What can I use this recycled plastic cool bag for?

This recycled plastic cool bag can be used for any kind of food transportation, but we have used it mainly as a picnic bag. One of the Chimney Sheep members of staff has used it to take on days out sailing but you could also use it as a food shopping bag or to store bits of food on a day out and about – particularly useful if you have hungry children. We love using it and with it being bright green and covered in sheep, it feels very ‘on brand’. This cool bag is lightweight, durable, water-resistant and spacious which means you can fit plenty of snacks in it (always a bonus) and the large main compartment is fully insulated which helps to keep food cool and fresh for several hours. These cool bags have also been designed to easily fold down into a small pouch when not in use, taking up minimal storage. We keep a spare one in our cars for our shopping!

When we’ve used it as a picnic bag, we have paired it with our recycled plastic tupperware boxes, our ‘Adventure Set’ recycled plastic tableware and our picnic rug to create the ultimate recycled plastic picnic collection. The perfect set-up for a summer’s day!

Why is this better for the environment than a non-recycled plastic picnic bag?

The outer fabric used to create this recycled plastic cool bag is made from the plastic of three recycled bottles, also known as 100% rPET material (or if you really want its full name, recycled polyethylene terephthalate). Most cool bags on the market are made of virgin plastics.

By using recycled plastics, it means that no new plastic has been created to make this cool bag. We are all pretty well versed on why the creation of new plastic is bad – most plastic is made from chemicals that come from the production of fossil fuels and once it has been used, then disposed of, it sticks around in the environment for ages, threatening wildlife and spreading toxins.

However, plastic is a useful material in lots of contexts due to its versatility and durability. Sometimes, non-plastic alternatives just don’t do the trick. So instead of saying a big fat no to ALL plastics, we should instead be choosing to buy items made of recycled plastic rather than supporting the creation of new plastics. Besides, we all recycle most of our plastics now, so what is the point in doing that if we don’t buy items made of recycled plastic? If we don’t, there won’t be enough of a demand for all the recycled plastic, and it will just end up in landfill. Less than ideal!

Choosing a picnic bag like this, made of recycled plastic, versus a regular one is an easy, environmentally friendly switch to make and will give you exactly the same quality and function (trust us, we’ve used this one ourselves!). And if you are going to invest in a cool bag, why not make it eco-friendly? We have a whole range of everyday items made of recycled materials. 

How do I make sure this recycled plastic picnic bag lasts?

This recycled plastic lunch bag should last you a fair while! To ensure that it does, you’ll need to make sure you care for it correctly. To keep it clean inside after use, wipe it with something like one of our multipurpose cloths.

If the bag really needs a good clean, then they are safe to wash at low temperatures without damaging the fabric. Be mindful, as this is a plastic-based fabric, washing it at higher temperatures can release microfibres into the water. To minimise this, we recommend hand washing it if possible. If you wanted to machine wash it, only do so at 30°C or lower and use an eco-friendly detergent such as our Bio-D washing powder. Whatever you do, don’t tumble dry it!