The Benefits Of Paper Bags

Paper bags have obviously developed and lasted through the generations. However, what makes them so advantageous?

For starters, they are totally reusable. However, if you don't want to keep using one, or just can't because it's torn, then it's also totally recyclable and biodegradable. Remember, it's made up of wood chips after all. Secondly, many paper bags can take a lot more weight or pressure than plastic bags can. This lets you haul more things in fewer bags, because seriously, who makes a second trip to the car these days to get the rest? Third, paper bags are safer for kids and animals. While they can still be a suffocation risk, the odds of it happening are far lower.

Business Benefits

If you own or run a business, you can find paper bags quite beneficial. You can use them to add your branding to any sale, event, or trade show. Modern technology now enables full-color printing on both white and brown paper bags. Backside printing means your branding shows up in all directions. Just keep in mind that white ink isn't usually possible, and white bags are better backgrounds for imagery and text to get noticed by consumers. You can use paper bags to get ready for big events by filling them up in advance with samples and marketing materials. Make sure you match other marketing materials for a consistent look. Use dark colors for printing to really stand out, and even consider using labels and/or stickers for more branding and an extra touch.

Paper Or Plastic?

This is a common question you probably get asked every time you go to the grocery store cash register. The clerk needs to know your preference before they can start bagging your items as they go across the scanner. Having said that, if you use self-checkout, you might have to make the decision yourself. For many, the answer comes down to environmental considerations, given how there is a growing awareness among consumers about how even the smallest decisions can have a huge impact when repeated on a global scale. Unfortunately, the environmental question of paper versus plastic is actually several questions. How strong is each bag in terms of reusability? How easily can it be recycled? How fast will it decompose? How much energy goes into making it?

In regards to how much energy goes into making paper bags, research is often quoted as saying paper bags require four times the energy for manufacturing as compared to plastic. However, that research is a decade old at this point, and it should be noted that many paper bags are made from recycled materials, anywhere from 40 percent up to 100 percent. Also, even bags made directly from forests getting cut down usually come from renewable forests that are replanted, as paper suppliers enjoy having a self-sustaining supply of materials. In terms of reusability, paper bags only need to be reused three times to account for the energy put into their production. That's actually less than plastic bags, which rip so much more easily. Also, paper bags decompose much faster than plastic, as paper bags are made from natural products and sources. Nor are they as great a risk as plastic is to wildlife. Plastic bags simply haven't been around long enough for anyone to know how long they take to breakdown, but estimates from experts in such things range anywhere from 400 years to multiple millennia. Another thing giving paper bags an edge over plastic bags in terms of environmental benefits is recycling. Not all plastic bags can be recycled in every municipality, as many use machines that plastic bags get caught up and stuck in. On the other hand, paper is very easy to recycle.

Where Are Things Headed?

Paper bags fell out of favor in many nations with the advent of cheap plastic bags. Plastic bags certainly have benefits of their own, particularly in manufacturing costs and affordability, which is a big reason why they boomed in popularity in the 1970s and onward. However, the rise of plastic pollution around the world has lead to resistance and even outright outrage over plastic bag use in many corners of the globe. Some of them have even placed restrictions and fines on stores or consumers using plastic bags. Full bans have also happened. The common sight of plastic bags on the roadside and the knowledge of billions of tons of plastic waste bobbing in the oceans of the world hurt the reputation of that product. Meanwhile, paper bags are far more likely to not only get recycled but recycled successfully, and even if paper bags wind up as trash in nature, they disappear much faster. Reusable 'permanent' shopping bags are trending in many cultures, but until everyone has them, billions will choose paper bags for their groceries and shopping items, and for many good reasons.