The environmental impact of plastic grocery bags is well documented. Ecosilk bags are a practical, stylish and eco-friendly bag option for shopping and everyday use.

Australian shoppers regularly hear media reports about the need to reduce their dependence on plastic shopping bags. According to Planet Ark, each year Australians use approximately 5 billion plastic bags.

Environmental Impact of Plastic Bags

Plastic grocery bags can take between 15 and 1,000 years to break down, making their disposal a long-term environmental concern. More than 200,000 plastic check-out bags are dumped in landfill every hour and more than 47% of windborne litter escaping from landfill is plastic.

On land, plastic bags can block drains and harm birds and native wildlife. In the water, they pose an extreme risk to marine life, many of whom mistake the plastic bags for prey such as jellyfish and ingest them.

It is possible that in the not-too-distant future consumers will be charged a fee for using plastic grocery bags in Australia, as they already are at some grocery chains in other countries. PlanetArk suggests that the bags are already adding an estimated $100 million per year to Australia’s grocery bills.

Ecosilk – A Plastic Bag Alternative

Australian designer and pattern maker Emily Hay has applied her knowledge of materials to the problem of providing an environmentally sustainable alternative to plastic bags. In 1999, she designed a plastic bag alternative from 100% recyclable nylon (parachute silk) material. After trialling the bags herself for two years, she produced the first Ecosilk bags for sale from her own home in northern New South Wales, Australia.

Durable, Lightweight and Recyclable Carry Bags

Parachute silk is a long lasting and endlessly recyclable material, offering consumers a carry bag with a reduced impact both financially and environmentally. The bags are robust, holding up to 14kg in weight, and are estimated to last in excess of five years, ensuring that each Ecosilk bag will eliminate the need for hundreds of plastic bags over its lifetime.

Ecosilk bags are lightweight and extremely compact when not in use. They fold easily to be stored in a handbag, car glove compartment or even a pocket. They are machine washable and quick drying and are designed to fit over the existing plastic bag hooks at the supermarket checkout.

Carry Bags for the Fashion Conscious

Ecosilk bags (rrp A$6.50) come in a range of 17 colours, ensuring that they won’t look out of place in any situation when a carry bag is required. Colours include:

• Chocolate
• Burgundy
• Red
• Tangerine
• Gold
• Apple
• Aqua
• Emerald
• Peacock
• Navy
• Bottle Green
• Black
• Purple
• Jacarandah
• Lilac
• Pink
• Plum

Ecosilk bags with a rosette decoration (rrp A$9.00) are available in a reduced range of colours. Over the shoulder Alpha Bags (rrp $7.50) in a range of cool and earthy colours are suitable for beach or sports use. Small drawstring bags (A$3.90) can hold up to 6 folded Ecosilk bags for convenient storage.

Recycling Ecosilk Bags

When Ecosilk bags have reached the end of their useful life, they can be returned by post to Ecosilk. A $1 credit per returned bag will be given against future orders. The bags are then sent to a plastics recycling plant in Victoria, where they are recycled into building materials. Emily Hay is committed to high standards of environmental sustainability with her products and is in regular contact with the CSIRO to ensure that the best possible options for materials and recycling are in place.

Choose an Environmentally Sustainable Carry Bag

Ecosilk bags can be ordered through the Ecosilk website. There are facilities for Australian and international orders. An additional logo printing service is available for businesses or organisations looking to provide promotional carry bags for customers or clients.

With Ecosilk bags, there is no reason for shoppers to resort to using environmentally costly plastic bags.

Source:

• PlanetArk.org – accessed 09/04/2008