There are many discussions out there about what is best for the environment regarding alternatives to single-use plastic. Our Reusable Produce Bags are 100% mesh polyester & BPA free. In choosing a material for our produce bags, we evaluated cotton vs. a synthetic. In our initial testing, the synthetics had some apparent advantages. They were lighter, keeping added weight at the checkout to a minimum, it was also easier to see the contents inside. We also noticed that the cotton bags had a tendency to get mouldy when they get damp, putting a quick stop to their useful life.

Although the synthetics had some great advantages, we couldn’t ignore that they didn’t biodegrade the way that natural options did. When we looked at the environmental aspects more holistically though, it wasn’t so cut and dry. A Danish study compared the cumulative environmental impact of bags in different materials, and we learned that you would need to reuse that cotton reusable bag 7100 times to offset its production. By the same metric, a bag made from a synthetic material needed just 35 uses.

Ultimately, we chose to go with 100% mesh polyester. Since the production of every material has an environmental impact, we always try to make sure that our bags last as long as possible. We wove our material to be tear proof and double sewed the seams.

Our bags are designed so that customers can get years of use out of their bags and feel good about the environmental choice they’re making.