non woven polypropylene

[DorothyL]

I stumbled on 7 yards of this stuff in the back of my fabric closet (Oh common, you've got weird stuff in there too) and I am making shopping bags out of it.
This is the stuff they use to make the reusable bags you get in the grocery store. I was a little worried about sewing with it but it seems to be great. And it can't be too expensive if they sell the bags for a buck or two in the stores.
So I Googled and surfed and found a lot of things made from it (throw in some old wood and you can make a back yard deck) but not yardage.
To tell the truth I'd love to get more. And you craft show people could probably make a killing.
It is super fast to work with -- no hems, lining or facings unless you want them.
Any thoughts on sources?
Dorothy

[sewhappyrtr]

No idea from me but I am interested to find out more about it.
I keep meaning to make some bags to carry.
Has anyone actually taken some to Wal-mart, or Kroger, or your favorite store and used them?
Any weird stares from people?

[DorothyL]

I use them all the time but not at WalMart. I don't shop there. I never worry if I have the right brand name. I just grab what I need from the back of the car.
I have some of those neat zip up into themselves bags from Target that I carry in my purse and use when I'm just picking up a few things.
Around here all the big stores have their own with a logo on it. They see the writing on the wall. It won't be long before there will be taxes on the disposable ones or complete bans in some cities. I was talking to a guy that owns a liquor store and he said the area independent liquor and maybe some other shops are talking about banding together to buy big lots of the reusable Green style bags. (Green, by the way, is a brand name).
At least one grocery chain gives you a few cents off if you bring your own bag.
You see more and more people with reusables of some sort or another.
As for weird looks, I quit worrying about that in my mid-teens. After all, there is no one weirder looking than me.
Dorothy

[kaitlinnegan]

Has anyone actually taken some to Wal-mart, or Kroger, or your favorite store and used them?
Any weird stares from people?

A while ago, my mom got me some of these: reusable grocery bags - and also a couple of larger shoulder type bags from the same company. They are nice because they don't have a store logo on them. We use them all the time - for groceries, or for anything else. At a couple of grocery stores we get 5-10 cents off per bag. I even take them in to Hancock and Joann's. Sometimes I forget to clear the stuff out of them before the next trip - I found two spools of Gutterman thread in the bottom of our groceries once.

We live in a very hippie town, so we're definitely not the first to bring our own bags, but we haven't really gotten funny looks (at least not for that reason!). The only trouble we've run into is one checker at Target thought we were trying to buy the bags -- he was turning them over and over again looking for the bar code.

Anyway, that doesn't help with the original question - sorry Dorothy! I'll keep an eye out in my online fabric browsing.

[MartySews2]

The stores around here do not allow you to bring your own bags - at least not where I shop.
Marty

[DorothyL]

It won't be long Marty.
I bet if you insisted they would.
Dorothy

[LeapFrog Libby]

Here in my town, Bi Lo and Wal-Mart give you 5 Cents off per bag when you bring your own.. We had a program at church on going green., and I got several of those you are talking about Dorothy.. I marked my name on all of them in a discreet spot, so the stores will not try to make me pay for them.. I get only good comments from shoppers and clerks alike.. One clerk asked would I make her some.. That was the day I had the one I made from upholstery fabric. (for heavier items)... I told her I only sewed for pleasure and when I have to sew to order , It is NO pleasure.. I keep at least 3 in the car at all times, nowadays... It has cut down on all those I have to carry back to recycle...I cannot get DS to use them when he gose grocery shopping though.. I am forcing him to take back to recycle the ones he brings in, from now on.. I think pretty soon he will see the light.. Sorry I got off track, I have never seen that fabric for sale, but I haven't really looked.. I'll keep an eye out for it..

[sewhappyrtr]

Ok, you have shamed me!!
I WILL get my act together and print out the directions and or patterns that I have bookmarked and make some!!!
Thanks by the way.. I really did need to get some made..

[SmilieFace]

It won't be long before there will be taxes on the disposable ones or complete bans in some cities.
Dorothy

This is already happening. I know IKEA charges 5 cents per plastic bag. And I heard of one city banning plastic bags, but I don't remember the name of the city...

I use the reusable bags about half the time. I reuse the disposable bags as trashbags in my house (I've never bought a box of trashbags from the store).

Ahhh, the sweet spread of environmentalism around the country. As someone who's been environmentally conscious since she was little (thanks, I'm sure, to my parent's frugality and the TV show Captain Planet), I'm so excited to see the recent push to "go green."

[DorothyL]

Plastic bags are banned in San Francisco and Seattle is taxing them, but the bag industry is starting to fight back. In the small city I work in they are looking at taxing and eventually banning them and are getting cooperation from the stores -- even the large chains.
By the way, this stuff is remarkably easy to work with. I'm only using old scissors on it. I'm using my super tough old Pfaff on it but you wouldn't have to. And it seems to love the steam iron set on wool.
I want some more!!
Dorothy