Many retailers and consumers are becoming more aware of the need to be environmentally friendly. Many stores and shoppers start to using reusable bags instead of traditional plastic bags. Reusable tote bags are often made from non-woven fabrics, which come in many forms and are made from different materials. But are these non-woven bags really more eco-friendly than traditional plastic alternatives? If they can be reused, non-woven bags can be more eco-friendly than single-use plastic bags. But many non-woven bags are still made from some form of plastic material, so they are not completely eco-friendly.
1. What is non-woven fabric?
The fibers of non-woven fabrics are bonded together by mechanical, thermal, or chemical methods without the use of a loom. The fibers also do not need to be turned into yarn first. Non-woven fabrics can be made from many different types of fibers and can have a variety of properties depending on the type of fiber used in the fabric.
Nonwoven fabrics have properties that include:
• Water absorption
• Antibacterial
• Durability
• Flame retardant
• Liquid-proof
• Softness
• Strength
• Tightening
• Washability
It is worth noting, however, that nonwoven bags are usually made from one of two materials: polypropylene or polyester. Nonwoven polypropylene bags are the most common, and are used or given away by stores and businesses for promotional purposes or in place of regular plastic bags. But it is difficult to differentiate between polyester and polypropylene nonwoven bags, as they have similar textures and properties.
2. How are nonwoven bags made?
To make nonwoven bags, a combination of heat and air is used to spin polypropylene or polyester polymers into long, fluffy threads. The threads are squeezed together between hot rollers to form the fabric. Different sections are then cut from the fabric and sewn or joined together to make the bag itself.
3.Are nonwoven bags environmentally friendly?
Although nonwoven bags are environmentally friendly in that they can be reused, they are not completely environmentally friendly due to the materials they are made of. Both polypropylene and polyester are plastics that are created by refining crude oil. To make polypropylene and polyester, crude oil must be refined using different chemicals and heavy manufacturing processes to create the plastic polymers and give them certain properties.
Pollution is possible throughout the plastic manufacturing process, including during the collection and refining of crude oil. Pollution can come from oil spills, air pollution from greenhouse gas emissions, and soil and water contamination from chemicals that seep in or are not properly disposed of.
The process of making polypropylene and polyester polymers into bags is not as harmful to the environment as the process of making the polymers in the first place. Although most of the time it is a mechanical process, the energy used to operate the machinery is still high. Much of the energy used comes from burning fossil fuels, which is not sustainable and can also create greenhouse gas emissions.
However, as long as you reuse non-woven bags as much as possible (especially when grocery shopping), you can still be environmentally friendly because you won’t use as many single-use plastic bags.
4. Are non-woven bags sustainable?
Again, non-woven bags are sustainable as long as you reuse them as long as possible. Non-renewable resources, so the materials used to make them are not sustainable. Since crude oil is used to make not only polypropylene and polyester, but many other plastics, crude oil will eventually run out. Although non-woven bags are reusable, their production continues to grow, resulting in the need to refine more crude oil.
5. Are non-woven bags biodegradable?
Since non-woven bags are usually made of polypropylene or polyester, they are not biodegradable. Many types of plastics do not break down at all or take a long time to break down. That being said, polypropylene breaks down slowly and may take up to 20 or 30 years to break down.
But since it does not break down too quickly and does not break down into natural elements when it does, it cannot be considered biodegradable.
6. Are non-woven bags toxic?
Although all types of plastics are made with toxic and potentially carcinogenic chemicals, polypropylene is generally considered safe compared to other forms of plastic.
In other words, as long as you use the non-woven bag for its intended purpose and do not incinerate it, do not let it biodegrade, and do not do anything that may cause the release of chemicals, these bags are safe and will not cause problems even if you reuse them over and over again.
7. Are non-woven bags durable?
Non-woven bags are generally very durable, strong, versatile, and reusable. Non-woven bags made from polypropylene are also water-resistant, even more so than those made from polyester. Polypropylene is also breathable, so any non-woven bag made from it will dry quickly if it gets wet.
8. Can non-woven bags be washed?
Non-woven bags made from both polypropylene and polyester can be washed, which is great if you use them for shopping to avoid potential cross-contamination.
If you do use them for groceries, it’s best to separate meat, produce, cleaning products, etc. in separate bags and use the same bag for the same items each time.
9. Do non-woven bags shed microplastics?
So over time, non-woven bags break down due to weathering, potentially releasing microplastics into the environment and oceans. It’s estimated that synthetic textiles produce about 35% of microplastic pollution in the ocean, making them one of the largest sources of microplastics. Properly disposing of non-woven bags at the end of their useful life can help prevent some of this contamination.
10. Are non-woven bags recyclable?
Most non-woven bags made from polypropylene are recyclable, but whether you can recycle them depends on whether your local recycling program accepts them. If recycled, they can even be used to make new bags, making the bags more environmentally friendly.
11. How to properly dispose of non-woven bags
The best way to dispose of non-woven bags is to recycle them if your local program accepts them. But before you recycle them, you should try to reuse them for as long as possible to make them as environmentally friendly as possible. If you can’t recycle them when you dispose of them, then the only other option is to throw them away.
They will be sent to a landfill, where they will eventually decompose as long as they are made from polypropylene. However, this is not environmentally friendly because it may cause chemicals to seep into the environment.
Eco-friendly Alternatives to Non-Woven Bags
Non-woven bags are more environmentally friendly than disposable plastic bags because they can be reused over and over again. However, they are still made from plastic, which is not the most environmentally friendly or sustainable option.
Instead, try a more environmentally friendly option. Most non-woven bags are made from polypropylene and are claimed to be more environmentally friendly than disposable plastic bags. To some extent, this is true, as non-woven bags can be reused dozens of times.
However, they are inherently made from a type of plastic that is not the most environmentally friendly or sustainable material.
Biodegradable Non-Woven Bags
Traditional non-woven fabrics are primarily made from synthetic materials such as polyester and polypropylene, which present significant challenges due to their non-biodegradable nature. Biodegradable non-woven fabrics offer a viable solution to mitigate these environmental impacts. These fabrics are made from materials such as plant fibers or naturally degradable polymers, which break down faster when exposed to environmental conditions such as sunlight, moisture, and oxygen.
By integrating biodegradable options into various applications, industries can effectively reduce their ecological footprint and contribute to a circular economy where materials can be reused and recycled rather than thrown away. Biodegradable non-woven fabrics are redefining various industries through their sustainable applications. Including hygiene, agriculture, construction, fashion and packaging, etc.