Let's talk | About the plastic shopping bag

by Yan Ting Chong

I can't recall exactly when I started using plastic bags but they seem to have existed for a long long time. It is a daily necessity, not just for shopping but also for storing things and throwing rubbish. We gotten very curious about who is that great inventor who came up with the idea. 

 

 WHO INVENTED THE PLASTIC BAG?

1933 - Polyethylene, the most commonly used plastic, is created by accident at a chemical plant in Northwich, England. While polyethylene had been created in small batches before, this was the first synthesis of the material that was industrially practical, and it was initially used in secret by the British military during World War II.
1965 - The one-piece polyethylene shopping bag is patented by the Swedish company Celloplast, designed by Sten Gustaf Thulin, a Swedish engineer. Believe it or not, Thulin created the plastic bag to help the environment! At the time, paper bags were the bag of choice. This meant tons of trees were getting chopped down just so people could bring their items home from the store, and then they’d toss the bag in the garbage. Thulin was deadset on creating an alternative that people could use again and again. And thus, the plastic bag was born!
Sten Thulin always carried a folded plastic bag in his pocket. Any time he went to the store, he would reuse them!
 

“To my dad, the idea that people would simply throw plastic bags away would be bizarre. It was very much an improvement on what was there before." - Raoul Thuln (son of Sten Thulin) in an interview with the BBC

Unfortunately by 2011, worldwide, one million plastic bags are consumed every minute. Not only do plastic bags take up space in landfills, but they can also harm wildlife.

What's Next? We would not be able to entirely forgo the use of plastic bags as they brought us benefits in other ways. What we can do as individual is to reduce unnecessary usage, such as reusing the plastic bags in our next shopping trip or using cloth bags etc.

Information sources: 

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/birth-ban-history-plastic-shopping-bag

https://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/blog/the-history-of-plastic-bags/

 

THE PLASTIC BAG STORY DOESN'T STOP HERE.

Our Story with the Plastic Bag We were so inspired by the importance of the plastic bag that in 2017, we created our first leather version of the plastic bag, and yes, in YELLOW! 

Thereafter in 2018, came an adapted version on the handle for easier carrying - our Yoko One Piece Hobo!

 

Note: Yoko One Piece Hobo is only available during Spring Summer

And this year, we have a third upgrade! Shinrin, which means forest in Japanese, is a new addition to our family. She is easy to carry, not afraid of dirt or scratches. She has been pre-washed and is made of 100% cotton, so handwashing her will not cause any shrinkage or color bleed. She is so versatile that she can be used on both sides - beige and black, easy neutrals to match your clothes. 
 

So what's your thoughts about the environment? Do you bring your own shopping bag most of the time? Will packaging affect your perceptions of a product / brand?

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