Reusable Bags

The Bag Issue

Reusable bags come in all shapes and sizes, and they’re made from all kinds of materials, from natural fibers like cotton and jute to recycled plastic and reclaimed waste. At The Markets, we encourage everyone to get in the habit of bringing reusable bags when shopping. They save resources, reduce waste and help us keep our costs down. This year we started Bag for Life, the reusable bag program that closes the loop on the plastic bag issue.

How it works:

Buy a bag and reuse it again and again - after it wears out, bring it back to us and we’ll replace it for free and recycle your old bag, Other supermarkets offer the non-woven polypropylene bag that feels like fabric, but it’s actually just polypropylene plastic pressed with a weave mold that gives it a fabric texture. We don’t really like these bags because, although they are sometimes made from recycled plastic, they are not recyclable at any supermarkets (which means they’re all going into the landfill when they wear out – and they really aren’t that durable). We prefer our bags because they can be recycled at any of our locations, not to mention they’re made right here in the U.S. out of post consumer plastics and printed with water based inks. We send the worn out plastic bags to Trex, the leading manufacturer of composite lumber made from recycled plastic. This material is used for a wide range of building purposes, from residential decking to park benches (and our plastic bag collection bins).

We also offer our own organic cotton, made-in-the-USA shopping bags, with a limited edition, Northwest-themed design for sale at all our stores.  These will hold about a regular grocery bag's worth of items, and can also be used, like our plastic bags, for many other purposes besides hauling your food. 

You Get A Nickel Rebate

One more thing:  we rebate you a nickel for every bag you bring yourself, and a nickel every time you do this!  This nickel can be credited to your grocery bill on the spot, or you can "pay it forward", donating the nickel to one of our selected local environmental groups.  In Whatcom County, that is RESources; Skagit is the Skagitonians to Preserve Farmlands, and Snohomish is the Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force. Help preserve our environment and make a contribution to a worthy group at the same time!

Help us close the loop on bag waste and buy a bag for life today (and don’t leave home without it).