EcoJeannieX-Large Non-woven Reusable Shopping Bag, Made w/Recycled Plastic green Size: Large

Update Sept. 6, 2018; the bags have spent most of their time kicking around the car. I use them mostly for my trips to the grocery store and the library. The bags look pristine. I haven't even wiped them off, because they look so clean. There's no sign of wear and tear anywhere, there are no splits in the seams that require just a little touch up with my sewing machine. There's no sign of wear and tear on the handles. :-)End update.Apparently there are some folks out there who think I’m a bag expert. What makes me a bag expert? It could be because I started at a young age but I like to think it’s my fearless attitude towards trashing my stuff. If the sensible approach doesn’t work then try something stupid. Way back when, no one else knew what to do because I was the only one with these bags.My life experience, aka fearless attitude, aka, being young and stupid and outrageously liberal, has taught me how to deal with plastic shopping bags.It is counterproductive to try and clean waterproof bags in the washing machine. The bags inflate, hold water, don’t move around and come out still dirty. You end up pulling out bags of dirty water. If they are truly filthy, soak and wipe clean. Otherwise, just wipe clean. And use gentle detergents like dishwashing liquid because....Being a chemist, I turned to some serious solvents to try get that gunk off. Petroleum distillates will soften the plastic and when you load’em up: the bag will burst. Acetone just dissolves the plastic straight through. Wait, you tried this based on my last EcoJeannie review and it didn’t melt a hole? Sigh, your acetone is no longer fresh, it needs to be re-distilled. Let’s go find a nice organic chemistry lab and we’ll get that fixed up in no time. We could also try ether if you’re game. Did I tell you about the time I almost set the lab on fire? Do you like explosives?Plastic bags are strong but there are limits. Groceries, books, laboratory supplies are OK. Don’t use them to move weight lifting equipment. 80 lbs was too much for the first generation of plastic shopping bags.I’d like to think I don’t destroy my bags because I’m older and wiser but it’s mostly because I can’t pick up 80 lbs anymore. But, I did purchase two bags this time. Now I can run experiments twice as fast. Wiser!My previous EcoJeannie bag is satisfactory after a year of use but it’s not out of the danger zone yet. My first generation of bags (the ones that survived me) lasted ten years before I finally recycled them because they were so hard to clean.What’s improved with this round of new EcoJeannie shopping bags?Appearance? This bag is a pale, subtle and yet vivid green. There is a small menagerie of animals – bears, owls, a snail, squirrels and other creatures. You cannot trust my identifications because I grew up in New York City and I’ve never actually encountered any of these creatures. Except for the squirrels. But where are the birds that like to poop on everything and the little brown things that scuttle in the dark? How could they be overlooked? The talented artist has captured the true spirit of nature – tasteful, friendly, adorable and positively OOZING the spirit of Eternal Youth. Eternal Youth is about 4 years old is my guess. You can shop safely knowing you won’t cause riots in the supermarket aisle. Your vegetables will feel no fear as they are placed in this bag. Even the rabbit would obviously never bite. Now, that’s artistic talent.Everyday is a Fresh Start – this is deep wisdom disguised as a Dumb Saying. Is this even possible? Yup, I used to think Yogi Berra’s sayings (It Ain’t Over til it’s Over) were the dumbest things alive but that was when I was young and stupid. Now, Yogi is a Wise Man. If you think this is dumb, don’t worry, the problem goes away. If it doesn’t go away fast enough, watch more baseball.The material of the bag is surprisingly flexible and soft, faintly fleecy on the inside. I was surprised it’s waterproof. It doesn’t crackle or otherwise feel plastic-y. It’s also very lightweight.Waterproof? Yes, the material is waterproof but the seams are...BAM!Oh! Milo… puppy! No, don’t lick that stuff leaking out of the seams… Whew! Just a little wipe down with a towel and the bag is clean and ready to go.Strong? I loaded a bag up to the brim with juice, water and cans and cans of food. The final weight was 35 lbs (a little more than four gallons). Then I hung it up on a doorknob and hoped it would still work afterwards. After an hour, I took the bag down. No signs of strain. I figure this was the longest time I’d spent in a parking lot looking for my car so this was a reasonable test of the bag.Strong? I’ve already tried putting weight lifting equipment into bags. It’s not a good idea. Save the Amazon delivery box instead, it’s strong enough for weights. Wait, why are we all spending money on bags when Amazon…..? Because you can’t fold up an Amazon delivery box and put it in your purse. It's really awkward.Repels dirt? Yes. I poured potting mix onto the bag and walked over it several times. The dirt brushed right off. Then I ran a damp cloth over the bag but I really couldn’t see any. Quite a change from the first generation bags where the dirt