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S

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Customers
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Tote Green
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he conditions were ripe for
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green bags to take off in a big
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way. First came the increased
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public awareness of the risks of
global warming. Then, there are the sobering statistics. Although
there is limited consensus on the exact numbers, the data verify the scale of the
problem: Approximately 100 billion plastic shopping bags are used in the United
States every year. An estimated 12 million barrels of oil is required to make that
many plastic bags.
While the many challenges of global warming seem too insurmountable to
address for many, making the switch from plastic (or paper) bags to reusable seemed
As plastic bags become the symbol of
to be one easy thing to do. It is this “tipping point” that green bags have ridden the
a consume-and-trash culture, your
wave of. It is also what explains their success. Mark David-Tooze, manager of world-
customers are looking for easy and
wide operations for wholesaler, Envirosax, confirms this trend. “People are looking
for small and manageable ways to reduce their waste, and embracing reusable
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inexpensive alternatives. Green totes
shopping bags is one significant way to do so,” he says. Envirosax, a wholesaler
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of reusable totes, is an Australian company with North American headquarters in
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provide just the answer. See what

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San Diego.
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exciting materials are used to create
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Reusable totes: packing with pride
the new lines of green totes and
London-based designer Anya Hindmarch made more than a fashion statement
handbags. Regina Cooper
when she introduced her “I’m not a plastic bag” totes last year. Since then, rather
than using plastic bags, many of today’s eco-conscious consumers now head to
the stores with their own totes in tow.
Style is also contributing to the popularity of reusable totes. Both funky and
functional, this new generation of green bags has a multitude of uses from
carrying groceries to transporting ski boots, beach gear, and beyond. Calypso
Studio based in Grantsville, MD, plans on starting to ship their S.H.O.P.
reusable totes this month. The S.H.O.P. totes (which stand for Start Helping
Our Planet) are designed by artist Emma Hand.
EnV Bags, a company based in Los Gatos, CA, wholesales colorful, reusable
bags that are made from 100% polyester, and are recyclable. Incidentally, the
bags were born as an inadvertent result of owner Anna Soria-Musgrove’s son’s
kindergarten Earth Week project. EnV offers on-the-go totes (single bags), as
well as three and five-packs, which are ideal for grocery shopping. “The idea is B
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that your customers have all of their grocery bags together in one compact
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purse so they’re easy to transport,” says Soria-Musgrove.
Envirosax offers reusable totes in a vibrant assortment of styles that range
from bold graphic patterns to more serene prints. Although most tote manufacturers seem
to target women, Envirosax offers a GreenGrocers collection, which has colors that
appeal to men. The bags are made with polyester—which has high tensile strength—and
can therefore take repeated use, says David-Tooze.
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Winter/Spring 2009 n GREENRetailer
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