Plastic Bags versus Promotional Bags – Choose the Best For Your Brand

Published On July 6, 2010

When deciding on what type of bags to use for your brand there are a a few things to consider. We’ve listed the top four things you need to know when deciding between plastic and promotional bags.

The environmental impacts of the plastic bag
The environmental impacts of the plastic bag are many. In Australia we use more than 6 billion plastic bags per year. Only a small portion of these are able to be recycled. Plastic bags take anywhere between 20-1000 years to decompose, so the amount of waste they cause it really taking its toll on the environment and will continue to do so.

Wildlife are also greatly affected by the production of plastic bags. Animals often mistake a plastic bag for food which may result in fatal blockage of the intestines. This also happens to marine creatures which see a plastic bag and mistake it for a jellyfish. Once the animal dies and it decomposes, that same plastic bag which won’t decompose, is then in the wild and able to once again cause harm to another animal.

Plastic bags also cause problems in drains and pipes clogging them and causing blockages and floods.

Not only are plastic bags dangerous for the environment, but they are costly too. In the production and in the clean up efforts that need to be put in place as a result of the amount of waste they cause.

The advantages of a promotional bag for the environment
Promotional bags are great for the environment when made from the right materials. When made from organic cotton and other biodegradable compostable materials, not only do they not cause damage to the environment once disposed of, but because of their durability, they can be used over and over again.

Environmentally friendly promotional bags are a much better environmental option than single use plastic bags.

Promotional bags for your business
Using environmentally friendly promotional bags for your business has many advantages.

Firstly, they are re-usable. So your customers will be using your bags over and over again. Not only when they are shopping in your store, but to carry gym clothes, library books and other items. This is great brand exposure and something that your customer will find useful too. Especially if your promotional bags are washable. It is also a good idea to put a lot of thought into the design of the bag to make sure it is something that people will want to use when they go out.

Another big advantage of using promotional bags to replace regular plastic shopping bags is that it puts a message out to your customers that you care about the impact your business has on the environment. This is something that is important to many consumers.

Choosing what type of bag to use for your business can be a difficult decision. I hope we’ve helped you decide what type of bag is best for you.