Plastic bags are made in different shapes and sizes. They are used for various packaging purposes, such as wrapping gifts, buying groceries, or even carrying luggage. Plastic bags are durable and flexible, so why not reuse or recycle this bag type instead of throwing them away after just 1 time using them. We will go through several interesting ways that you can easily do it at home, to recycle plastic bags and to reduce waste into the environment that is at risk already.
Reuse Plastic Bags as Grocery Bags
Bring with you strong enough plastic bags without any holes when you go shopping, then use them to carry your groceries.
Bring to a Bag Collection Center
Many local grocery stores and food retailers have recyclable bins where they collect plastic bags and other similar products. The bag collection bins are often located outside of each storefront. You can see them with a sign labeled “bag recycling.” It’s a good idea that is easy to simply drop off any unwanted plastic bags in there, leaving the recycling process for the authority.
Use Them to Protect Old Items
You can keep old plastic bags even if you aren’t using them regularly. When you are packing away some of your most valuable items, use some of those old plastic bags to wrap up your valuables. Bob Vila recommends using this method during any major moving trip!
Line Your Garbage Cans with Plastic Bags
You can use your old plastic bags as trash bags to protect the garbage bins, preventing any liquids from leaking into the bins. Then, you don’t have to buy a new container of trash bags every time you run out. This is extremely convenient for mini trash bins around your home. Line the bin with an old plastic bag, and you have a free trash bag. You can also use old plastic bags as trash bags in your car.
Create Pillows and Tablecloths
Another practical way to recycle old plastic bags is to transform them into outdoor patio pillows or tablecloths. The bags can be bunched together and stuffed inside your favorite pillow fabric for a squishy yet firm feel. This is the perfect kind of texture for outdoor pillows.
Cut up plastic bags and tape them down on tables or countertops to protect their surface. This may be a good idea when you do crafts at home and want to protect the surrounding area. You can also use plastic bags to cover countertops when you are cooking as well.
Make Yarn
A creative way is called “plarn,” which is a ball of yarn made out of recycled plastic bags. To make it, you will cut plastic bags into thin strips and tie them together to make strands of yarn. This yarn is used to weave your own crafts, placemats, coin purses, and more! This is super fun and meaningful. If you have many plastic bags of the same color or pattern, you can make an entire collection of yarn out of them!
Weave a Basket
There are many other ways to get crafty with your old plastic bags besides “plarn”. For example, you can make a basket using pieces from sturdy frosted shopping bags. You can weave a basket from different colors or textures of plastic bags. The final result can be a new container. You can use it around the home to store all of the small things that are normally placed anywhere.
Help the Environment and Reuse Your Old Plastic Bags!
It’s actually very fun to think of what you can make with old plastic bags instead of just throwing them into the trash and making them sit in a landfill for thousands of years. You can reuse your old bags or make something creative out of them. No matter that you want to make baskets for your family or repurpose them for some new pillows, there are a lot of things you can do with old plastic bags at a low cost.
Recycling is always considered as a key to keeping the world clean and healthy for our future generations. Plastic bags are convenient to use, so if you have a chance, please repurpose them once they have run their course! For all your custom printed plastic bags needs, visit Hanpak for more details.