How to Make Paper Grocery Bags

Grocery bags are one of the most common culprits when it comes to creating landfill waste from paper or plastic. However, if you make your own paper grocery bags from old newspapers, you can help do your part for the environment by reusing materials while saving a newly-made bag for the next customer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Old newspaper
• Masking or duct tape

1. Lay three standard, full-sized newspaper pages (12 inches by 22 inches) flat on a table or the floor, on top of each other and lined up to form a single unit.

2. Roll the papers lengthwise into a loose cylinder by bringing one edge of the papers to just meet the other side, overlapping them by an inch or two.

3. Tape joined ends of the cylinder to secure it. Run a long strip of tape up the outside of the roll, along the outside seam, and then down the seam inside the roll.

4. Flatten the paper roll and crease the edges by running your finger down their length.

5. Fold over one end of the roll and tape it in place. Make the fold at least one inch wide for security. Tape along the top edge of the fold where it meets the rest of the bag.

6. Reinforce the bottom of the bag with extra tape. Coat the entire outside bottom area of the bag with tape. Cover to at least several inches up. This will help prevent breakage from the weight of groceries.

7. Create handles at the top of the bag by cutting out a hole in the top middle of one side of the bag. Reinforce its edges by taping them, then trace the shape of the hole's outline on other side of the bag through the hole; this will help you cut the second handle in the right place.

Tips & Warnings

• To make a reusable grocery bag, coat the entire outside of the newspaper bag in duct tape.