Alternatives to the plastic bag: wood fibers, burlap, bioplastic, etc.

The bags in plastic disposable have been banned in France for several years now. Obviously, some alternatives to plastic exist. Alternatives intended to be more environmentally friendly than their plastic cousins. the tote bag has long been presented as such. But he is not as virtuous as he might seem. Unless, perhaps, you are organic cotton and devoid of any impression. There is also the option of the simple paper bag. Which at least has the advantage of being recyclable. Or even, already recycled. The best, according to the Swiss company BioApply, it is still to ensure that the kraft of his bag is certified. And why not, mixed with a little… dry grass.

The field, therefore, seems conducive to innovation. To limit the impact of bags on the environment, many are turning to nature. This is precisely the case of BioApply, for example. In addition to the recycled paper and grass bags it offers, it has developed a process that allows the remains of wood from the pruning of european forests. Objective: to collect the cellulose which will be used to produce wood fibres. A matter resistant and elastic with an appearance reminiscent of cotton. All while staying biodegradable and with an interesting ecological balance. So, ready to move on “Tree Tote”?

The same company also offers solutions made from biopolymers. bags made fromstarch — of corn, potato or thistle — essentially. Bags that have the advantage of being compostable. In an industrial installation, but also, for some, at home. And for those who are worried about competition with food crops, know that bioplastic production currently uses no more than 0.01% of the world’s cultivable agricultural area.

Many more environmentally friendly alternatives

Another option is that offered by jute. It’s one more plant fiber. And thanks to its high lignin content, it ensures the bags made of it, a very beautiful resistance. To produce jute, you don’t need a lot of water. Its yield is much better than that of cotton. This therefore means less fertilizer and more economical production.

In the same vein, hemp bags. Because this plant grows very well. Low water and pesticide requirements. Hemp does not interest pests. The big advantage is that hemp grows fast — much faster than trees — and that it stores carbon. Nearly ten tons per hectare, believe its supporters. This is interesting in itself when it comes to limiting the global warming. And more broadly to restore the environment. Hemp, in fact, can help eliminate toxins contained in the soil. The phytoremediation, as the scientists say. Finally, we can find a use for the whole plant, from the seed to the stem and the leaves. With hemp, no mess.

Finally, the designer Anya Hindmarch and the young Guinean entrepreneur named Bafodé Camara, are exploiting another idea. They collect empty plastic bottles. And turn them into so many bags. A rather cheap raw material that Bafodé Camara entrusts to fetch himself from the gutters. A disinfection step is still necessary. But here is a way to valorize the plastic elements already produced to avoid releasing others into the environment. And the idea can be applied to other materials. Like jeans recycled into bags.