Reusable Bags vs. Recycled Bags: What’s the Difference?
Learn the difference between reusable bags and recycled bags before making a purchase
Across industries, people seem to be confused as to the difference between reusable and recycled items. Although they sound similar, they are actually two distinctive terms.
A recycled item often refers to something that can be reused, but unlike reusable items, it’s made of recycled materials. As part of the recycling process, things like plastic or glass bottles are broken down and turned into something new and completely different.
Reusable items, on the other hand, are something that you can reuse over and over again.
We’ve summarized some of the primary differences between reusable bags and recycled bags (below) to give our customers the information needed to make an educated purchasing decision.
What Are Reusable Bags?
Reusable bags can be any bag that’s used more than once, including paper and plastic bags. Generally speaking, canvas totes, wine bags, and cooler bags are all reusable options as well.
What Are Recycled Bags?
Recycled bags are made from recycled material, like papers, plastics, and metals.
A Closer Look at Reusable Bags
Reusable bags are not necessarily biodegradable. For instance, polyester and synthetic reusable bags are made from natural gas and oil, and are not ideal products in terms of environmental protection.
While plastic bags are often used several times, they have a shorter useful life than what we consider reusable bags. For example, they rip easily, can blow away once the contents are removed, and are not easily wiped clean. As a result of their disposable nature, millions of then end up in landfills, pollute our oceans and endanger animals.
Our reusable bags are built for extended use and multiple purposes making them a great choice for your promotional marketing dollars. They are made with convenience in mind as they’re easy to carry and can be folded up and stored away for later use. They’re typically available in a variety of handle sizes and lengths. If you usually carry them over the shoulder, look for a long handle length before your purchase. If you prefer to carry with your hands, consider shorter-handle options.
A Closer Look at Recycled Bags
Recycled bags are those made from post-consumer recycled content. Essentially, there are four main categories of recycled content:
- Pre-industrial
- Post-industrial
- Pre-consumer
- Post-consumer
Post-consumer content is material generated by households or commercial use and can be used to make new products.
Many of our custom bags are made from recycled plastics, giving a new use to products that might otherwise be sent to landfills. Reusable bags also make it less necessary for consumers to use single-use bags, furthering their environmental-friendliness. Plus, once these bags have fulfilled their useful life (typically after hundreds of uses), they are 100% recyclable.
When making a recycled bag purchasing decision, consider bags made from material like polypropylene bags.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of choices out there when buying custom, reusable shopping bags. By working with us, you can ensure that your reusable bags are produced with the highest quality materials. Getting started can be overwhelming.
Contact us today so we can help you select the right materials and create and design the reusable bag for your next marketing event. We’re here to help!
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