Plastic bags are a common item in most households. You can find them at the grocery store, department store, and just about any other retail outlet. However, there is a growing trend to move away from them and switch to eco-friendly produce bags.

What are they, and why should you consider using them? Eco bags for veggies are made of natural cotton, hemp, or jute. Unlike single-use plastic bags, they will not clog up landfills or cause marine pollution.

Consider using recyclable vegetable bags if you're looking for an environmentally-friendly way to bag your fruits and vegetables.

Are produce bags worth it?

What are the benefits of using reusable shopping bags? Reusable produce bags help decrease plastic entering our oceans and landfills.

Reduced Pollution: When there are fewer landfills, they can be used for something more practical, such as farming or building houses. Much food scarcity can be solved when wastelands are converted into farmlands.

Moreover, single-use items that end up in our oceans are ingested by marine life. This has a detrimental impact on their health and can even lead to death.

Lower Carbon Emission: Making reusable items instead of disposable ones can greatly impact the environment. If more people switch to reusable bags, there will be less demand for plastic. Ultimately, we will reduce the amount of pollution caused each year.

Durable: The durability of reusable vegetable bags is unparalleled. It will last you years before needing replacement. These bags are suitable for carrying heavy loads. The same is not true for polythene bags.

Economical: Many stores offer discounts when you bring your reusable bag.

Can be composted: Organic shopping bags made from cotton can be composted at the end of their lifespan.

Should you store vegetables in plastic bags?

It's no secret that single-use bags are bad for the environment. But what you may not know is that they can also be harmful to your food. Clear plastic bags can leach chemicals into your produce, which can then make their way into your body.

Moreover, fruits and vegetables need air circulation to stay fresh for longer. Airtight plastic bags are not suitable for storing your produce. So, should you keep your vegetables in disposable bags? The answer is no.

Which produce bag is good for keeping vegetables?

Veggie bags are made from different kinds of materials. Which bags are the best to store your fruits and vegetables?

The best vegetable bags are washable, recyclable and allow fruits and veggies to breathe. There are two main types of mesh or weave bags. We have explained the different types of environmentally friendly produce bags-

RPET Bags

Recycled PET bags are made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, caps etc. These grocery totes have a fine mesh and are suitable for storing small nuts, dry fruits etc.

Here are the advantages of using PET bags.

RPET produce bags are strong and durable. They can hold up to 10 times their weight without tearing. Hence, these work great as bulk produce bags.
These eco bags are made from recycled plastic, so they don't take any new resources to manufacture.
PET produce bags save you money. You can reuse them dozens of times as they are washable.

The recycled plastic in recycled mesh bags is food safe.

Cotton Vegetable Bags

Organic Net Produce Bags are made from GOTS certified cotton. This means that these bags can be composted at the end of their lifespan. They have a larger weave than PET grocery bags and so are not suitable to store small items like dry fruits that can fall through the net.

Some of the benefits of organic cotton bags are listed below.

These reusable fruits and vegetable bags can expand as you fill them up. This helps accommodate more goods in a single bag.
Recycled PET bags usually come with drawstrings. On the other hand, net produce bags are available in both short and long handles for ease of use.
Cotton bags come in many different colours. If you are looking for a specific colour, you can find it.

These two types of bags are suitable to store your vegetables. Suppose you only want vegetable bags for shopping and not storing veggies. In that case, you can also consider hemp grocery shopping bags or jute grocery bags.

Are silicone bags good for freezing and storing vegetables?

Silicone Ziplock Bags are some of the best vegetable bags for the fridge. They can be used for anything from leftovers, smoothies, meats- you name it!

Different vegetables need to be stored differently. While some need air circulation, others require their moisture to be locked in Ziploc bags.

Silicone vegetable bags keep your vegetables crispy fresh as they are freezer safe. In contrast, plastic produce bags don't. Silicone bags are versatile as they can be used for steaming veggies, boiling and even freezing.

List of the Best Mesh Produce Bag

While choosing an eco brand to shop from, there are multiple factors to consider like-

Does the brand offer warranty on their products?
How do they pack their goods?
How do they give back to the planet?
What is the material used?
What is the weight of the product? (Especially important for reusable grocery bags)

Here is a list of the best eco-friendly vegetable bags in Australia. These brands offer the most affordable eco products and do their bit for the environment in their unique ways.

Onya Vegetable Storage Bags ($15.95-$19.95)

Onya is a B Corp Certified organisation that has created a range of waste-free products for Aussie homes since 2004. Their in-house recycling program ensures that none of their products ever end up in landfills. They are also a member of 1% for the Planet. This means that they donate 1% of their total retail sales to environmental nonprofits each year.

