"I'm Not a Plastic Bag" backlash
Filed under: Accessories, Fashion, News
Fashion mavens and Whole Foods shoppers have undoubtedly noticed the surprisingly trendy "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" totes designed by Anya Hindmarch. For whatever reason, these bags have become the most-recent "must have" item, and hundreds -- if not thousands -- of fashionistas have been lining up outside Whole Foods stores, or paying as much as 200 times the retail price to purchase the totes online.
The frenzy has been so intense that the bags have been banned in China after several women were trampled yesterday while trying to purchase them.
In response to this insanity, the kids at Fashion Indie have created the hysterical "I'm Not a Douche Bag." Sure, it may not be as cute as Hindmarch's tote, but, as noted by its designers, the "Douche Bag" is "just as eco friendly" and a whole lot funnier.
uwishunu 7-20-2007 @ 2:30PM
I live in a city and trek from grocery store to apartment. I've been happy enough with my string tote from bladesconstructioncompany.blogspot.com
Cute & smart, but not trying to make too much of a statement!
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StupidJimmy 7-20-2007 @ 3:34PM
There's always a backlash against things that become absurd.
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GR 7-20-2007 @ 6:06PM
The bag is cute and the haters are just jealous because they don't have one. If the haters could get one they absolutely would. It is a lovely idea and certainly raises awareness about the issue of excessive plastic bag usage and recycling.
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Ruffage 7-20-2007 @ 7:05PM
Haters? Jealous? I thought it was a good critique to shove into the faces of those who turned something like a eco-friendly tote bag into a status symbol.
The original tote was not some amazing new idea, BYOB has been around for awhile. A designer slaps a phrase written in generic fonts on it and trendwhores fall over themselves to get one.
If they really cared about the environment they would use the old bags lying around their house instead of buying a new one. All these morons want to do is to tote the status symbol around while acting snobby about it because they're both 'fashionable' and 'eco-friendly'. It started out as a good idea, but it's sickening to see the whole campaign degenerate into this. And I bet that the idiots who paid 200 times the retail price would never use it in place of plastic bags as it was originally intended, but rather just a purse until the trend fades.
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Big Cup O STFU 7-20-2007 @ 7:28PM
Ruffage, you're my hero of the day. You said it perfectly. In fact, now I'm mad because I can't say it, lol.
GR, I'm not a hater. That's an idiot-term used by people who think they're cool. I don't like sushi, I don't like Volvos. I'm not jealous of fish or cars. Use some logic.
These morons have taken something worthwhile and turned it into the "IT" thing to have. Anyone, other than a starving person in search of food, who tramples another person in order to get the latest "fad" is an idiot. Complete and utter idiot.
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Big Cup O STFU 7-20-2007 @ 7:37PM
LOL, let's coin a new idiot-term. We'll call them "Knowers". These are people who assume to know that people who don't like something are "haters" or "jealous". It's called "preferences, GR.
Just for the record, I CAN get my hands on one, and I ABSOLUTELY will not be getting one.
Congrats, GR. You're the first official "knower"
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kaleign 7-27-2007 @ 6:30AM
It is a good thing that we are interested in buying/having a canvas bag for shopping rather than paper (trees) and plastic (non-biodegradable). But, are they really buying them for the environment or is it really just for fashion? Keep in mind that you can buy canvas bags from just about anywhere you can buy groceries (most large stores have them for sale...usually between 5 and 10 bucks a bag. So what's the point in spending 200 times the retail price??? The only explainable reason is fashion. It has NOTHING to do with the environment. If it did, they would look for other options aside from these apparently "cute" or "funny" bags. Canvas shopping bags have been around for a very, very long time. At least fifteen years now (my mother had one when I was a teenager...of course, I think that then, she used hers as a mobile-magazine-rack.
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Barbara 7-27-2007 @ 6:32AM
I have to agree that this term 'hater' is absurd - a catch-all term used to describe someone who disagrees with the speaker. It smacks of ignorance and immaturity.
As for the bags, eh... If they have become fashionable, then they are just another burlap purse, nothing more.
I use plastic grocery bags at the grocery store, then recycle them directly within my home, using them as bags to carry things when needed and as trash can liners. I had a good laugh with a friend of mine who took a burlap bag to the grocery store to tote her groceries home in. Inside the burlap bag was a box of plastic trash can liner bags.
Using a burlap bag with writing on it as a purse just doesn't appeal to me.
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wha 7-27-2007 @ 6:41AM
Go to local craft store, buy canvas bag, stencil logo, sell on EBay.
