Shopping is something everyone loves to do, and for good reason. It feels good to treat yourself on occasion. However, it’s also one of the biggest producers of plastic bag waste, and much of that waste can pollute the environment for hundreds of years.
As such, a lot of folks, and probably you since you’re here, want eco-friendly alternatives.
One of the most popular alternatives is the adoption of eco-friendly tote bags. You get enough tote bags to cover the number of things you purchase on average, and then you bring them to the store with you. Instead of taking the plastic bags at checkout, you fill your totes.
How do you pick a good tote that is both fashionable and worth using as an alternative, though?
Today, we’re going to cover that. Let’s get started.
1: Pick the Right Material
Various companies will offer tote bags made from wildly different materials. Some are okay, but there are definitely materials that stand out from the rest.
First, we recommend avoiding nylon and other plastics. Plastic production generates a ton of pollution, and the whole point is to be more eco-friendly. As such, we recommend custom tote bags that are made from canvas the most. There are other natural materials the bags can be made from, but canvas offers the best balance of strength, durability, and production cost. This means that you can get a superior product for less if you go with canvas totes, and they’re 100% eco-friendly.
2: Structural Integrity
Having a reusable tote for groceries won’t matter if it’s made poorly and breaks on the first use. The whole point is to get a longer-lasting product you don’t have to replace.
So, look at reviews on a company’s products, or handle them in person if you find them in stores, to ensure that you’re buying something that will last a long time.
3: Simplicity
These are essentially alternative grocery bags you’re buying. They’re not necessarily fashioned accessories; even if they can be printed with cute and trendy designs. As such, go for a simple design. The bag shouldn’t be super complicated as if you’re trying to pick out a high-fashion purse. All that does is drive up the price and make you spend more on something that you’re just going to toss your purchases in.
4: Custom Print Options
Finally, even though you want a simple, function-first design, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look forward to wearing something trendy while you shop.
Choose a provider who offers custom prints. These services are often used by companies to add their logos, but you can get literally anything added to your custom tote bags in the same manner.
This will add a bit of personality to your bags, brighten up your shopping trip, and it might even garner enough attention to get more people to get on board with eco-friendly bag alternatives. At the end of the day, that is worth it on its own, because it increases the impact of your efforts dramatically for each new person who is inspired to follow suit.