subject: Different Types Of Shopping Bags [print this page] Shopping bags are small to medium sized bags primarily used by shoppers to carry their grocery purchases. Today the market offers a variety of shopping carrier bags, such as reusable bags and single-use (disposable) bags.
Here are few different types of shopping carrier bags available in the market today:
Plastic Bags: These single-use shopping bags were first introduced in 1960s. These bags are used for carrying grocery items and other items. These grocery carriers are usually made from low-density polyethylene. These plastic carriers are made from refined petroleum. In the United States nearly 12 million barrels of petroleum are used annually in order to manufacture plastic grocery bags. Non-biodegradable plastic bags can cause several environmental issues, such as clogging the waterways, landfills and accumulation of toxic plastic garbage. Today, recyclable or biodegradable plastic carriers are also available in the market. These bags are manufactured from vegetable-based bio-plastics and PLA (polylactic acid). PLA is a biodegradable polymer extracted from lactic acid. The grocery carriers manufactured from these biodegradable products decay organically. They prevent the accumulation of toxic plastic waste in landfills.
Paper Bags: Paper shopping carriers are considered as a better alternative to plastic grocery bags. These bags are manufactured from recycled and fresh paper, which is made from trees. According to the reports of the American Forest and Paper Association, more than 10 billion paper shopping bags are used in the United States annually. This can have a negative impact on forests.
Reusable Bags: As the name suggests the reusable bags can be used several times. These bags are a better option as compared to paper and plastic carriers. These bags are usually made from natural fibers, such as cotton, organic cotton, canvas, string mesh, hemp and jute. The reusable shopping bags are slowly becoming very popular due to their various advantages. They are gradually replacing plastic and paper bags.
Several supermarkets encourage their customers to use reusable shopping bags. Some of the retail shops even offer discounts to the customers who bring reusable bags to carry their purchases. Using these bags can minimize the use of natural resources. This can save a large amount of trees and fossil fuels. These biodegradable bags made from natural fibers are very environmental friendly. Further, these grocery carriers are sturdier and more durable as compared to the thin plastic bags. They can withstand more weight than the thin paper and plastic shopping bags.
Further, storing food items, such as fruits and vegetables, in these grocery carriers will keep the eatables fresh and clean. The food items will be not subjected to the toxic chemicals and pesticides that often leech from polyester and polyethylene bags.
by: Emma Heuton
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