Homemade Reusable Produce Bags
Here in California, we try to be as environmentally conscious as possible. We love our local food (this state grows most of the fresh produce used to feed all the other 49 states!), we love our beaches and ocean, and we love our environment. We are fiercely protective of the natural beauty of our state. On a previous post, I shared a free pattern and tutorial for making your own reusable tote bag for grocery shopping, but here I share instructions for making your own reusable produce bags.
Over the years, I’ve made many shifts toward living a plastic-free lifestyle. Produce bags are designed and manufactured to be used once and then thrown away. So bringing reusable produce bags along with you when you shop is one easy way to reduce your plastic use—and also your waste. Take them with you to the grocery store or farmer’s market to avoid using plastic bags. Or use them to do any sort of organizing around the house. You can even use them as lingerie bags for washing your intimates.
In this post, I’ll show you how to make your own reusable handmade produce bags or veggie and fruit storage bags. These are an easy and quick DIY project that even a beginner can make. This will help you reduce your use of disposable plastic bags at the grocery store and adopt a zero waste lifestyle. These produce bags are also washable, in case you ever need to clean them.
Once you’ve made your produce bags, you can throw them in your DIY tote bag. This will make it easier to remember to take them with you when you go to the store or market. We will also show you how to label your bags if you want to use them to keep certain things organized and always in one place.
How to Make Produce Bags
To make these reusable produce bags, I used a semi sheer fabric from an upcycled curtain purchased second hand. This material is great for making produce bags because it is breathable, sheer, and strong. In other words, everything you would need for carrying your delicate and delicious produce items.
For this project, you will also need yarn or string to create the drawstring. I strongly suggest using a sewing machine for this. Hand sewn versions of these bags run the risk of falling apart because the stitches will not be tight enough. Because fresh produce can be hefty, you want to make sure your reusable produce bags are as sturdy as possible. For more guidance, just follow this photo tutorial.
How to Make Your Hang Tags
Once your reusable produce bags are sewn together, you can create hang tags to label them. Make them out of card stock (sturdier than copy paper), trim with scissors or a 2-inch circle punch. After using a 1/4-inch hole-punch to create a hang hole, you can laminate them to protect the labels from moisture.
The next step is to trim away the excess laminate and leave a bit of a border around the paper tag. Punch the hang hole again with a 1/8-inch hole-punch and attach it to your produce bags with string. You can then use a wet erase marker to write on these labels over and over again (can you say “reuse?”).
Want to reduce your reliance on plastic? Check out my post on beeswax cloth wraps. Stay tuned for more upcoming great upcycling projects to help you repurpose everyday items into something more useful.
How To Make
DIY Produce Bags
Materials
- 1 yard of sheer fabric
- 1 yard of 1/4″ cording
- Drawstring toggle
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting mat
- Acrylic ruler
- Presser foot set
The Best Fabric to Use
I know readers are wondering what fabric or material is best for these. Since I was going for an eco-friendly sewing project, I decided to upcycle some sheer curtains I found at a thrift store. I got five produce bags out of one panel, and I’ve still got a second panel to use. This fabric was pretty cheap, too. You want to make these out of a sheer fabric, so the cashier can see what’s in your bag. If you’re unsure whether your chosen fabric will be sturdy enough, then make sure to reinforce your seams.
Step 2 Cutting the Fabric
I cut my fabric into 18” by 30” rectangles. I got four normal sized bags and one slightly narrower bag from one curtain panel. These are a little bigger than the plastic produce bags you get at the grocery store, but I wanted them to be roomy enough for most of my shopping needs. You can adjust the size based on what you need.
Step 3 Finishing the Edges
Sheer fabric unravels easily, so I wanted to make sure that the edges would hold up to washing and general use. I used a rolled hem foot on my sewing machine to enclose the raw edges on the sides of the bag and along the top of the bag. You could also sew a narrow hem normally by folding over the fabric, sewing it down, and then folding and sewing it again. The rolled hem foot just does all of that folding in one step.
Step 4 Sewing the Seams
Once all of your raw edges are enclosed, pin or clip together the sides of the bag, right sides together. Along one side of the bag, leave the top 2 1/2” open. Don’t sew above where the last red clip is on one side seam. Use a 1/4” seam for each side. The top will be turned down for the drawstring.
Step 5 Finishing the Bag
Because of the 1/4” side seam, the open part at the top of the bag won’t match up with the bottom part of the bag exactly anymore—it will be slightly wider. Fold down these edges, line them up with the fold of the seam, and then sew them down, again using a 1/4” seam. I’ve done this to the right side below, but not to the left. You can see that the right side lines up well with the rest of the hem.
Step 6 Add the Drawstring
Now you can fold down the top part to create the tunnel for the drawstring to go through. Fold it down so that the edge is 1 1/4” from the top of the bag. Sew along the bottom edge of the folded section all the way around the bag. The right sides of the bag are still together. You’re working on the inside of the bag.
Step 7 Add Toggles
Now you can turn the produce bag right side out and add the drawstring. I used a safety pin to pull the string through the tunnel at the top. Then add your drawstring toggle and knot the edges of the cord.
Step 8 Add Tags
These produce bags have a fairly large capacity, but they don’t take up a lot of room when they’re empty, so it’s easy to just leave them in your reusable grocery tote and pull them out when you need them.
The Finished Produce Bags
These produce bags have a fairly large capacity, but they don’t take up a lot of room when they’re empty, so it’s easy to just leave them in your reusable grocery tote and pull them out when you need them.
Feel free to leave any questions about this tutorial below. And if you do make your own reusable produce bag, I’d love to see it. Take a pic, post it to your social media, and tag me.
Source and photo credits:
Lia Griffith
https://www.liagriffith.com/reusable-produce-bags/
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