ChicoBag

Eco-Chic for the Farmer's Market

Leslie Dinaberg turned us on to ChicoBags, citing their convenience and portability as a huge draw. “ChicoBags are designed with their own little pouches to fit directly into your purse, backpack or beach bag so you always have them ready to use. It’s a simple little innovation, but it has really made it easier for me to be a ‘bag lady,’” says Leslie, who is the winner of Daily Grommet’s product discovery contest with HybridMom.com, a community connecting moms.

We agree that creator Andy Keller hit the mark with the compact portability of these reusable shopping bags. Andy’s inspiration came from seeing his local landfill overflowing with plastic refuse, most of it single-use bags, and he began working on a viable alternative. The first ChicoBag designs were fittingly sold in Chico, Calif., on Earth Day in 2005. Although the bags come in a variety of fabrics, those made with rePETe™ contain recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the main ingredient in plastic drinking bottles.

The Produce Stand Starter Collection incorporates the easy portability and recycled materials for which ChicoBags are known, and takes the guesswork out of keeping your produce purchases fresh. The hemp/cotton bag is ideal for leafy greens and green beans because it restricts air flow and absorbs excess moisture. Conversely, the rePETe™ bag is great for carrots, celery, squashes and broccoli, because it restricts air flow but locks in moisture. Lastly, the mesh rePETe™ bag is perfect for apples, onions, potatoes and oranges, since the mesh allows ethylene gas to escape, preventing over-ripening. The full Produce Stand Kit includes an additional three mesh bags to make sure you can carry everything you need… because we suspect you’ll be hitting the farmer’s market a lot more often now.

— Mir

• rePETe™™ refers to recycled PET. PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is the dominant material used in plastic drinking bottle production and can be recycled into a variety of useful materials.
• Bag Dimensions: 12.5” x 16”
• Washing: Machine wash cold and hang to dry.
• Tare Weights:
  • Mesh rePETe™ and rePETe™: 0.9oz
  • Hemp-Cotton: 1.1oz
• Produce Stand Starter Kit:
  • Includes apple shaped Stuff-Sack with an attached carabiner, easy to carry and store your bags when not in use and 3 different reusable produce bags
  • Each bag is constructed from a different fabric designed to optimize freshness when paired with the right produce:
    1. The Hemp-Cotton blend bag is designed for leafy greens and green beans. The fabric is a 70 percent hemp, 30 percent cotton blend and is designed to absorb excess moisture and restrict airflow.
    2. The rePETe™ bag is great for squash, broccoli, carrots and celery because it restricts airflow and locks in moisture.
    3. The Mesh rePETe™ is ideal for apples, oranges, potatoes, onions and allows ethylene gas, nature’s ripening agent, to escape.
• Free Shipping on Produce Stand Bundle which includes the Starter Kit and Set of 3 mesh bags. In the continental US only