Abi Silvester from Hippyshopper writes...
Ever wondered just how 'green' the longlife shopping bag you bought at the supermarket really is? Having asked myself the same question, I was encouraged to hear that unlike many fashion bags sold as 'green' items (including the Hindmarch bag itself) most of the shopping totes sold in supermarkets are now made under ethical and eco-friendly conditions.
I had a look into the origins of some of the best known 'bags for life' and found out that those being sold in M&S, Boots, Tesco and Sainsbury's are all produced by Supreme Creations, a company with sound ethical principals, which also donates to the charity Wings of Hope with each purchase.
According to the website, which includes pictures and testimonials, all of Supreme Creations' bags are made in a facility that has been audited by the Ethical Trading Initiative according to the ILO (International Labour Organisation) conventions and is accredited with Fairtrade status. This guarantees that no child labour is used and that it is independently verified by the Ethical Trading Initiative and by the Fairtrade Foundation. Additionally, all the bags are made from Organic Cotton.
So next time you pick up a supermarket bag for life, whether it's one of the iconic Tesco ladybird designs or the pink Boots 'gorgeous' bags, you can rest assured that it's been made under strictly ethical standards. Pretty impressive, when you consider how little they cost!