Last week I showed you the four different reusable produce bags that I use, and told you how they rate. Today I'm sharing several tutorials so you can make your own drawstring bags to carry fruit and vegetables when grocery shopping.
Net Bags for Fruit & Vegetables ~ tutorial by Vicky Myers Creations. Vicky has used old net curtains, with a cord for the drawstring.
Cotton Muslin Reusable Bags for Fruit & Bread ~ tutorial by Tea and a Sewing Machine. Anna has two versions - one with boxed corners for bread, and another without boxed corners for fruit and vegetables.
Repurposed Curtains into Reusable Produce Bags ~ tutorial by Cucicucicoo Ecological Living. Lisa shows how to make two versions - a double fabric layer bag for extra strength, and a single layer bag.
Reusable produce bags really are super easy to make. If you can sew a straight line, you can make your own bags. They are cheap to make, too, especially if you use fabrics you already have, such as net or sheer curtains.
Reusable Fruit and Vegetable Bags ~ One Million Women - without drawstring closure
How to Make Plastic Free Produce Bags ~ Wellness Mama - describes how to make an elastic closure
DIY Reusable Produce Bags ~ The Kiwi Country Girl - with ribbon drawstring
DIY: Reusable Produce Bags ~ Sustainable Living for Brisbane Folk - with string drawstring
Zero Waste Reusable Produce Bags ~ Closet Case Patterns - discusses vegetable storage
Make a Mesh Produce Bag ~ My Happy Crazy Life - made with scrubby mesh
Reusable Produce Bags ~ Dancing Threads - showcase favourite quilting cottons, with mesh for see through
Cheesecloth Produce Bag ~ The Girl by the Sea - use a tight weave cheesecloth
Cheap and Easy Produce Bags ~ Wisdom of the Moon - decorated with hand stamping
DIY Produce Bags ~ Dora's Daily Dish - light weight, breathable fabric
Make Your Own Produce Bags ~ WGBH - shows how to use a sticker to differentiate right and wrong side of fabric
Don't want to make your own bags. Check out my thoughts on the four different types of reusable produce bags I own - one handmade and three store bought.
Lindsay, from Treading My Own Path, has a good article on the different types of fabric that reusable produce bags can be made from - both handmade and purchased - Guide to Reusable Produce Bags. It's well worth a read.
It seems that real progress is being made in many parts of the world regarding restrictions on single plastic bag use for grocery bags or shopping bags at the checkout. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be the same restrictions on produce bags, at least not here in Australia.
Have you had a go at making your own reusable produce bags?
... Pam
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I don't see anyone using these where I am and I think that until industry comes out with some for sale — like what you showed us last week — there won't be much uptake. We are seeing way too many raw food recalls for listeria contamination (as an example), so we would all have to be very, very careful with reusable produce bags in terms of ensuring their cleanliness; more than what we do with our reusable shopping bags.
ReplyDeleteThese reusable produce bags are washable and would be much safer to use than plastic bags. As for the example of listeria, if one is so concerned about that maybe we should think about starting our own garden besides washing fruits and veggies thoroughly is a must. Also, you can find bags like these on Amazon, and in the stores like Bed Bath and Beyond, and even Walmart.
DeleteThanks so much for sharing all these patterns! I love seeing different styles and fabrics for homemade produce bags!
ReplyDeleteJust imagine traveling down the road and never again seeing another plastic bag littering the flora and fauna of your hometown. This is possible if we go for the alternative you have mentioned here.
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