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Geegee Davis 7-27-2007 @ 12:32PM
Anybody that would carry a bag with the words Douche bag on it, must certainly be one.. How Nasty is THAT ??????? I can tell you that NO LADY would ever carry such a vile thing... Humph!!!!
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tlc 7-27-2007 @ 7:07AM
Thank you Barbara for the post --
'I have to agree that this term 'hater' is absurd - a catch-all term used to describe someone who disagrees with the speaker. It smacks of ignorance and immaturity...' (AND I must add) very 'Jerry Springerish.'
This is the typical thinking and expression of a television addict that believes all the hollywood fashionista hype they saturate their lazy minds with. The idiots that would trample a living human being to get one of these 'fashion statement' bags needs to grow up and stop being a 'follower.' Have an original thought for once, you silly twit.
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Jeanne 7-27-2007 @ 7:13AM
As some of you have already pointed out, the canvas shopping bags have been around for a while. I have about 6 or 7 of them that I leave in my car for shopping, but I do admit when I get plastic bags, I use them for garbage liners, or also at my store can be recycled. At Whole foods, you are given a credit on your bill for reusing bags as well. The people waiting in lines for these trendy bags don't care primarily about the environment, or they would get ones that are on sale for $5 everywhere.
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luvnLife 7-27-2007 @ 7:29AM
I, personally, think the bag is ugly and would never pay over retail price for it. Certainly, trampling people to death over a bag is a sad and unintended outcome of what this bag is supposed to stand for~~i.)e., treating the earth (and I would assume those that live on it) with kindness.
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simon 7-27-2007 @ 7:34AM
I as quite surprised that there is only one reference to anyone, female or male, wanting to carry a bag referring to douche. Maybe they don't know what the word means.
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anne 7-27-2007 @ 8:02AM
www.minusbags.com for the greatest and most durable made in the usa awesome bags!!
minus the plastic, minus the waste!
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Vickie 7-27-2007 @ 8:05AM
Just what's so bad about plastic bags? I accumulate them (easily stored inside each other), return them to the store, they sell them to a recycler, and they end up melted down to make cellphone packaging or videogame thumb-buttons or other plastic life-essentials. So they end up 100% environment-friendly. The slobs who let them blow into trees and telephone poles won't be using cloth bags anyhow.
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john O'hea 7-27-2007 @ 8:12AM
I do not understand why a designer would use such horrible lettering .
who ever designed that mess , certainly does not understand type
fonts or for that matter the advertising thought of , Keep It Simple.
gool lettering is an art . I think this designer should browse through
the old stand by book ,screen printing & lettering for the beginer.
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Claudia 7-27-2007 @ 9:23AM
UGH!!!!! crap bags made in China.. i absolutely LOVE my bag from minusbags.com people stop me all the time and ask me about them!! i carry two to the grocery store and get a ton of stuff into them!! totally durable, hip looking and made in the USA..!!
www.minusbags.com minus the plastic, minus the waste
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jordy 7-27-2007 @ 9:26AM
I guess the idea behind them is good, but I don't understand what the obsession is... It doesn't look like it's compact enough to carry multiples to the store, and obviously too expensive to warrant being called a plastic bag replacement. I don't think they would make great purses, I mean, when's the last time you carried a plastic bag as a purse anyway. I did see some really cute mesh plastic bag replacements, they came in all colors and at a reasonable price. you could carry them as a back pack or on your shoulder, very versatile. And you could shove a bunch of them into your purse before going to the store 'cause they bunch up really small!
I do love how GR is trying to lessen his/her buyers remorse by calling us haters and jealous, though.
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Carol 7-27-2007 @ 9:58AM
What is so bad about plastic bags Vickie #16? First, I doubt the retailer "sells" them anywhere. I am sure they are reprocessed, but the energy used in that reprocessing might just negate any recycling benefit. Its almost better for the environment to do as #12-- get multiple use out out it. Just recycling something doesnt' make it better for the environment. We recycled our glass-- but there is little aftermarket for colored glass-- such as wine bottles. Most recycling centers take them from our bins and put them right in the landfill. As long as we are consuming, we will leave an environmental imprint. You have to research those options before shouting "green". In the field, its called "greenwash".
As far as the bags-- buying a reusable bag reduces the need for the plastic bags overall and is a better choice. As far as style, we have many choices and whatever floats your boat. As far as price, just because you are going reusable bag doesn't mean you can't splurge and make a statement. And the producer makes a profit. The lettering fits the retro style of the bag. Go for it.
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