Let's handmake an eco bag: a collection of convenient and cute ideas
With the introduction of charges for plastic shopping bags, more people have started carrying eco-bags.
I’m sure many of you have at least one favorite eco-bag, right?
This article introduces DIY ideas for making your own eco-bags.
If you’d like to craft one using fabric you love, please take a look for inspiration.
We feature a variety of ideas, such as types that attach to a supermarket basket, shapes convenient for quick convenience-store runs, shoulder-carry designs, and versions that fold up compactly.
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Let's make a handmade eco bag: A collection of convenient and cute ideas (1–10)
shopping basket bag
How about a checkout-basket bag that attaches to the store’s shopping basket so you can easily put away what you’ve bought? Since it becomes a bag that fits inside the basket, prepare a piece of fabric on the larger side.
It’s best to use different fabrics for the base of the bag and for the opening where items go in.
For the base, make a sturdy, generously sized bottom to match the basket’s dimensions.
When making the bottom, attach the bag tape for the handles as well.
For the opening, create a channel so you can thread a cord and close it like a drawstring.
After that, just join the bottom and the opening, thread the cord, and you’re done!
Eco bag with integrated handle
Introducing an eco-bag where the handles and the bag are made as one piece.
You can easily make it using a tenugui (a Japanese hand towel) you can even buy at a 100-yen shop! First, decide the size of the bag, make creases, and cut out a rectangular section in certain areas.
Sew the cut parts together so the handle section is doubled.
Don’t forget to cut out the handle openings! Then sew the remaining parts into a pouch shape, adding gussets, and you’re done.
It’s so easy to make that you might want to whip up a few spares!
Eco bag you can make without sewing
Let’s make an eco bag without using a needle and thread—without sewing even a single millimeter! Prepare your favorite fabric, then cut out the bag body and the handles.
What holds everything together? Double-sided tape! Just apply the tape to the areas you want to join and press the fabric pieces together.
Of course, you’ll also attach the handles to the bag with double-sided tape.
When assembling, keep the fabric inside out, and be careful when turning it right side out at the end so the tape doesn’t come off and the shape stays neat.
It’s perfect as a summer vacation craft for kids, so give it a try!
Let's make a handmade eco bag: A collection of convenient and cute ideas (11–20)
Eco bag made from a tenugui
Tenugui are items that combine style with eco-friendliness, available in a variety of patterns.
They’re durable, feel great on the skin, and the more you wash them, the more you can enjoy their texture! Why not try making an eco-bag using a tenugui? This method uses a single tenugui without any waste and is easy for anyone to make with only straight stitches.
Using only straight stitching is great for sewing machine beginners! Sew the handles and the main body separately, then stitch everything together at the end.
You’ll have a finished eco-bag styled like a shopping bag with plenty of gusset space! You can also mix and match the patterns of the handles and the body, so try customizing it to your own taste and have fun.
Eco Bag with Inner Pocket: Fits 2L Bottles
Let’s make a large eco bag that can hold a 2-liter plastic bottle! Prepare your favorite fabric and cut out the pieces for the bag, the handles, and a pocket that will serve both as an inner pocket and as a storage pouch for the bag.
After that, simply sew each part together.
For the bag, add a wide gusset so it can securely hold a 2-liter bottle.
Attach the pocket to the inside of the bag—when using the bag, it functions as an inner pocket, and when not in use, it serves as a storage pouch for the bag.
By folding the bag portion, you can neatly tuck it into this pocket!
Perfectly Round Eco Bag
Let me introduce an eco bag with an adorably round shape.
Prepare your preferred fabric and cut it into parts: the bag body, handles, and lining.
It’s fine to use different fabrics for each part! Cut the bag body and the lining into matching circles, then sew each piece together.
Don’t forget to make holes in the bag body for threading the handles.
Once the bag body is done and you’ve threaded the handles, it’s complete! Pulling the handles tight closes the opening and turns the whole bag into a perfect round shape.
Adjust the size of the eco bag to suit what you plan to carry inside.
An eco bag that folds into a wallet-style case
How about an eco bag that folds up cutely like a notebook cover? Prepare your favorite fabric and cut each piece by part.
For the section that becomes the notebook’s front cover when folded, it’s also recommended to use a different pattern or color.
When used as a bag, attach this section so that it serves as a pocket for small items.
Sew all the parts together, add a button for the notebook-style closure, and you’re done! The notebook-style fastener also works as a light flap to close the bag’s opening.