Win a reusable shopping bag from reSACKel
February 10, 2009 in section: Blog, Product reviews by Mrs Green with 21,858 views
I was contacted by Brian, who has set up a company called reSACKel in Hong Kong.
According to Brian, EVERYTHING in Hong Kong comes wrapped in plastic or comes with its own plastic bag. We know how he feels, right!?
Apparently, Hong Kong gives away on average 6 disposable shopping bags per person per day. That’s 36 million a day! In addition, an estimated 7 million, 25kg rice sacks per year are dumped in the landfill.
Meanwhile, in our green and pleasant land only one in 200 carrier bags is recycled and our supermarkets dish out a landfill swelling 17½ billion disposable carrier bags per year.
At reSACKel, Brian decided to do something about the problem of plastic disposable bags and rice sack waste. He takes the rice sacks, sticks them in a cauldron, says a spell and with a wave of his magic wand, makes strong, colourful, reusable shopping bags - pure genius!
The sacks are reused, not recycled, so all the original designs from the sacks remain, making the bags interesting and unique.
In addition, the business is kept as environmentally sound as possible. No resource or energy hungry processes are used: the sacks are simply cleaned, cut and stitched (Ok, I lied about the magic spell bit) . No chemicals or industrial process are used - the plastic is not shredded, broken down or made into pellets before use.
Being the kind gent that he is, Brian sent us some reusable bags to try out and they are fabulous!
They are incredibly strong; which is always my first criteria - bottles of wine olive oil weigh a lot you know 
But when you consider that the sacks were designed to take 25kgs of rice originally, it makes sense that they will be durable.
The second great feature is that because of the nature of the design, these bags stand up by themselves. Don’t get me wrong, I love my cotton bags, but they are a bit hard to hold AND get things into on occasions; especially when you’re trying to hold hands with a wriggly 7 year old at the same time. You can pop one of these beauties at the end of the checkout and it will stand to attention for you so that you can fill it one handed.
The bags are wipe clean, which is good news if you’re unfortunate to have a spillage and the handles are made from the same fabric as the bag, which doesn’t cut into your hand - no more red and white banding across your fingers when you come home from the store.
And the winning factor for me is that mine has a panda on it! These are so cute - they might be a boring old rice bags to our friends in Hong Kong, but to me they are a piece of culture, something unique and funky to 
be seen with.
Last but not least, they roll up very small. This is something that is crucial for me and for many people when dipping a toe into reusable bag land - you need to be able to shove them in your pocket or bag and have them with you all the time so that you don’t arrive at the checkout bagless.
With Valentine’s Day knocking at our door, we’ve decided to spread our love for the you and the environment by giving away some of these gorgeous bags. I have three to dish out - two blue bags and one panda. Now these bags are not yet available in the UK, so this is your chance to get something exclusive to proudly swing around at your nearest checkout; or wherever it is you proudly swing things about.
All you have to do is post a comment below and we’ll be using a funky online random number generator gizmo to pick the winners. You can’t choose which bag I send you, but if you ask very nicely, you might just get a panda one Use a real email address please, because I’ll be using it to contact you.
I’ll be picking the numbers on Valentine’s night, so be quick!
If you simply cannot wait to get your grubby mitts on a unique bag, then Brian will post 3 bags to you for £16, which includes post and packing. You’ll get one blue, one panda and one blossom. Alternatively, put £30 into his eco friendly palm and you’ll get two of each style of bag. Email him at bp@resackel.com for details.
He is looking for retailers too, so if you’re interested in stocking them, why not contact him?
Sunday Roundup
Lentils in the landfill?
Dr Paul Connett’s “Zero waste and sustainability”
The art of recycling warmth
How to recycle clothes / textiles
Beginner’s guide to compost
Our first zero waste shopping trip of 2010
Sunday Roundup
The shopping bags look very practical, stylish and environmentally friendly! x x x
the bags look very practical and stylish and obviously better for the environment! x x
Brilliant idea! Very funky!
I love anything kitsch and kooky and this is environmentally friendly too!! I need one!
fab bag, great large storage
What lovely bags! And one-handed filling and wipe clean - brilliant! xx
Oh, they’re pretty gorgeous - I’m a fiend for bags, and it’s possible I might be skating over the line from having them because they are useful to *ahem* mindless consumption. But I use them…
Good luck in your business Brian
A girl can never have enough bags and now we can justify it! Fab designs too - congratulations!
Kawaii!! I love Panda’s
Love these funky bags….look so much better than ones that say sainsburys down the side or aldi lol
Flippin’ heck - they’re great! I love the design. I’ve even taken to using reusable bags as handbags as the variety is great and you can cram loadsa junk in them! xxx
These bags look really trendy and colourful x
wow they look wonderful x
I want a Panda one!!
