This whole carry-a-bag thing

[circlecross]

i know we don't have any money, us trying-to-be-self-sufficienters, but I saw an interesting thing in the Guardian on Saturday. Called an "Onya" bag, it is a carrier (plasticy, but not wafer thin), that scrunches away into a nifty keyring attachment, so you will be more inclined to scrunch it back into there, rather than have a loose flapping thing on your keyring. Itis horrendously expensive (£6.50) but thought the idea a good un (you always have it on ya). I suppose one could always rustle up a little pochette to go on a keyring and put any old carrier or cloth bag in there.

Susan

[Shirley]

Better still, you could buy an official Selfsufficientish cotton bag MUCH cheaper than the onya (although I do admit that this is a good idea)

[hedgewizard]

Cotton bag in pocket of coat, cotton bag in door of car, cotton bag in briefcase. Think I've got it covered!

I wonder how long an Onya will last before it dies?

[circlecross]

Haven't a clue! I too have the cotton bag in pockets etc, but then i fill them, and it is the putting it back bit that i am bad at (although am getting better). The dh is the worst for bringing loads of flimsy bags back with him "Take a carrier!" is a popular mating cry round these parts....

[hedgewizard]

I wrap my car keys in them once they're emptied. That way I can't leave the house without being reminded.

I use my car keys for lots of things - they're usually in the fridge at work to remind me not to take the milk home.

[circlecross]

I'm usually chasing my car keys around the house, gripped firmly in my son's hand as he tries to start everything with them - I find them inserted in all kinds of things...

[Andy Hamilton]

£6.50 is pretty extream But anything that stops people from using more plastic bags is good as is having bags everywhere.

[Shirley]

They are fair trade if I remember correctly... I contacted them a while back and was impressed with what they had to say....

Thank you for you interest in Onya Bags

In answer to your question about the manufacture of the bag

The bags are made from 100% Parachute grade polyester, they are made in Indonesia where they are manufactured ensuring fair conditions and a fair wage.

In order to make the bags we only source off-cuts, seconds and remnants, and do not commission the manufacture of any material, thereby reducing our impact and furthering Onya Bags environmental benefits.

The pouch's height is about 9cm and a width of 6cm (the size of a pot of Colman's mustard when in the pouch)

The bag's dimensions are 48cm from bottom of bag to top of handle, the width is 36 cm it also has a generous gusset

The capacity is 14.7 litres, fundamentally the bag is about the same size as a standard plastic carrier bag, possibly a little larger, just a fun and intelligent alternative.

The bag is able to confidently carry about 12kg, it can carry more but we do not recommend it you may hurt yourself

The bags are washable at 40c in the machine, I have personally carried 18 pints of milk in one or 5 loaves of bread, as they are the same size as a normal carrier bag but about 4 times as strong

[Chickpea]

I made my own shopping bag out of loads of carrier bags cut into strips and knitted together. It's strong and it's got funky stripes (I got really obessive about finding bright coloured carrier bags) and it didn't cost anything.

Lots of people say "You should sell those" thinking I could make a fortune making something for nothing. But it took me 10 hours to knit, so at minimum wage I should charge, what is it, £60 per bag? Nobody would pay £60 for a recycled shopping bag no matter how funky and stripy it is. So my bag is unique.

[islanz]

6.50 pounds is very expensive! Our local shopping mall was giving Onya bags away if you spent $150at the mall (not necessarily all at the same time). I always carry that one round with me but have quite a few other cloth bags which I keep in the car and in teh kitchen ready to take places.

My boyfriend got a pair of bright orange trousers at a local school bazaar (fill a bag of clothes for $1), I made them into shorts, then the leg bits into a shopping bag - he's pretty pleased with that and takes it with him most days!

A small town not too far from here (Collingwood) has made itself a plastic bag free town, theres only a few shops there but they dont' use plastic bags. The community got together and designed a cloth bag which can be bought there. More small places should adopt that attitude - its a great idea.

Its fun collecting up different cloth bags; I don't have any that are the same, and only one is from a supermarket. They all have a story behind them! My favourite is one I got from the Donkey Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight.

Using them is easy too, its just a habit that you have to form.

[the.fee.fairy]

I got loads of cloth and jute bags over the summer.

I went to lots of shows (like the Young Farmers' show) and there were various recycling people with stall, invariably, they were holding some sort of competition, and for entering, you got a cloth or just bag with stuff like recycling stickers and leaflets, and recycled stationery in.

So...i entered lots of competitions and ended up with lots of bags. I started asking for cloth ones instead of jute ones in the end.

[madanna]

I was given an onya bag and its been great - but it folds up so small that I cant actually find it anywhere at the moment lol - know its here somewhere!!!!! But it was/is very strong and very useful!

I have always got a cotton bag in my pocket and 2 large shopping bags from lidl (is that how u spell it??) in the boot of my car.

[2steps]

i know we don't have any money, us trying-to-be-self-sufficienters, but I saw an interesting thing in the Guardian on Saturday. Called an "Onya" bag, it is a carrier (plasticy, but not wafer thin), that scrunches away into a nifty keyring attachment, so you will be more inclined to scrunch it back into there, rather than have a loose flapping thing on your keyring. Itis horrendously expensive (£6.50) but thought the idea a good un (you always have it on ya). I suppose one could always rustle up a little pochette to go on a keyring and put any old carrier or cloth bag in there.

Susan

I have a bag like that I bought in a local shop for £1. It's not as pretty but does the job great. It has a keyring clip so I keep it atteched to the pushchair. I bought it about 2 years ago but if anyone was interested I could see if they still have them. It's been great

[Shirley]

We've got some like that 2steps - bought from Au Natural... no idea of their ethical status though.

I've got them clipped inside my handbag so that they are always there when needed - and they've come in handy SO many times... not least when we found a huge crop of chanterelles earlier this year

[red]

its my new mantra - can be heard in every shop
I don't need a bag, thanks
supermarkets are easier to avoid bags than other shops where they are trained to put your goods into the bag before you get it

sometimes you have to argue.. and its best to get in first.
shopkeeper 'next please'
me: 'I don't need a bag thanks'
shopkeeper rolls eyes

only change was in the organic veg shop
shopkeeper 'help yourself to bags' waving at cardboard box full of secondhand plastic bags. its a start...