Envirosax and Rebagz Review

For those of you who already have a reusable shopping bag, you know one of the biggest challenges is remembering to take it with you to the store.

(Another challenge is washing the bag after you use it to carry home fish from the seafood counter...)

That's one reason we like the bag selection from Envirosax. Available in a mind-boggling selection of styles and colors, the bags in Envirosax Graphics Series weigh just 1.4 ounces each and are designed to carry to 44 lbs. (That's a lot of tomatoes - or whatever other groceries you need to carry home...).

As you might expect from a bag that's so light, the Envirosax bags can also be folded into an extremely small bundle and then secured with the integrated snap strap (sort of like the closure mechanism on a portable umbrella). Since they're made out of polyester, the Envirosax Graphics bags are waterproof with reinforced seams for durability.

We have to admit that the idea of buying polyester bags does give us pause since polyester is basically a petroleum-based plastic, but an Envirosax rep that we spoke with gave us a persuasive explanation of polyester's benefits - light, waterproof, compressable, durable, etc.

The point is that Envirosax Graphics bags should ideally last for years and allow you to skip hundreds or maybe thousands of disposable plastic bags, thus abrogating the need for the petroleum products that would have made those disposable bags and keeping the disposable bags out of the wastestream. Durability and longevity should be important considerations in the mind of any Green shopper trying to move beyond disposable consumer culture.

If you'd rather buy a bag made out of natural materials, Envirosax can accommodate you with its Organic Series of bags made from bamboo, linen or hemp.

(By the way, did you know that linen came from the stem of the flax plant? I had no idea.)

Be warned that the Organic Series bags are not quite as compressable, but they do come with a handy little carry sac. They also weigh a tiny bit more (2.14 ounces) and are designed to carry only 22 lbs.

Which bag is best for you? The Graphics bags are so tiny and light that they can be slipped into a pocket or purse as part of an everyday routine. I have a feeling that the waterproof quality and durability of the Graphics bags also gives them an advantage.

On the other hand, the biodegradability and natural cultivation of the bamboo Organics bags makes them appealing too. Well, whichever one you choose, you'll know that you're making an eco-friendlier choice than using and disposing of dozens or hundreds of throwaway plastic bags.

FYI, Australia-based Envirosax supports several charities, including the Surfrider Foundation that seeks to protect oceans and beaches.

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Meanwhile, on the fashion front, we're pleased to highlight a beautiful series of Rebagz totes produced by a progressive company called Half the Sky Designs (R).

Rebagz makes handbags, totes, messenger bags and more in the Philippines from two types of recycled materials - woven juice packs (like the Nahui Ollin products we featured last year) and rice sacks.

The juice packs are cool, but since we'd seen that before, we were honestly most excited about the use of rice sacks. We love companies that figure out a way to take something that would ordinarily become trash and turn it into treasure.

Back on the question of durability, the rice sacks material seems incredibly tough -- after all, these rice sacks once had to safely hold 50-100 lbs worth of rice! You don't have to worry about spilling something on these bags either because you can just clean them with a damp sponge.

Build quality on the Rebagz Magnolia Clinchy Tote ($95) we sampled seems excellent, with super sturdy handles, solid stitching, smooth zippers and several nice pockets on the inside. We have every confidence that this bag would last one heck of a long time. Plus, the beautiful image on the outside is a surefire conversation starter.

The designs on the bags are so beautiful that we had a hard time choosing our favorite among the Magnolia, the Lion, Golden Fortune or the limited edition Stallion.

Just as beautiful is the fact that Half the Sky Designs says it is "committed to working only with people who are paid and treated fairly." Founder M

arty Stevens-Heebner personally visits the company's manufacturing facilities in the Philippines, where the company asserts that workers are paid "a really decent wage".

Where to buy:

Order the Envirosax of your choice from the company's website. Choose from bags in the Graphics Series ($8.50 each or a 5-pack for $37.95) or Organic Series ($24.95 each). Activate eco-thinking in young whippersnappers with the suitably silly (but still light and sturdy) Kids Series ($8.50).

You can order Rebagz directly through the company's own online store. You'll find bags made from artistic rice sacks in various categories including laptop carriers ($145), wallets ($45), runaway backpack ($75), messenger bags ($72) and cinchy totes ($95).

Prefer to try before you buy? Use the Store Locator to find a Rebagz retailer near you in the U.S., Canada, Costa Rica or Panama.