Last Updated on June 1, 2023 by Ecologica Life
Tote bags are becoming a fashionable way to carry your things around. They come in a wide range of styles, and you can even make them at home.
What is a Tote Bag
A tote bag is a large, open-top bag with two handles. The classic tote bag is made of durable fabric. Typical textiles include canvas, jute, nylon and other easy-care synthetics.
Many low-cost bags are often made from recycled materials, lightly processed natural fibres or leftovers from the processing of organic resources.
Benefits of a Tote Bag
- Tote bags are reusable, reducing plastic waste.
- Canvas bags are more durable than plastic bags and can hold heavier items.
- Shopping bags are becoming more expensive. Plastic is a major pollutant even recycled plastic can leech dangerous chemicals which is bad for your health. Microplastic particles have been found in our blood and so we need to reduce plastic production as much as possible.
- Making tote bags can be an activity to do with kids to teach them how to live sustainably (please sew with caution!)
- Tote bags are more stylish than plastic bags and can be used as a fashion accessory.
Environmental concerns
Because they can be reused many times, tote bags have been promoted as a greener eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic bags.
Some people claim that cotton canvas bags are bad for the environment because they use a lot of resources to make. Cotton, a crop that requires a lot of water to grow, is often used to make canvas carrier bags.
According to a study by the UK Environmental Agency, cotton canvas bags need to be reused at least 131 times to equal the carbon footprint of a single disposable plastic bag.
This isn’t a problem if tote bags are used often because they can usually last for years. Unfortunately, A 2014 study of American consumers found that the 28% of participants who owned reusable bags forgot them on about 40% of their shopping trips and used them only 15 times before throwing them away.
Even though they had access to reusable bags and were aware of their environmental benefits, nearly half this group often chose plastic bags instead.
So make sure to leave your reusable bag near the door or somewhere easily visible so that you won’t forget it on your next shopping trip.