would be ground in for life.Handles? The handles are one piece –there is no seam– uni-body construction. The Engineer explained uni-body construction means you don’t have a weak point that will split first. Always look for uni-body construction in materials subject to combat conditions like grocery shopping. The stress points are properly reinforced with extra stitching. The handles are a little short if you prefer to sling the bag over your shoulder. It’s also a little short if you carry something bulky that sticks out of the bag.Oversized loads? The bag is 14 w x 16 h x 9 d. A Safeway supermarket bag is 12 w x 13 ½ h x 6 ½ d. If I carry it by the bottom, the bag comes up to my lips. An oversized load would block my vision and stop me from talking. My brain would shut down. Best avoid.Side flat pocket – a generous 9 ½ W x 12 ½ H. This pocket is pure evil disguised. I am disorganized and have a bad memory and it’s an excellent way to lose something forever. You might find it useful. I plan to glue it shut.Plastic Insert for the bottom of the bag – Ha! I recently got a bigger purse! No more marks when I fold the bag and carry it in my purse. I’ll just glue this pesky thing down so I won’t lose it. I have 5 minutes before this happens…No wait, there are TWO bags!!!!! 2.5 minutes. Where’s my glue…. Aaargghhhhhh!How big is my purse? Don’t you know that a woman has a deeply personal relationship with her purse?Bag Anxiety – Is two bags enough??????? Shouldn’t I take advantage of the giant economy package? Maybe two packages???NEVER. BUY. TOO. MANY. REALLY. NICE. BAGS.NEVER.Earth has been invaded by alien Bag Snatchers. They resemble your friends, acquaintances and trustworthy, helpful strangers but when a nice bag is placed before them, instead of carrying your stuff out to the car, they sprout hair, their eyes glow like LED’s and they shamble off back to the mother ship. I believe their leader is a shopaholic. The more nice bags you own, the more they assume you got’em free at the local supermarket Earth Day (Whole Foods holds nice ones). And these bags could pass for those nice bags from Whole Foods except for the missing logo. DON’T DO IT.Ease of use - all of the serious plastic bags I've used have been stiff enough to stand up on their own, even with the pesky bottom insert missing, even after ten years of use. The ones that aren't serious are of course limp right from the start.How many bags do I need?Uuuugh…..Well, I have constructed this formula - 14 w x 16 h x 9 d = 2016 cubic inches per EcoJeannie bag.I have added a modifier for disabilities. In my personal situation, I refuse to exercise. Based on the average density of groceries with a book thrown in to represent the statistical distribution of my typical load, I can only use 1500 cubic inches (roughly ¾) of the EcoJeannie bags.And since I only have two hands = two Eco Jeannie bags per tripMy fridge space is limited = two Eco Jeannie bags. Period.SummaryIs the EcoJeannie bags the best I've used so far?Hygiene - 5 stars - not only can you clean them but they are easy to clean. Dirt brushes off. - Best of all the bags I've usedWeight - 5 stars - a very lightweight bag - packs compactlyEase of use - 5 stars - yes, they stand up at the counter and fold up easily for packabilityStrength - 5 stars - Loaded chock full of the heaviest grocery items - liquids and canned goods - Took the load for a full hourHandles - 4 stars - outstanding engineering but a little short for extreme useWaterproof - 4 stars - waterproofing is fine except for the seams. Stitched seams always leak. However, if you weld and stitch the seams then the bag can serve as a small aquarium for your goldfish while you get your tank set up. Tsk, tsk, I'm shocked EcoJeannie has not understood the extreme need for the ultimate in waterproof, collapsible aquariums/ice buckets that can double as grocery bags.Appearance - 5 stars - awwww.... Cute enough to cuddle. But where is Mr. Fishie? The aquatic market seems underserved.Durability - ??? - we'll know in ten years7 months - both bags doing just fine.Thanks for the assist, Milo! You’re the best! Thanks to The Engineer for all those tips on best practices for designing battle-hardened equipment. May your prototypes always survive a classroom full of kindergarteners.

I always carrying thing into work. These carry-alls are just the right size to carry a lot of things, and not so huge that they are cumbersome. They are very sturdy and come with a stiff insert for the bottom that gives the bag extra structure and strength. Im confident that my things are going to get where I need to go. You'll love them

Bought these for grocery shopping. Really enjoying them as they're sturdy and looks great.

I love these bags and they are very good for daily use. One is for grocery shopping and the other is for my 8-year old son's swim lesson.Design is cute. Bottom is wide enough to put large boxes flat instead side ways and handles are stitched all the way around so that it can handle heavy stuff.

Very durable. This is my second set of these brand of bags (deference design). Same size as the paper bag or slightly bigger then the one you (or buy) from the store. I do recommend this bag to anyone how don't want to buy bags every time you shop or are eco conscience.