green reviews.

ChicoBag’s products are “designed to be unforgettable.” And that is just what their Produce Stand Collection is; something not to forget when you head to the grocery store or farmer’s market because it is a great alternative to single use plastic bags.

These 3 bags all fold small enough to stuff themselves into a super cute apple shaped pouch, so you can clip these bags on your reusable shopping bags, allowing you to have everything in one place. 2 out of 3 bags are created from ChicoBag’s rePete fabric, which is made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. The hemp-cotton bag is the only one not made from rePete material.

ChicoBag has thought of everything, each bag is made from a different material because they each serve a different purpose. The hemp-cotton blend absorbs excess moisture and restricts airflow making it great to use for green beans, nuts, grains and bulk foods. That is exactly what I did at my local Whole Foods bulk food section. While I browsed the food selection, I watched a fellow shopper take several plastic produce bags from the roll and fill those less than half way full. To me that is quite the waste, when it is likely that the bag will be tossed away once her food is taken home and stored differently. If she only knew about ChicoBag’s Produce Stand Bags, she could help to use less plastic.

I on the other hand was happy to not use any plastic bags during my shopping trip, option to use the hemp (70%) cotton (30%) blend bag to choose about a pound of wheat berries from the bulk food section. All three of these have labels sewn to them so you and the cashier can know exactly how much these bags weigh completely empty (know as the item’s Tare Weight) so you aren’t paying for the weight of the bag too.

These nifty little tags also help to remind you what foods are best recommended for each bag. Such as the rePete mesh bag allows ethylene gas (nature’s ripening agent) to escape and is great for apples, oranges, onions and potatoes. This way you could keep some of your produce in this bag once it arrives home, if you choose to. Thus the gas won’t be trapped like it might be in a closed plastic bag. The original rePete bag restricts airflow and locks in moisture, perfect for vegetables that can get dried out easily, such as squash, broccoli, carrots and celery.

I will certainly be using these bags when I shop for food, Chicobag has made kicking the single use bag habit every so easy. Even their packaging is earth conscience; it is printed on 100% recycled paper with soy ink, which is something I was pleased to see. Try these bags for yourself; they are certainly worth the investment. ChicoBag offers a Produce Stand Mini Starter Kit, it’s the same as this kit I’ve reviewed, just smaller size bags that get stuffed into a pear instead of an apple. It is an understatement to say that I’m impressed with this product, but that shouldn’t be a surprise since I already loved ChicoBag’s Snack Time rePete. They are a line of three reusable sandwich bags for snacks or lunch. I use these practically every day! These creative reusable ideas are created by ChicoBag president Andy Keller, who vowed to stop using single-use bags and began sewing his own bags in 2004. To find out more about his environmental story and learn the details about their Snack Time rePete, check out my review of them.

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