They’re fabulous, and I really love the panda bag and the one with the big flower. Much nicer than the supermarket reusable bags.
They are really pretty but also useful. I love eco bags that look good too.
a remarkable receptacle
Is the funky random generator called LMG perchance
Oh wow! They are all so cute! why are rice bags in the UK so boring?? If i wont win i may buy one anyway!
The functionality is a big plus, especially with loose produce. If nobody likes a particular style, I will certainly take it off your hands.
What a cool bag to take shopping … you can never have too many reuseable bags.
Eco friendly bags that look great!
The panda bag is really cute (pretty please ;)?) They look like a great design, nice and big but not too floppy like the cotton ones, and strong too.
the bags look great and such a fab idea,and better still there eco friendly ,would love to go shopping with one .
Rather yummy bags, I have to say (boo hiss to boring UK rice bags!!) May well invest in a set of 3 if I don’t win (and that way I’d also get a flower one ;-D)
Love bags and ADORE these. I was in Hong Kong last year and no matter what I did or said ended up with collection of plastic bags. I brought them home with me and handed out one with each of gift I brought home, and I still see them occasionally being re-used by friends. I think I’d keep these ones all to myself.
Hi MRS G, (ladies and gents). I’ve been lurking around your site for a good few months now and have decided to come out of lurkdom for one of these cool bags. Am lovin the Flower one but if I do win a blue one would be fine.
Would like to say I love your site and all the comments and ideas that everyone contributes. it has certainly helped me with some issues on the 3 Rs front. Carry on the good work everyone.
Jackie
Is it un-green to own a sizeable collection of reusable shopping bags? I love them and have a bunch — these rice-bag totes look fabulous!!
Kawaii!! so cute…
The bags look fab and if I don’t win I’ll be buying one or two and suggesting to retailers to do the same!
x
I saw a lady with a special box that she used for recycling her wine bottles that probably gave her an excuse to buy a load in bulk in the first place lol. Great bags.
Fantastic Idea, I love these bags. They appear very practicle, I like my organic cotton bags and how they easily roll up, but hate the floppyness of them. I’m about to have a 3rd little one and plan on “wearing” him everywhere. but with an autistic 4 year old and a fidgety 7 year old as well!…..
Even if I don’t win I think I will get some anyway!
They are gorgeous, what a great idea
Reusable bags are a must and so fashionable!
WOW what fab bags so colourful,i would love to go shopping carrying one of these
What fantastic bags, I love re-usable bage and always use them when I go shopping.
These look great, kwwo the Panda, I love the plum blossom & the dragon!
What lovely bags, and a great talking point which can spark conversations to who knows where!
What a fab idea, practical, funky and environmentally friendly!!!
Great idea. Great looking bags as well!
I love them!! How fabulous! I have an onya bag, a boxy hessian one from EcoDyfi and several rather dodgy pvc ones inherited from my granny but now I’m looking at delicious Pandas!! (fingers crossed now…)
What superb bags. would love one! Good luck everyone
Love the bags, what a super idea. Green useful and classy.
Brilliant.
I think every shop should sell these bags as they are enviromentally friendly and will last for along time which are also very stylish . with these bags we can kiss good buy to plastic carrier bags .
What an excellent idea.
Would love one of these i think they look great…
I love the bags really quirky and different, especially like the fact that there strong enough for bottles etc making them very pratical for grocery shopping, well done.
It looks like I’m not alone in saying that I love these bags. Pretty but practical - what more could you want?
would love one of these they look great
I love these bags, i always use reuseable bags, but these have to be the most stylish bags i have seen.:)
Gorgeous bags such a great idea. Pretty too.
Stunning sacks. Amazing what you can recycle.
Fabulous idea and the bags look funky as well
What a fantastic idea, each bag looks so unique, and no
advertising, well done. Great Idea +++++
@Another Mrs Green: It’s true, the flower one is really fab
I love using and re-using bags, especially nice looking ones!
Very nice bags
Oh please enter me, they are lovely.
Wicked love the piccies.
Good Luck Everyone
:)
these look fab - would be over the moon if i was lucky enough to win one. Make my shopping trip even more enjoyable.
What a fab idea - and so handy for rice as well!
And of course, maybe a few other things since there looks like enough room!
Fantastic bags-The best idea since sliced bread!!
These look more like works of art - they’d be great to use as beach bags, really cool! Love the vibrant colours.
fab bags
very harajuku, my daughter would love one
Can i have the poppy one please
What a good perspn to recycle and make these bags. I love the fact that they are so strong. And I like the images on them too.
