags that you see everywhere. It is made of rip-stop nylon which is commonly used on outdoor clothing making it durable and easy to fold for easy stowage inside your bags or pockets. It could carry 40 pounds and are machine-washable.

Joey Totes

See how it’s folded like a pouch? The white label is an integral part of this reusable bag.

Joey Totes

Open up the pouch and you’ll get an inside-out bag. The white label is now hidden inside the pouch pocket.

Joey Totes

Spread the folds and you’ll get an inside-out bag.

Joey Totes

Turn it inside out to get the pretty Joey Totes bags. The pouch is now inside the bag.

Joey Totes

Once you put the groceries away, just turn the Joey Totes bag inside-out, follow the fold lines to fold it back to look like the 3rd picture. Reach inside the pouch and pull the white label out to fold it back nicely into a pouch. Then just put the Joey Totes pouch inside your bag for next time.

A set of Joey Totes come in 1 big Joey (Bag Size: 18″x28″x5″; Pouch Size: 9.5″x5) and 2 regular Joey (Bag Size: 14″x21″4″; Pouch Size: 8″x4″) for $20. So you’ll have separate bags for meat, vegetables, and seafood. Joey Totes are currently sold at JoeyTotes.com.

(Images : © Dexie Wharton)

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Introducing Joey Totes

USES: Groceries, travel, the library, sleepovers, and more.

MATERIAL: Made with ripstop Nylon.

COST: $8.50 per big Joey Tote; $7.00 per regular Joey Tote. Also discounts when you buy more and available in a mixed set.

PROS:

They’re reusable – obviously this is the largest eco-perk of any reusable bag. Plastic disposable bags are a huge eco-problem. If you’re not using reusable bags, you’re missing one of the most basic green steps you can take.

A total value. These bags are far less expensive than many of the reusable totes out there right now. PLUS because they’re made with nylon they’ll last and last saving you even more money. NOTE: Nylon is strong, but it’s also an eco-con (read below).

Crazy strong and well made. I loaded, and I do mean loaded the bags pretty much to full capacity just to see what would happen. Then I handed one to my son Cedar, who always helps me carry the groceries and he (like he always does) partially dragged it on the ground, and this bag stayed together. Cedar bangs into doors, roughs bags up, and these bags took it on and survived. They also held up in the washing machine. Note that I line dry though; so I can’t say if the dryer would be ok.

Hold a lot of stuff. Of all the reusable bags I’ve tested thus far, these ones seem to hold the most. I normally suggest about 7-9 reusable bags per average sized family (say for a cart full of groceries) but with the large Joey Tote I’m guessing you’d only need about 5 for a cart of groceries. Plus they hold heavy stuff, while I’m not suggesting you swing a child around in one (see picture above) I bet you could. Joey Totes notes that their bags carry 40 lbs, and I believe it.

Joey Totes are ethically manufactured. Which as they note, is why they don’t cost 99 cents.

Pack up tidy so you don’t forget your bag. Each bag can be tucked into itself via a little built in pouch (awww prob where they came up with “Joey”) and slips right into a purse or other tote. When folded the bags are super slim and portable.

I like the color gray; it hides dirt and it’s not obnoxious. Well, actually they’re sort of a grayish green.

CONS:

The number one con is that these bags are made with ripstop nylon. This is a HUGE pro for durability, water resistance and strength but it’s not an eco-friendly material.  Nylon is one, a partial petroleum product which means it comes from non-renewable resources. I haven’t been able to find anywhere that will recycle these bags and so at the end of its life it’ll end up in a landfill. You can’t burn it down because nylon will form a hazardous smoke when burned. You can incinerate them at a proper facility, but it costs a ton of money, so most nylon products are simply tossed in the trash.

The small bag won’t fit over your shoulder. It’s a carry tote only which means more trips to the car for bags, although, if you just get the big bags, you’d be good to go.

It’s only offered in the grayish green color with pink writing. I’m not sure if these bags will appeal to everyone style wise. I thought they were fine, but I’m not a fan of writing on bags as a general rule.

OVERALL SCORE:

Three out of five little trees. While I liked these bags for their size and strength, the eco-minded me can’t give them a four or five when you can buy bags made from recycled or organic cotton instead, which can be recycled or used as rags til they die. However, for people who want a good price deal on reusable bags, and want them to hold tons of stuff these would work. Also, in the grand scheme of things, the nylon, while not eco-friendly will last a super long time, and one Joey Tote alone will still save someone from using thousands of plastic bags, so that’s a huge perk. I know people who refuse to carry cotton bags because they’re not water-proof, so these would also work for those folks.

Visit Joey Totes to learn more.

[images via Thorsen Photography via Joey Totes]

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Reusable Bag Review: Joey Totes

How cute right! Oh, and did I mention these sweet burlap totes are on a great sale – only $20 each (regularly $25) -or- TWO for $35 -or- THREE for $50!! Wow. This bag above is made with naturally strong burlap, has a nice little pocket made with scrap burlap and a green recycled tablecloth. Plus multicolor green thread is used throughout. I love the natural look and chill colors of this bag. That said, this isn’t the only cute bag on sale – not by a long shot. Look…

Danielle appears to be moving right now, and thus notes she can’t fill custom requests currently, which likely means she will resume custom requests at some point. In any case, I’d grab one of the bags above before they’re all gone.

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Reusable Bag Bling for Less!

Snack baggies from Plum Creek Mercantile

• Instead of plastic baggies use cloth snack bags.
• Instead of paper coffee filters use a reusable coffee filter.
• Instead of store plastic produce bags use cloth produce bags.
• Instead of plastic water bottles invest in a reusable water bottle.
• Instead of hose water try rain barrel water for washing your car and watering the garden.
• Instead of foil save leftovers in a food container, cover your pot with a lid, and line your cookie sheet with a silicone sheet.
• Instead of paper towels clean with old dust rags or recycled newspaper (for cleaning windows).
• Instead of baby wipes use washcloths dipped in water.
• Instead of ice pops from the store choose reusable ice pop molds and make homemade ice pops.
• Instead of disposable menstrual pads choose cloth Moonpads Reusable Menstrual Pads.
• Instead of paper napkins use cloth napkins.
• Instead of one-time-use batteries use rechargeable batteries.
• Instead of disposable razors choose an electric razor.
• Instead of hand soap in a plastic bottle get a refillable liquid hand soap pump.
• Instead of disposable diapers try reusable cloth diapers.
• Instead subscribing to print editions of a newspaper or magazine try reading it online.
• Instead of new bottles of shampoo, get a refillable bottle and buy shampoo in bulk at the co-op.

How many disposables are you currently living without, or how many do you think you can give up?

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How many disposables can you live without?

Cute reusable bags from three beans & co shown above.

I agree personally, because plastic bags are a complete eco-nuisance, but I am wondering how a law like this might affect everyone without reusable bags. Paper bags will still be around for sure, but paper bags are almost as un-eco-friendly as plastic. I’m thinking that if this becomes law, stores will make a move to a more eco-friendly bag material somehow  OR have massive chain wide promotions of store brand reusable bags.

What you should do – start learning more about your reusable bag options asap. You can always go with store brand reusable bags, but with few exceptions, these bags seem to have a very short lifespan and can be made of questionable materials. You’re better off going with a set of more expensive, but stronger and longer lasting cloth bags.

Do you think a worldwide ban on plastic grocery bags is a good idea? I do, even though I’m wondering about the logistics.

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Plastic supermarket bags ban