In an effort to reduce waste and help the environment, my family has been using reusable shopping bags while we run our errands, go grocery shopping, and even packing items for our son’s day and weekend trips. Living in Brooklyn, New York, we are constantly walking everywhere and rely on reusable bags that are comfortable to carry and have the capacity to hold everything we need. We were immediately drawn to the design and color of the Colony Co. Grocery Bay, and we loved that it could be carried on a shoulder. It looked great, but we wanted to see if it performed as well as it looked. Read on to see what we thought.
Design: Inspired by the standard brown paper grocery bag
Made out of waxed canvas, the Colony Co. Grocery Bag is biodegradable and vegan-friendly. The bag measures 17 inches tall and 12 inches wide, and its 7 inches deep. It’s look is inspired by the standard brown paper grocery bag, but it is way more durable. This beautiful-looking bag is available in three different colors (deep sea, classic brown, gray) and can stand up on its own making it easy to fill. It can also fold up when being put away. We loved that the handle can fit over your shoulder, allowing you to keep the free use of both of your hands while carrying this bag. With this bag in tow, we did not miss using single-use plastic bags at all. According to the Colony Co., each bag is handmade in India by a Global Organic Textile Standard-certified supplier, assuring fair labor practices from farm to factory. The Global Organic Textile Standard, an independent non-profit certification, defines requirements to ensure the organic status of textiles, from harvesting of the raw materials, through environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing up to labeling in order to provide a credible assurance to the end consumer.
Packability: Holds a lot, but hard to find what you need
We had a bunch of errands to run one Saturday morning, so we took the Colony Co. bag out to see how it performed. Given its style and size, we didn’t feel like we needed to bring a purse or extra bag to carry a wallet. So, we threw the wallet, phone, and keys into the tote bag and went on our way. We picked up a few groceries and went to the pharmacy, wine store, and got some goodies from our local cheese shop. The bag held everything we purchased, but each time we went somewhere new and purchased something, we were digging for the wallet because it would get lost under everything added to the bag. We had to unpack and repack everything after we went to a new store and ended up putting the phone and keys into a coat pocket since they were getting buried. Ultimately, we didn’t feel like this was a good bag for running errands. We would definitely need more bags for a weekly grocery trip. However, we use it to pack up our son’s toys for a visit to my parent’s house. This bag is best suited for packing up some items you’ll need to transport—not a big shopping trip.
Durability: Strong waxed canvas
One of the best features of this bag was its waxed canvas material. It’s super durable and the coated fabric makes it stain resistant. We had this bag packed to the brim multiple times and there was never a worry that the bag would rip at all. This bag is definitely built to last, which is great given its higher price.
Cleaning: Wipe with a damp cloth
Colony Co. recommends wiping the bag clean with a damp cloth or rinsing with cold water and letting it air dry. You are advised against using any type of soap, hot water, or clothes drying on this bag. Abrasive cleaning, strong chemicals, or heat will destroy the wax coating on the bag.
Price: Pricey for one reusable bag
The Colony Co. bag retails for $30, which is expensive for one reusable shopping bag. Yes, it’s super durable and will last you for years, but we were able to get more use out of a few basic reusable, rip-resistant nylon or polyester shopping bags (that are also very durable) for half of the price. This company also sells mesh produce bags and bulk food bags. The bulk food bags are best for items you buy from dispensers in grocery stores like coffee beans, nuts, or grains. Both of those bags are cheaper, priced at about $20.
Colony Co. Grocery Bag vs. BeeGreen Basic Reusable Grocery Bags
Before testing out the Colony Co. Grocery Bag, we had used the BeeGreen Basic Reusable Grocery Bags a few times. After testing the Colony Co. bag, we decided we will be reaching for the BeeGreen bag even more. The Colony Co. bag may look nicer, and it is made out of high-quality material, but it’s more expensive and stores less than BeeGreen’s five-pack which sells for $13.99. Another great thing about BeeGreen’s bags, you can use just one for a few errands, or bring a bunch on a big grocery shopping trip. The high price tag on the Colony Co. bag makes it extremely pricey to get a five-pack. We’d rather spend $150 on groceries. The Colony Co. Grocery Bag is definitely built to last and can store a lot of goods. There are a lot of other options on the market available for a cheaper price that provide more than one bag. Colony Co.’s bags just aren’t as practical to us.
