Buy1 & Reduce the 10bn plastic bags used by Brits each year! (Anya Hindmarch I'm Not a Plastic Bag)

Member Name: Shaaza

Product:	Anya Hindmarch I'm Not a Plastic Bag
Date:	05/03/08 (136 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: reduces the number of plastic bags used each year, is rather cheap, is very strong,

Disadvantages: catches dirt quickly.

This 'I'm not a plastic bag' has been around since the beginning of the year 2007 and was designed by Anya Hindmarch in China. It was mainly introduced in the global markets of fashion to try and save the environment from all the billions of plastic bags that were being manufactured and used every year (Britain uses around 10bn plastic bags each year).
I should admit that when the bags came out they did not attract me at all, not because I don't like saving the environment (I love a clean environment) but because the bag looked more like a nappy bag than it did of food.

These bags do come in different colours. But the colour are mainly dull colours such as beige, light yellow, light brown, etc and also white, which is possibly the brightest you are going to get.
As shown on the dooyoo picture above the bag always have either dark brown, black or white strap on the edges of the bag. The thick hands of the bag are made of tiny wool threads and were the hands of the bag meets with the rest of the bag is a metal roll compressed onto the bag. This possibly helps the bag to last long as it won't rip easily.



==Price & Place==
I bought the bag in the Leicester market when I was just looking around. The bag was actually reduced therefore only cost me £4. The price of this bag does vary and can be bought from many shops and markets including eBay and Sainsbury's. The bag tends to be more expensive if bought in the high street, therefore if you the sort of person who loves a bargain, the market places would be the best place for you to shop.



==Me and the Product==

I found another use of this bag rather than shopping. When I bought this bag the only thing in my mind was all the books I carry in a plastic bag when I go to college and the amount of times I had to change the plastic bag which I carry my books in.
I knew that at some point I was going to need a large bag that would fit my books.
At that moment in time this bag caught my eyes, it was not easy for me to make up my mind as I had to haggle with my mind on how this bag looked like a nappy bag and at the same time how it looked big enough for my books. I made up my mind and bought the bag.
The first time I used the bag I was actually pleased because it did not look as bad on me as I thought. It looked rather laid back and big enough for my books.
Inside the main pocket were three further pockets which two of them I used to put my mobile phones so that they were easy for me to find though the two pockets don't have a zip on them. The third pocket does have a zip and is bigger than the other two pockets. The pocket was very good for storing my accessories such as pens, pen drive, extra coins etc.
Outside the bag there is also another zipped pocket which is about the same size as the inner zipped pocket but if I had to use my maths estimation skill I'd say the outside pocket is slightly bigger. I thought that was many pockets on one bag but I actually found use for all of them, I now use the outside pocket to store some of my make-4-.

The bag fits A4 books and folders very well with enough space to close the main zipper. This bag has been really helpful for my education purposes. I have used it for my little grocer a few times since I bought it, but have now decided to keep it as my college book bag. I don't always use the bag as my main bag with all my accessories, I sometimes carry it as a plastic bag and use one of my stylish bags to carry my accessories. The long handle on the bag makes this all easy and I'm very grateful.

Another disadvantage of this bag other than its looks of a nappy bag is that it catches dirt pretty quickly. I only had mine for about two weeks and it looks like I've used it for months. You might think I'm careless but you need to remember that I always cherish my belongings mainly when they are new because you just have that feeling that they should stay new.
Nevertheless, this really disappointed me, but the thought of disappointment didn't last for long for the reason that the bag is made from pure cotton thus suggesting that I can wash the bag using the washing machine.

Another thing that disappointed me is the little cloth that covers the joint of the bag's handle. The little cloths move around the handles instead of doing their jobs of covering the sewed areas of the handle joints.
When these little clothes move around the bag sometimes they do go onto the middle of the handle were my shoulder supports the bag. This actually hurts my shoulder at times thus forcing me to carry the bag like a plastic bag which is annoying at times (when I don't feel like carrying the bag in my hands).

Overall I and the product do get along after all. The colour of my bag does fit with many of the clothes that I wear as it is a beige looking colour. I find this bag very helpful as I have now stopped using plastic bags for my light grocery and carrying my books to college. I've owned the bag for a few weeks and besides the dirt the big does look strong and seems like it has a long life ahead of it.
I also think that this bag was lucky because shops likes sainsburys, iceland have their own environmental bags but they haven't been as popuar as this one simply because of the writting on the bag 'im not a plastic bag'



==Recommendation==

Overall I would recommend the bag to those who love big bags, keeping the environment clean, mothers with nappies to carry or students who have lots of books to carry around with them all day. The bag is big enough to carry quiet a lot of things; I have used it to carry my 15.4" screen laptop and I had enough space to fit my shoes and a few books. If you do light food shopping frequently this could be the bag for you as well, as it's mainly designed for grocers.
You don't really have to worry about your plastic bag ripping whilst carrying the grocer as the bag is strong enough to hold it all. The handles of the bag are big enough to hold the bag under your arms and like a plastic bag.
However, if you are the sort of person who shops the whole of tescoes each month the bag might not be for you as it's not big enough but you could still use it to save one or two plastic bags.
If you are into stylish bags then this bag is not for you as it's very plain and looks like a nappy bag. Like me, I think its best you try the bag out as you might grow to like it.



==Note==

--The bag can be washed in a washing, therefore don't worry about it getting dirty (but be careful with the bag as it catches dirt quiet quickly).

--The bag is very strong and can carry quite a lot of things other than groceries.

--The bag does come in different colours but mainly dull colours.

--This is definitely not a plastic bag! The bag is made of cotton.

--The bag is not water proof.

Summary: an environmental friendly bag made of cotton for all your grocers and accesories...