How Environmentally Friendly Are Fabric Shopping Bags Compared To Plastic Bags?

Reusable shopping bags can be made from a wide range of fabrics. Regardless of whether the fabric is recycled or sustainable, it is still more environmentally friendly than plastic bags. If you’ve ever wondered how eco-friendly fabric shopping bags are in comparison to plastic bags, we’ve got the answer.

The Consequences Of Plastic Bags

Plastic bags are manufactured using nonrenewable resources such as natural gas and petroleum. Using nonrenewable resources isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The issue with using nonrenewable resources in the production of plastic bags is that those resources are then lost to the manufacturing industry. Plastic bags are recyclable, but they are rarely recycled.

Low Rates Of Recycling

It’s difficult to say how many plastic bags are recycled. Plastic bags are separated from thin plastic wrap and packaging for sorting purposes. Only about 9% of the plastic used in these types of bags, wrap, and packaging is recycled.

So, in the best-case scenario, 9 percent of plastic bags are recycled, but this figure is likely to be lower because that 9 percent includes a variety of plastic products. Plastic bags would be considered eco-friendly if they were recycled on a regular basis, but this is not the case.

Plastic Waste Disposal

Plastic bags are far more likely to end up as litter or in a landfill. Plastic bags contribute to landfill capacity in landfills. This may appear absurd because plastic bags are so small and thin; how much could they possibly contribute to landfills reaching capacity?

According to estimates, approximately 100 billion plastic bags are used each year. Not all of those 100 billion plastic bags are destined for landfills, but a significant portion of them are, and that can add up to a lot of plastic just taking up space.

Littering Instances

The last option for plastic bags is to be discarded as litter. Litter can end up anywhere, but every year, approximately 8 million metric tonnes of plastic litter enter the world’s oceans. Apart from being an eyesore, plastic bag litter can endanger animals and their habitats. Animals may become entangled or trapped in plastic bags, rendering them unable to defend or fend for themselves. Animals can also consume plastic, which can be fatal and has ramifications for the food chain.

The Advantages Of Fabric Reusable Bags

Fabric shopping bags are intended to be reused. One fabric bag can replace thousands of single-use plastic bags, resulting in less trash and litter. There are fewer negative consequences when there is less plastic trash and litter.

Shopping bags can be made from a variety of fabrics, including recycled or sustainable materials.

Fabric Shopping Bag Varieties

Recycled fabric is made from recycled plastic and includes woven polypropylene, non-woven polypropylene, and RPET. These fabrics repurpose existing materials and can be recycled once they have served their purpose.

Plant-based textiles are used to make sustainable fabric. Cotton, jute, and even bamboo are examples of sustainable fabrics used for reusable shopping bags. When sustainable fabrics have served their purpose, they can usually be recycled, but natural fibres are also biodegradable.

Use Fabric Shopping Bags For Your Business

Fabric shopping bags and RPET Full Color Bags are environmentally friendly because they eliminate the need for and use of single-use plastic bags, lowering the negative environmental impact of plastic bags. Fabric bags are also made of environmentally friendly materials and can be disposed of in a responsible manner when the time comes.