How to Make a Reusable Shopping Bag

Eco-Friendly Grocery Shopping

Many people are beginning to carry their own shopping bag when they go to the grocery store. The reasons for doing so are very clear. They want to avoid using a plastic shopping bag because of environmental reasons. As the editors at Ideal Bite, an online green newsletter, wrote, plastics were created to last forever, and now we're using them in so many disposable products that are thrown away after one use. By reducing the use of plastic, we have less waste going into landfills.

The first step to making your own shopping bag is to use a material that will last. Many people prefer canvas, but there are several fabrics that will work. You can use a cotton calico for a pretty bag, denim for a youthful bag, or even mesh for one that will hold your fruit and vegetables. There are advantages to each fabric. Denim or canvas will provide a lot of strength to hold cans or jars. The calico provides a nice appearance, but also has quite a bit of strength. The mesh doesn't hold as much weight, but it is a bit better for fresh vegetables, because it allows the air to circulate. This bag is designed to be made by those with only the most elementary of sewing skills, and advanced sewers may be able to adapt the idea to make it more suited for their own needs.

First, choose a piece of fabric you like. Wash the fabric as soon as you get it home so that it will shrink before you use it, and then draw a circle on it. You will need enough fabric to make a fairly large circle. If you have trouble making a circle, a clean trash can lid can make an excellent guide to mark around. Lay it on the fabric and draw around the edge. If you are able to accurately increase the size, you may choose to make it even larger. When it is the proper size for your needs, cut the circle out.