It all began with this post with the header "What kind of reusable bags do you like?"
What kind of reusable bags do you like the most? What makes them good for you? Are your bags all the same or are they a mishmash of types? Do you have any tricks to remind yourself to use them?
Ikea has reusable fabric bags which fold into themselves and tuck into a pocket which is sewn into the bag, making a soft packet about 3.5" squaremand 1.5" thick. I usually have one of them tucked into my purse and made a small cube which holds 5 of these packets... Each of these bags is only 99 cents, and well worth it, IMO as they are sturdy, easily washable, and very
easy to carry with me.
I also have three insulated bags which zip closed that I use...unfortunately, these do not fold down so nicely and can be a pain to remember.
I used to have heavy duty canvas bags which I got at Ocean State Job Lot but they were heavy, difficult to wash and clumsy to carry in the quantity needed for a good trip to the grocery. I still have a few, which I use for really heavy, non food items (one of them currently holds my go-to tools needed to hang pictures, put up curtain rods, etc.)
She clearly has it all thought out but wanted to start the games and the list did not disappoint!
This poster ups the ante with mention of not only an outside pocket for shopping lists, but gets in a Red Sox reference too.
I don't have a specific brand, but I like canvas bags that have handles that go all around the bag (under the bottom) so they can't pull off. Outside pockets are nice too - I put my shopping list there. And, I have 1pricey Red Sox bag that also has an inside zippered pocket in case I wantto stash change or a credit card there.
A pricey Red Sox bag no less!
This poster probably wins because she mentions:
Taking the T
Farmers markets
Zipcars
Whole foods
CSA
My favorite type depends on the situation. They break down into 3
categories:
1. Picking up a few items on my daily commute (Whole Foods, Shaws, Dave's Fresh Pasta, Farmer's Market). I commute by T so I keep a small Chico "Original" bag in my purse. I like Chico Original (http://www.chicobag.com/category/shopping ) because they are very very
durable, machine washable, and pack very small. I've tried other brands and they will sometimes tear or run. I haven't yet had that problem with Chico bags. My oldest is about 10 years old now. They hold a surprising amount of stuff.
2. Heading out on the T on Saturday to do a medium sized shop (usually Whole Foods). I like to use canvas bags with straps long enough to go over my shoulder. I can carry two decent sized bags of groceries this way - oneover my shoulder and the other in the opposite hand.
3. Getting a Zipcar and doing a big shop (Costco, Trader Joe's, Wegmans) -the thinner fabric grocery bags that stand up on their own. These are great for transport via car because they generally won't tip over, you can stuff a lot in them, especially bulky things, and when they become grungy they can transition to other duties (like going to pick up the CSA) or be discarded.
Here we have a Town Day reference. Solid man.
Most of my reusable bags were free, got them at Town Day. Some are flimsy, others have cardboard or plastic bottoms.
There are not enough words for this one. We've got the 70's, descriptions of specific bags AND for the first time in the thread WHERE TO STORE THEM! BLAMMO!
Loving this thread! I've been collecting bags since I joined the Boston Food Coop in the 70's. Let's just say I have quite a few! Most of themare for grocery shopping and I have a few "good" ones I use for clothesshopping and other non-food shopping. Like NAME REDACTED I like canvas
bags with a long strap to go over my shoulder. Then my hands are free to get out my keys, etc. But I also like the ones that Whole Foods sells. When NAME REDACTED and I were in Austin a few years ago, I got one at the Austin Whole Foods. The bag is huge, made from recycled materials and has a nice flat bottom. I have others that I have picked up during various seasons--a
big orange one with pumpkins on it, a green and pinkish one with watermelon on it. I even have one I got at Thanksgiving with a huge turkey on it.
To ensure that I always have a bag with me I have a set of hooks by my garage door where most of the bags are stored. That way I see them easily on my way out. But I always have a stash in my trunk (4 or 5 to be on the safe side). Since I have a station wagon, I see the bags when I get outof my car; this ensures that I won't forget them.
We also have a whole bunch of bags that NAME REDACTED gets when he goes to a professional conference--OSCON, YAPC, etc. Quite a collection of those. They are canvas and smaller but handy for a small shopping run. And when we see bags we like, we pick up a few more.
Generally I use the WF "plastic" bags for food as they get messy from food, etc. My question for you canvas bag folks, is how do you clean them? They do tend to get grungy.
I expect that this thread will continue for days, though my ability to withstand the boredom may not.
