The sophisticated urban gal knows that plastic bags are sooooo out. They're environmental disasters, they litter the streets and get stuck in trees, and they rip open at inopportune times (like when you're trying to suavely saunter past a group of adorably dorky-but-cute boys outside the drug store and your bag splits open to reveal a tube of yeast infection cream or something equally spirit-crushing ... I'm not saying this happened to me, but if it *were* to happen, it would be to me).
So what's a stylish, Mother Earth loving girl to do? Go re-usable hip, of course!
Built NY has a line of reusable bags and other fun stuff, from wine bottle holders to laptop sleeves. They're all made of Neoprene, which is what wet suits are made from, and are therefore super insulating and shockproof. I carry my lunch to work each day in the black Gourmet Getaway bag (purchased for a discount $10 at Homegoods), but how cute are these striped or plaid versions? You can fit a water/soda bottle in there ... brilliant! Unfortunately for me, these fun designs came out after I had already grabbed mine, so get one yourself that I can admire! And come on, how can you not love a six-pack holder? Perfect for picnics, beach trips, or drinking on your lunch break to drown the sorrows of your workday!
Feeling a little more European? Grab your cotton string bags and head to the outdoor vegetable market or cheese shop! Or, you know, Stop and Shop. Whichever. Five dollars each may seem a little steep for bags, but they last forever. You'll also feel a moral superiority over those chumps doubling up their wimpy plastic bags (string bags can hold up to 40 lbs. each!) and get admiring glances from the hot, eco-smart cashier boys. It's a win-win situation!
Or if you have some secret purchases you wish to conceal from the outside world (again with the yeast cream), try the modern cotton totes. There are tons of awesome patterns and they can also handle a lot more weight than their puny plastic counterparts. Great for us city folk who often need to haul a bunch a stuff on public transportation ... and want to look super fabulous while doing it.
Finally, these are not so much super fabulous looking, as super practical and awesomely money saving. I don't know about you, but I'm awful with letting fresh fruits and veggies go to waste ... I always set out with the best of intentions at the supermarket ("I WILL take an apple to work each day!" "I WILL add fresh veggies to my pasta sauce!"), but then time and laziness conspire against me until my delicious fresh produce is a mushy, blackening mess in my fridge. That's until I stumbled upon these wonderful reusable cotton mesh produce bags. Not only do they save a lot of trash by helping you to avoid those flimsy bags-on-a-roller at the store, but they seriously keep fruits and veggies fresh for days longer than usual. Pure excellence.
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3 comments:
I dig it! My roommate and I have been struggling with the over-abundance of plastic grocery bags and no place to recycle them. And I'm always down with a hip lunch bag! Great post, Laura! XO9
GREAT post Laura.
So BuiltNY is owned by my friend Tony's friend. When they came out (because they really are genius) Tony was like, "Man, that's so amazing for you, congratulations!" (By the way, I hate you a lot, why wasn't that my idea).
In the Schweiz, you have to pay for shopping bags, thus encouraging you to bring your own basket/tote bag/whatever to schlep your goodies home, or at least recycle the bags you have purchased, as I do now. But no one tells you this when you get off the plane from America totally clueless and you're standing in line wondering where the hell everyone is getting their bags from.
Nine don't they have plastic bag recycling containers at the market? CA has them, I just generally keep them until I use them up, but fo shizzle need to get on with the reusable business.
The BuiltNY line is TOTALLY genius ... no one wants to carry around those goofy looking, cube-like "thermal" lunch bags (plus, they're huge ... the BuiltNY bags are very smooshy and easily jammed in a purse at the end of the day). And did you see the Tidy Bib? It has a little pouch at the bottom for catching crumbs ... so cute and brilliant! No baby showers on my immediate horizon, but that bib will definitely be on my shopping list when the time comes.
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