Not all Green Bags Are Created Equal October 7, 2011

-For consumers-

Nowadays, most people in the U.S. are pretty aware of the environmental responsibilities we all have as citizens of the Earth. One of the initiatives of being green is to use eco-friendly bags when going grocery shopping. In many supermarkets, reusable eco-friendly bags are being sold for $0.99 and up to $4.99. Why are they so different and as a consumer, what should I buy?

Being green, in essence, means you use these eco bags over and over again until you are ready to recycle them. So, reusability and recyclability are the two key issues, not the looks. Let’s not lose sight of these when choosing an eco bag for our own use.

The most common eco-friendly material used for these eco bags are RPET (recycled post-consumer PET material, mostly from beverage bottles) and PPNW (PP Non-Woven). They are both durable and recyclable so both are good eco choices. PPNW, without lamination, will absorb liquid a bit more than RPET so it may seem to get dirty a bit easier. But, if you are paying 0.99 for a bag, you won’t expect it to last a life time anyway. So, the difference between these two eco-friendly materials is really not significant in terms of durability and reusability. Rather, it’s more of a personal choice. If you favor recycled post-consumer material, then go for RPET. Otherwise, PPNW is just as good.

The fancy printing makes the bag more attractive, AND, more expensive but really don’t do much more for grocery shopping except that you are advertising for the store that sold you the bag. So, as a consumer, if I have to spend money out of my own pocket, I would buy the basic PPNW with simple printing at the lowest price possible.

One advantage of a coated Eco bag is you can use antibacterial wipes to clean them which can be more sanitary in the long run.

The most practical eco bag size is the medium size, around 14” -15” (Length and Width), with a gusset around 6”. Some bags have no gusset and it might be a bit awkward when trying to stack grocery items neatly.

Some jumbo eco bags look great but not everyone can pick up the bag when it is fully loaded. So, you end up NOT filling up the bag anyway. So, why spend more buying a jumbo eco bag when you more than likely won’t use the full capacity?

If the prices are the same for the eco bag, go for the thicker material with handle reinforcement, preferably with bottom reinforcement, too. But, if you have to pay extra, again, stick to the basics. Thicker material is more durable, thus, with higher reusability. The most important thing is to have the reinforcement on the handles. That’s where the eco bag is likely to break, eventually, but we hope it’s later rather than sooner.

Some bags are kind of fancy, with insulation layers, inside pocket or in a foldable construction. Insulation could be nice for milk or other items that need to be kept cold. Snaps and zippers are not really too practical for grocery shopping. Foldable eco bag is easier to carry and you may consider having one in your purse, just in case. Again, these are fancy extras that you can do without, if you have to pay for them. If the price is the same, why not?

For consumers, there is another choice… shop where the business is giving away an eco-friendly shopping bag that you can re-use for grocery shopping. What else is better? They would have given you a plastic or paper bag anyway. The eco bags will get re-used many times carrying their names/ advertising messages. It’s good for them and it’s FREE for you. What a win-win!

So, let’s encourage the business where we shop to start using eco-friendly material for their shopping bags so we don’t have to buy them at the supermarket. Now that’s the BEST eco-bag deal you can have!

5 questions to ask when buying eco bags September 9, 2011

Eco-friendly bags are getting more and more popular especially after many cities voted to ban plastic bags. There are so many styles around and they all look good. Some companies offer 100% customization. How do you choose a eco-bag that is right for YOUR business?

Here are 5 key questions you ask and the decision gets easier.

1.Do you need a particular size for your eco bag? If not, go for the standard size, not smaller. Don’t let the sizes fool you. Bigger eco bags are not proportionally more expensive. The material is inexpensive so a smaller eco bag will only save a little bit as all the labor and handling are almost the same. Choose a vertical or horizontal eco bag that suits your product.

2. Does your eco bag need gussets? If not, choose one without. It is much cheaper.

3. Do you have beautiful photograph or very fancy design to be printed on the eco bag? If not, go for the basic silk screen printing and not the digital printing. Digital printing can faithfully catch the beauty of stunning artwork and it’s well worth it, if you have such a design. If not, go with the basics. Remember, the more sides of the eco bag are printed, the more expensive.

4. Do you favor post-c0nsumer recycled material? If so, you need the RPET (recycled PET material) which may be slightly higher than other material. Otherwise, go for PP Non-Woven unless your products are very heavy, in which case you need the sturdy PP Woven material for the eco bag.

5. Do you want any special feature on your eco shopping bag? Do you want insulation to hold milk, wine, etc.? Do you want a snap closure? A zipper? A pocket? A shoulder strap in addition to a handle? Do you want a messanger bag style instead of the usual shopping bag style? If so, be prepared to spend a little more and add a little flavor to your eco shopping bag.

Once you have clear answers to these 5 key questions, you are ready to tell your Account Manager what you want. Have them develop a few styles in the same price range for your choice. If you have a target price in mind, ask them to make suggestions of a suitable eco shopping bag style.

What is the difference between PPNW and RPET? August 30, 2011

Starting July 1, 2011, LA County has banned the use of plastic grocery bags. Customers can still pay $0.10 per plastic bag but who wants to do that?? Looks like it’s time to start bringing my own bags to the grocery store. There are a lot of bags out there, some are more attractive than the others. My favorite ones are the Costco reusable bags and Whole Foods’ bags. So what are the major differences of the different types of eco bags out there??

Let’s look at two of the most popular bags that are being promoted as reusable shopping bags.

PPNW (polypropylene Non-Woven) material -PP Non Woven is an imitation of textile made from synthetic polymer, PP, reproducing the texture of a web. The base color is white and can be dyed to get different colors. Without lamination, it is softer and can be made into a foldable bag. Silk-screening is the most economical way of printing logo on surface. With lamination, the material can have a metallic finish or even have designs embossed into the material.  This material is 100% Recyclable.

RPET (Recycled Polyethylene) material – RPET  is made from recycled thermo plastic polymer. The PET used to reproduce the fabric of the bag is coming from 80% post consumer goods, especially water and beverage bottles. It comes with a thin OPP film which can be printed on digitally across the entire bag.  The bag can also have a matte or shiny finish.  Most of the Whole Foods bag and Costco Bag uses this material with the full digital printing to show off very attractive designs.  This material is 100% Recyclable and made from recycled material.