With their commitment to do away with disposables in everyday life, Onya has created one of the finest mesh produce bags.

Quantity: You can choose between two produce bag sets. The one priced at $15.95 is a set of 5 bags. The other is priced at $19.95 and contains 8.
Holding capacity: These fruit bags weigh 10 grams and can hold up to 2kgs.
Recyclable: The bags are made with recycled drink bottles and are 100% recyclable.
Easy storage: These fridge storage bags for fruits and veggies have a see-through mesh. It is easy to identify the contents inside the bags. Moreover, the grocery bags come with a storage pouch as well.
Available in different colours: Onya offers a range of shades such as apple, chilli, purple and turquoise for their grocery totes.
Warranty: Onya Shopping Bags are backed by a 12 months manufacturer's warranty.

BeEco’s Organic Cotton Mesh Bags($9.95)

Ditch plastic supermarket bags with BeEco's reusable fruits and vegetable bags. Australian owned and women-led, BeEco is an online eco store based in Sydney. We're committed to providing our customers with carbon-neutral shipping. We use biodegradable cardboard boxes and recyclable paper tape for all of your orders so that you can shop plastic-free!

Our range of reusable and biodegradable bags is one of the most loved.

Quantity: You will get 3 drawstring bags.
Made from Organic Cotton: Is organic cotton eco-friendly? Yes! Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetics. It releases fewer greenhouse emissions than cotton produced with pesticides. Organic cotton also improves soil quality.
Durable: Organic cotton grocery bags are made with thicker fabric, which lasts longer and can hold more weight than regular plastic bags.
Perfect for heavy items: These mesh onion bags are perfect for trips to bulk stores. This 35 cm mesh produce bag's large size allows you to fit all your favourite fresh and organic fruits, vegetables, and bulk food favourites like nuts.
Plastic-free packaging: All BeEco products are packed in compostable boxes.

Seed & Sprout Organic Mesh Produce Bags ($19.00)

You know that moment when you're grocery shopping and the bag tears open at its bottom? We have all been there at least once. It's not fun! With Seed and Sprout eco shopping bags, you never have to face the same.

Seed & Sprout produces all their goods emission-free as their warehouse and headquarters are powered by solar energy. One of the favourite stores among eco shoppers, here are the benefits that come with their eco mesh bags-

GOTS Certified: The bags are made with GOTS certified cotton. GOTS certification ensures that your product is made in a responsible environment.
Different sizes available: Each set includes five bags of various sizes. You can use them for multiple things like herbs, loose fruit and veggies, breads, nuts etc.
Travel friendly: The drawstrings make it easy to carry the bags.
Machine Washable: The drawstring mesh bags can be easily washed in your washing machine.
Partnered with Upparel: Seed&Sprout has partnered with Upparel to reduce textile waste. You can send a box of old clothes to Upparel, including these bags and get $25 off on your next order.

Ever Eco Reusable RPET Bags ($13.95)

If you're looking for eco-friendly home products, be sure to check out Ever Eco. Based in Australia, this online store offers a wide range of environmentally friendly and sustainable products. From grocery shopping bags to stainless steel products, there's something for everyone at Ever Eco.

Ease of use: The fine weave of Ever Eco Bags makes it easy for you to wash your veggies in the bag itself. Moreover, the bag can be compressed into a small, pocket-sized storage pouch with a carabiner clip.
Great for bulk shopping: The bags are big enough for bulk shopping with a dimension of 30cm by 35 cm.
No sweating veggies: Plastic does not allow vegetables to breathe in the refrigerator. This leads to the sweating of veggies and they get spoiled easily. With these mesh bags, you can enjoy fresh produce for a long time.
Quantity: Each set includes 4 reusable tote bags.

Howards Reusable Grocery Bags ($19.95)

Howards Reusable Produce Bags are some of the most affordable grocery bags, as you get eight bags for $19.95. However, as the bags are made of polyester, they can be a turn off for some.

Lightweight: These bags have a dimension of 27.50 x 0.50 x 39.00.
Durable: The bags come with an outer cover for additional strength.
Wide Range of Colours: The outer cover is available in three shades- green, purple and blue.
Pocket Friendly: You get 8 bags for $19.95. They are more affordable than other options.

It's easy to make the switch to eco-friendly vegetable bags. They're affordable, durable, and can be used over and over again. If you're looking for a way to reduce your environmental impact, consider using recyclable vegetable bags.