An old concept revitalized. The shopping net, the string bag, is back.
Review by Michael Smith
Using plastic, especially the one time use, shopping bags is becoming as frowned upon and socially unacceptable as smoking in a building other than one's home, and rightly so.
Aside from the fact that there is very little that can be done with those bags, even in ways of recycling, after use they frequently, far too frequently in fact, end up littering up the countryside and get into rivers and streams and ultimately into the seas. In all those areas and instances they endanger wildlife and in the seas especially the likes of turtles.
Myrtle the Turtle is not fond of plastic bags in the sea; it can be fatal to her, in fact.
The reason is that turtles that some into our inshore waters for jellyfish are increasingly mistaking our plastic bag waste for jellyfish.
Plastic bags are a hazard; Turtle bags are a gentler alternative.
Turtle bags are a relaunch, basically, of a product that many of our mothers and grandmothers knew very well and used daily for their shopping trips to the local stores and the markets.
The bags are strong, made with natural fibers, entirely biodegradable if and when they have to be disposed of, reusable again and again, as well as ethical and practical. The dyes are Azo free.
The Classic Strings are the initial range of the Turtle Bags and they come with short or long handles. Handles is a case of horse for courses, I know, and some people prefer short ones while others, myself included in that list though I must say “in most cases”, prefer long handles. Long handles allow for the bag to be carried on the shoulder and this can be convenient when the load is rather heavy.
This Classic String bag is made of what could be referred to as standard cotton version and there is also an organic cotton range, the Organic Strings. They all come in a range of colors; the Classic Strings have more colors than do the Organic Strings. They are Made in India.
Turtle Bags have also other bags in their range and they can all be found on their website at www.turtlebags.co.uk. Check them out and kick the plastic habit.
Turtle Bags promotes and supports the work of the Marine Conservation Society. For more information on their work with turtles visit www.mcs.org.uk.
The recommended retail price for the Classic Strings is around 5 GBP and that of the Organic Strings is 5.50 GBP.
© M Smith (Veshengro), March 2009
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Turtle Bags – Product Review
