BuyGreen.com Reusable Bag Product Review

BuyGreen.com offer a wide variety of green products for the home, leisure and the workplace. One of those is a reusable shopping bag, which we were sent to test to compare to our other reusable bag reviews.

There are many different reusable bags on the market, ones that fold, that are sturdy, made of polyester, burlap, cotton, recycled bottles and so on. So why use this bag?

Well it’s only $6 for a start, so if you’ll looking at buying several for grocery shopping then that helps. It’s also made of 100% organic cotton, some cotton bags aren’t. It’s not the most luxurious cotton we’ve tested, but in a way that helps as you can fold it up into a rather small size. It’s pretty thin that makes it light and helps with the small space it takes up.

Pretty sturdy too, it can certainly take a lot of groceries and I reckon easily stronger than a normal plastic bag. Though perhaps the 24 pack of beer bottles is best left to being carried on it’s own.

Made in India, the bags are $6 from BuyGreen.com. Check out our other bag reviews here.

Envirosax Reusable Bag Product Review

Whilst we have a reusable bag summary chart on the way, it’s time for look at another reusable bag on review.

Envirosax were founded in Australia in 2004 (now available in the US) and make eco-friendly bags. Made from a lightweight polyester they have reinforced seams in order to carry the weight of two plastic shopping bags,

The most striking feature (besides that it rolls up really small) is the sheer number of cool designs they come in. The picture is of the one I’ve got, Mikado #5, however they have many designs in the Graphic Series (Mikado, Retro Graphic, Monochromatic, Flora, Amazonia, and Retro Kitchen). They also have a big Kids range (as in a big range, not a range for big kids…). My favorite being the Dogasaurus.

If you prefer your bags plain, they have the Greengrocer series of bags that are all one color. Finally the Organic series have bags made of Bamboo/linen, just linen or hemp.

At the moment they’re including a free 3-4 minute shower timer with every order. Cool bags, and their brochures are made on recycled paper with soy-based ink - I always like that too. Check them out.

Earthchic Reusable Tote Eco Product Review

Smart Totes provided us with a cool zebra patterned reusable bag. Produce by Earthchic are based in Mobile, Alabama,and run by Sallye Irvine and Claire Leaman. Their bags are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

A good size at 18″x15″x7″ and with 21″ handles the bag is useful not only for groceries but for carrying school books of folders around, up to 50lbs worth. It has an interior pocket and is also machine washable (on cold) and you can just hang it outside to dry.

Earthchic also provide these tips for when you’re at the grocery store:

• Use a reusable bag (buy more if you are a big shopper) instead of plastic or paper - much more fashionable and easier to carry as well! Those plastic bags will never end up in a landfill if you don’t take them in the first place.
• Don’t take those little plastic produce bags unless absolutely necessary. If you are buying small, numerous items like cherries or beans you probably need one; if you are buying anything else that has its own peel or will be washed, you don’t.
• Select products in readily recyclable materials such as cardboard, aluminum and #1 and #2 plastics.
• Try to cut down on single-use, individually-wrapped or disposable products such as juice boxes, cups, plates, razors etc. Buy the permanent versions instead they are usually much nicer and last much, much longer.
• Purchase eggs in cardboard containers not styrofoam. Styrofoam doesn’t biodegrade- it lasts forever.

Available for only $29 from Smart Totes, with different versions available.