Reusable shopping bag: how to choose the right one
Size, handles, use, care, budget: our simple criteria for choosing a reusable shopping bag you will actually use, every single week.
By Tropical Factory3 min read
A good reusable shopping bag is big enough for your usual shopping, sturdy, comfortable to carry and easy to keep with you. For most households, a large tote plus an insulated bag for fresh food covers every need of the week.
Here are our criteria for choosing well.
Criterion 1: size
Start from your real shopping, not your ideal shopping.
- Big weekly shop: an XL size. At Tropical Factory, the XL classic is listed at €29.
- Top-up shopping, bakery, quick market run: an L (€24) or S (€20).
- Errands in town, pharmacy, bookshop: an S, more discreet to carry.
If in doubt, go bigger: one large bag half full is easier to carry than three small bags overflowing.
Criterion 2: how you carry it
Two handles that are long enough let you carry the bag by hand or on your shoulder. That matters when you also have a child, keys or an umbrella to hold. Before buying, picture the walk from the checkout to the car, or from the bus stop to your door.
Criterion 3: use
The classic bag
For groceries, fruit and vegetables, household products. It is the all-purpose bag. All our classic totes are in the Classic bags range.
The insulated bag
For fresh and frozen food, especially on long or hot trips. It complements the tote rather than replacing it. It comes as an XL insulated bag (€42) and as lunch bags.
The pouch
So you do not lose change, receipts, your shopping list or your loyalty card at the bottom of the bag. Our classic pouches are €14.
Criterion 4: care
A shopping bag sees a bit of everything: muddy vegetables, sweating bottles, packaging. Choose a bag that is easy to empty and wipe, and get into the habit of shaking it out after each use. Our tips are in our post on caring for a reusable bag.
Criterion 5: wanting to take it
This is the most underrated criterion. A bag you find attractive is one you happily take out, leave in the car and bring to the market. A bag with no charm ends up at the back of a cupboard, and you end up buying throwaway bags at the checkout again.
That is why our bags are illustrated:
- Victoria pays tribute to the Victoria pineapple, an iconic fruit of Réunion Island;
- Fano celebrates the sea turtles of the lagoons, in XL, L, S and pouch;
- Tropical brings the island’s lush vegetation into your kitchen, in XL, L, S and pouch.
How many bags do you need?
There is no universal answer, but a simple set-up works for many households:
| Use | Bag |
|---|---|
| Big weekly shop | 1 or 2 XL classic totes |
| Fresh and frozen food | 1 XL insulated bag |
| Weekend market | 1 dedicated XL tote |
| Top-up shopping | 1 S or L bag in your handbag |
What matters is that each bag has its place: in the boot, by the door or in your everyday bag.
At the market, a reusable bag really shines
At the market you buy loose produce, pile up small purchases and walk from stall to stall. A large tote saves you juggling plastic bags. If you are heading to the Saint-Paul street market, read our tips in the post dedicated to it: the Tropical Factory stall is there on Fridays from 8 am to 2 pm and on Saturdays from 8 am to noon.
A bag made from recycled bottles
All our shopping bags are made from recycled plastic bottles. Using them week after week, you avoid throwaway bags while giving waste a second life.
FAQ
What size bag for the weekly shop?
An XL, possibly with an insulated bag for fresh food.
How do I stop forgetting my shopping bag?
Keep one in the car, one by the door and a soft bag in your handbag. Put them back as soon as they are empty.
Can an insulated bag replace a tote?
It can be used for anything, but it is most useful for fresh food. For everyday shopping, a classic tote is more practical.
