Woven Recycled Paper

Engage Green Woven Recycled Paper bags are durable, water resistant and biodegradable at the end of life. We offer a wide variety of animal-free dyed colors, from natural hues to bright sunny colors.

How our paper is produced . . .In order to create our fabric, a narrow strip of paper is evenly cut and twisted to create strength. At the same time, yarn is used for weaving the fabric. Sometimes the fabric is mixed with cotton fibers for extra strength. 

Recycling Facts

• * Less trash in landfills means lower disposal cost & less pollution from waste carting.
• * Using recycling paper pulp saves energy in the manufacturing process 60% to 70% less to compared to virgin pulp.
• * Recycled paper manufacturing uses up to 55% less water that virgin pulp, and helps to preserve our forests.
• * Manufacturing with recycled paper reduces air emissions by 74% compared to virgin pulp manufacturing.

Our handles . . .Although they look and feel like leather, our handles are made of recycled plastic!

Recycled Plastic

Engage Green Recycled Plastic is a high-quality polyester fiber made from 100% PETE bottles, post-consumer. The fabric is chemically and functionally nearly identical to those made from non-recycled fabrics. The difference is that Engage Green bags are made without depleting the Earth’s natural resources, with properties of incredibly strength and softness.

Why recycle plastic . . .Recycling used soda and water bottles keeps billions of containers out of the world’s landfills and oceans, conserves crude oil and reduces harmful air emissions that lead to global warming. Currently, only 3.5% of all plastics generated are recycled, compared to 34% of paper, 22% of glass and 30% of metals.

About PETE . . . PETE (polyethylene terephtalate) is the most popular packaging material for drinks, liquor and food today because it is lightweight, transparent and has good gas and moisture barrier properties. It is the most environmentally friendly material of all soft drink container systems in terms of total weight of air emissions and waterborne wastes.

How PETE is recycled . . .Plastics are collected from curbside recycling and drop-off locations. From there, they go to a material recovery facility, where they are sorted and sent to a reclamation facility. There, the plastic is inspected and washed. Next, it is chopped into small flakes. The flakes are placed into a flotation tank and then dried in a tumbler. The dried flakes are placed in an extruder where they are melted. The melted plastic is sifted through a screen to remove any contaminants and then it is formed into strands. Finally, the strands are chopped into pellets and sold to manufacturers to make new products, such as the fabric that is used to create Engage Green designs.

Did you know . . . It takes 18 post-consumer 16 oz. plastic drinking bottles to make one yard of our material? 

• * Approximately 18 used plastic bottles of 16 oz. make 1 yard of our fabric.
• * 4,800 used plastic bottles of 16 oz. saves 1 cubic yard of the landfill.
• * According to EPA recycling 1 pound of plastic containers [PETE] save approximately 12,000 BTU’s per yard.

Cork

Engage Green Cork is “natural leather” that is durable, resistant to wear, flexible, impermeable to liquids and stain resistant. The longer it is used, the softer it gets, and the velvety texture will last many seasons.

About cork . . . Our cork is harvested from the bark of the oak tree in a way that allows new bark to grow in its place. After harvesting, the cork is mounted on a flexible fabric backing for fashion use. The process is tightly regulated to preserve the health and integrity of the trees.

Why cork . . . Ecologically, cork is a wise choice because it is a natural and renewable material. Unlike animal hide leather, cork does not need to be conditioned. It is easily cleaned with soap and water. 

Organic Hemp

Engage Green fabric made from Organic Hemp fibers is resistant to ultraviolet light, heat and mildew. It also repels insects and is hypoallergenic. Hemp is durable, elastic and able to withstand extremes in temperature without degeneration.

About hemp . . . In the 1600’s, hemp was considered such a vital resource that farmers were legally obligated to grow it. Raising hemp plants does not require pesticides, herbicides or fertilizer and only very little water. This versatile and adaptable plant can thrive in almost any environment and almost any climate.

Organic Cotton

Engage Green is doing it can to help fuel demand for Organic Cotton products by producing fashionable, functional designs.

About conventional cotton . . . Conventional cotton production involves some of the most harmful chemicals known to man. Cotton plants and the insects that attack them are resilient and adaptable, leading to the development of new, stronger chemicals every year. The chemicals sprayed on cotton crops deplete the soil and pollute watersheds. According to the USDA, in one year alone 50 million pounds of pesticides were used on U.S. cotton fields.

Why organic cotton . . . Organic cotton farming uses no toxins or synthetic fertilizers and is produced without bleaches, dyes or other pollutants. Natural fertilizers and advances in environmentally friendly pest control have made organic cotton farming possible.