By July 1st every Australian state except NSW will have a plastic bag ban in place, to ensure shoppers are no longer supplied with flimsy, single-use plastic bags that can cause terrible damage to the environment. Here in NSW even without a proper ban, all big supermarket chains (including Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi) will no longer be supplying disposable bags at the checkout, if they hadn't already. So how can you, as a shopper, survive this drastic change?

Logo Branded Reusable Bags for Shopping

Without free disposable bags at the checkout, we'll be left to pick from a variety of reusable bag options available instead. This means we need to bring our bags from home before shopping, but if you keep at least one handy at work or the office you can just pop it in your handbag/backpack when you need to pick up a few things at the supermarket.

So What Reusable Promotional Bags Options Are There?

If you'd like to see our full range available for bulk orders with logo branding, check out our calico and non-woven promotional bag section. Alternatively, our favourite eco-friendly bag options to replace single-use plastic bags are as follows;

Non-Woven Custom Bags -- Sometimes referred to as green bags, these are a common sight at supermarket checkout counters across the country. While these bags have a soft feel to them, they're made of plastic materials including recycled elements. If you use non-woven logo bags regularly with your groceries, you will offset the environmental cost of their production, but it can take quite a bit of time

Logo Decorated Calico Cotton Bags -- These bags are the preferred style for those keen to utilise natural products with minimal processing of materials. Made from natural cotton fibre these bags are unbleached and boast an appealing rustic look that holds screen printing well. A lot of people opt for these bags when shopping, but it's worth keeping in mind that a lot of irrigation is required to support the growth of cotton, so they do need to be regularly reused to offset their environmental cost as well.

Recycled PP Grocery Bags -- If you're looking for something a bit different, why not opt for these bags made from recycled plastic materials instead? Rather than letting old plastics go to waste, they're cleaned and reset into new bulk material that can also be turned into sturdy tote bags. While the recycling process has a small environmental impact, by reusing these bags you're not only compensating for their carbon footprint, you're also using material that may otherwise have wound up back in the eco-system. Great option for those wanting a plastic-feeling bag without the guilt.

Don't these options sound great? Tuck one of these bulk produced bags into your backpack or office drawer, so you have them handy next time you need to go shopping. If you're a business, why not consider ordering some promotional bags to help market your brand to people keen to start with reusable bags now the state bans are in place.

Some ideas inspired by: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/how-to-live-without-plastic-bags/news-story/74011175cd09c6f8dc4b89a189f7d69d