Replacing grocery totes

[drmeow]

My collection of 20+ year old cotton totes are starting to fall apart and become unusable. I'd like to replace them with some recycled plastic totes. Any recommendations?

[wyn borkins]

1. An Odd Possibility

I have no recommendations; however, I bartered a few from my local veterinarian, in that I would 'talk-up' her most excellent services in exchange for a few grocery totes happily displaying her clinic's name and location.

[drmeow]

4. Technically, the ones I'm using now

are promotional totes! My partner and I each got one from new employee orientation at universities we worked at and a bunch were participation gifts for students who filled out survey's for a study at one of the universities. I find that the newer promotional ones don't seem to last as long and I'm willing to pay for ones which are made from recycled material, especially recycled plastic.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Recycle old clothes and sheets. Everyone has a ton of fabric

just begging to be used.

Other than that, every store I've been in has recyled bags fo sale for a buck or som

[drmeow]

5. I used up my old sheets

and t-shirts making fabric masks over the past 2 years!

[sinkingfeeling]

3. You can get them by donating to WWF or Audubon. Those and Sierra Club keep me well supplied.

[wyn borkins]

8. What An Excellent Suggestion

And here are a few links:

Sierra Club

World Wildlife Fund

National Audubon Society

[dameatball]

9. I didn't know that. Thank you.

[Wahyee]

6. I love these and they're easily washed

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QJ9KR0E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They hold a surprising amount of items, are very sturdy, and cause frequent oohs and aahs from admirers.

[drmeow]

7. Thanks!

How well do they fit on the bagging stands? It looks like the handles are short enough to hold them open (my current bags are not designed to be grocery bags to the straps are too long to hold the bags on the bagging stands) - is that correct?

[Wahyee]

11. The design is similar to the flimsier plastic bags

the stores used to use, so in theory, they should work. I actually shopped this afternoon, and I didn't use the stand at all as I can really position things in the bag unimpeded.

[drmeow]

12. I've been using self check because of COVID

and its much harder to load bags that don't fit the stands.

[sinkingfeeling]

10. Kind of like the ones from Sierra Club, only theirs are prettier. They do fit the stands in

grocery stores. I got two sets free for memberships.

https://store.sierraclub.org/eco-chic-reusable-shopping-bags-p172.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=adoptawildanimal&gclid=Cj0KCQiAieWOBhCYARIsANcOw0zCcl_q8wXjNuJOPwu1Zv-kVZUVWSiYzWseFlG5qihhqbgm8KfL_1YaAuLQEALw_wcB

[drmeow]

13. good to know

I've found many of the promotional ones to be too flimsy to work well - makes sense that Sierra Club would be better about them.

[jmbar2]

14. I put everything in backpacks, bins, and recycled paper or plastic bags

I keep a couple of plastic bins in my car, with some extra paper bags and a backpack. When I go into the store, I carry nothing but my debit card, and wear a mask.

Upon checkout, I put everything in the shopping basket, roll to the car, and unload the groceries into the backpack. It is so much easier to carry milk and canned goods on your back than in a bag on your arm. Everything else goes into recycled bags that I keep in my car.

When I get home, I have a platform dolly. Just roll it to the car, unload everything on it, and roll it inside.

Hope you find this helpful. Good luck!

[SeattleVet]

15. Do you have an Ikea near you?

They have smaller versions of their way-too-big iconic 'Frakta' blue bags. Polypropylene, with a minimum of 60% recycled content. Cost under a dollar each, and these are very sturdy, and easily washable. We've been using these for several years, and plan on picking up a few more the next time we're there.

Here's the one we use, from their website:

https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/frakta-shopping-bag-medium-blue-60301707/

[drmeow]

16. Nearest Ikea is 2 hours away

I NEVER thought that one of the things I would miss the most about moving 3 years ago was no longer having easy access to an Ikea!!!! I almost never went there despite living within about 10 minutes away but since moving I've wished I was near an Ikea at least 10 times (to be fair, buying a new house often can call for a temporary increase in Ikea visits and the one near my old house opened well after we were settled).