Turning old t-shirts into produce bags saved me from plastic at the store

I started cutting up my worn-out t-shirts to make reusable bags for groceries. They work great for holding fruits and veggies instead of using those thin plastic ones. I just fold the fabric and stitch the sides with basic hand sewing. Last trip, I packed all my apples and peppers in them without any plastic. It's a simple way to cut down on waste that heads to landfills. My family now does this too, and we've saved hundreds of bags this year. Giving old clothes a new job feels good and helps the planet a bit.

3 comments

3 Comments

angela5872d ago

Actually, old fabric can hold bacteria from sweat.

laura_schmidt822d ago

My old gym shirt from 2015 had that same problem. From what I tried, soaking it in white vinegar before washing helped a lot. I used about a cup of vinegar in a bucket of cold water for an hour. It might not work for everyone, but it broke down the sweat buildup for me. After a few soaks and washes, the smell was pretty much gone. That routine kept my old activewear fresh for a long time after.

kim.margaret2d ago

Hundreds of bags in just one year. That's way more plastic waste than I ever pictured coming from one family's produce.