Melinda
What a ‘rice’ idea and so simple too
Plastic Aint My Bag
Corrr.. they’re just ace!
What a brill Idea = Great Bags!
great bags!
What lovely bags, be proud to use one.
What fantastic designs on the bags. Hope Brian has much success in converting peoples ideas to using less plastic bags. Now I’m off to the site to check out what designs I might like if I don’t win one.
Those are so cute! I hope I can win one.
A little effort can make BIG changes, these resackel bags are a lovely concept and a lot nicer than may alteratives. I’d love to win one!
Look great & brilliant to store our expanding collection of reusable bags in!!
It’s a new baginning.
What fantastic looking bags; bound to become a collectors item and very fashionable.
you`r onto a winner, well done
I was sold on them the minute you mentioned being able to carry more olive oil. I have to limit hubby to 2 bottles of beer a fortnight when i go to the organic shop as my bag is on its last legs:)
Wow these bags are gorgeous!!!
I am all in favour of helping the environment and these bags look great!!
These might even be cool enough for my 16 yo daughter to actually use - will you mail to the US if I win?
baggsy one!!!!they are sooooo coooool!
Gosh - still going strong…!
They look much nicer and more individual than normal reusable bags - and they are recycled!
Gorgeous!!!! So many cloth bags are, well, frankly quite ugly and embarrassing to tote. I do it anyway, but these would be a pleasure to be seen with. Should I happen to win, I’ll be donating my prize to someone in the UK!
Just the ticket!
These are utterly gorgeous. I love the one with the huge flower on. it.
Oh my word. I just had to come back to say…blinkey blimey Mrs G. Did you know you’ve got 89 comments on this post. That’s fantastic. A huge hello to everyone….and I think this comment will bump it up to 90
x
I like the style of my Sainsbugs bag bug not the design, these would be great.
Will have to see about getting some, as they would be great to use for going to the beach, for towels and wet cossies etc.
These bags are so funky - I’m loving the designs!!
I love the flower design one. Much better than the boring bag i have the moment
I feel it’s only fair to say something nice about the blue one too
It does look more like it had a prior life, but perhaps that helps it to be the funky cousin!
Lovely bags, I have no luck with winning things but will be contacting Brian to buy 3.
I want one! It’s a great idea to make your bags to reuse out of already reused materials! Can’t ask for much more than that! x
I want one!!! It’s a great idea to make your bags to reuse out of already reused materials! Can’t ask for much more than that! x
The bags are stylish unique and quite chic
I love the designs .Much nicer than other reuseable bags I’ve seen.
oh this looks great. I like reusable bags
Be fantastic, ditch the plastic!
Wow! They are so unique! The flipside is I’d probably shop more to show it off!
Recycle should be the way all products are made
What a fabulous idea, I’m off to share it around the web….. And I wonder if they’d go well on Ethics Trading?
Gorgeous! I love reusable bags and always need more!
I make bags out of used foil 1 lb coffee bags. This is a great idea.
@Cindy V: Buy coffee beans, or ground, loose and put in a home container. That way you have no waste.
I’ve contacted them with a view to adding these to my range! We’ll see what happens next.
What a fantastic idea!
I am car free, and do all my shopping on bicycle or scooter. This would be a great bag to to sit in between my feet on the scoots. Count me in!
Ooh love these, wouldnt I be the star of the show walking round Tesco with these!!!
I love them - they are gorgeous!
Wow how gorgeous are they ! Love them, I do believe if I had one of these I would actually remember and be proud to take it with me shopping. The panda is just adorable ! Please please please pick me !!!
These look great. We should all be using them!
Ooh I love those bags, they’re gorgeous. I’m longing to go to China but alas, as my funds aren’t quite up to it just yet, It would be cool to carry around a little bit of China with me.
Wow what an awesome bag,Pratical,reusable for my shopping needs,better than disposable carrier bags which don’t help our enviroment.
The desiges are fab
I love these bags, the designs are great and when you are food shopping you definately need something a little more sturdy, would be great if these where available in supermarkets.
Strong, practical and beautiful. What’s not to like?
Idea’s like this make being eco-friendly easy and pleasurable, so now there’s NO EXCUSE!
It’s ecological, looks good, and for taking shopping. Thats my sort of bag xxxxxx
Great looking bags, and good for the environment.
These are great. I’d rather use something like this than a horrid plastic bag any day.
I could use one of these to take my home-made jams to the market.
i think it is a fantastic idea. Judging by the people posting a request they will be popular. I would love to be considered. Thank you