It’s possible to buy new cotton reusable produce bags: I’d recommend looking at your local bulk store as they will often stock them. Although Denmark has an impeccable recycling program there is still this issue of plastic packaging that seems to plague us all. From a resource perspective, it makes sense to be using this to make resources rather than leaving it somewhere to sit for all eternity. Grab a bowl large enough to cover things like a cake, but not so big that the mesh will not cover it. The great thing about this simple solution is that it eliminates the extra weight of both the plastic bags and your homemade alternative (no matter how tiny, it does count). If sewing if definitely not your thing (and you don’t have a relative or friend to persuade to do it for you!) The best reusables are the ones you use often. Cotton bags are great for all the things that mesh bags aren’t: powders and flours. I'm just not. There are just as many solutions for replacing single-use produce bags with reusables as there are for shopping bags. Dollar store sheer curtains that I sewed into produce bags. Dear Lindsay and all you thoughtful planet- saving people: Thank you so much for all your ideas and your supreme efforts to lessen the impact of plastic waste. You can also change some of your preferences. 1. Look at you with all your greens! You can give things a little scrub using the bag while they are still in it. It works to pull back the hair so you can easily see. When I first went plastic-free back in 2012 I was the same. You can wrap it in a few places or even glue on a few things like shells, feathers or whatever you want. The only time it really is an issue is if you’re buying something very high price per kilo (say tea, which might be $100/kilo as it is super light) and you only buy 50g. Grab a few of those little suction cups and attach them to the side of the tub or wall. Your bags sound great, where do you get the mesh from? These reusable bags have color-coded tags, so you can use the same one for a specific type of produce each week if you prefer. I use old plastic bags that guests have left in the house, or that remain from past food packaging. Whilst reusable produce bags are very easy to transport, they aren’t ideal for storing food. Make your own with mesh produce bags. Or even just for the look? Lindsay Miles is an educator, speaker, author and passionate zero waste/plastic-free living advocate helping others live more meaningful lives with less waste and less stuff. Just like you would use some fabric or tulle, you can use mesh produce bags to make little treat bags. Oh, and time to get those habits down pat! Now you can fold down the top part to create the tunnel for the drawstring to go through. While the options are endless, I am going to share 13 different ideas with you. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Great to carry things home! Allows you to hang them which allows for more air flow and keeps them from sitting and getting slimy. For me, I think it is worth it. I had kept a lot of drawstring bags that came with sheets (bhumi and oh mabel), shoes and handbags. Curtains make great resuable produce bags, I think. Are there any other alternatives or DIY hacks that you can suggest? Which makes me wonder actually… what do you use when you buy your bulk dry goods?! Works really well with this method-changed our claw-clipping game 🙂, I am having problems to get the label out of the mesh , can you please help? You’re inspirational! Legacy plastic, I call it. I’ve joined Plastic Free July and am making good progress, but the whole world needs to take this on board. The top reusable produce bags that serve as the best alternatives for single-use plastic produce bags include; 1. 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