Introduction
Non-woven fabric itself is a fabric-like material made from long fibers bonded together by chemical, mechanical, heat, or solvent treatment. Non-woven bags are derived from synthetic polymer-based materials, recycled granulate, and bag converters. This process makes non-woven bags stronger compared to woven bags. Non-woven bags are also lighter and waterproof. They can accommodate more goods than plastic bags, which often tear due to their higher tensile strength. Non-woven bags are also more cost-efficient compared to woven bags. They come in a variety of sizes, models, and designs, and are easy to add printed pictures or company logos. This attracts sellers to use non-woven bags as packaging products for consumer goods.
Benefits of Non-Woven Bags
Non-woven bags are increasingly recognized as a superior, eco-friendly promotional tool for businesses aiming to enhance their environmental credentials. As demand for green products escalates, more companies are exploring strategies to not only benefit the environment but also boost their public image. Non-woven bags offer an affordable avenue for promoting environmental sustainability. Their reusable nature encourages consumers to reduce their reliance on single-use plastic bags, contributing positively to environmental efforts. Moreover, non-woven bags are fully recyclable, with numerous manufacturers willing to repurchase used bags from consumers to recycle them into new products. Ultimately, utilizing non-woven bags for promotional purposes is a cost-effective and practical method for businesses to fulfill their goals of environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
Non-woven PP is a new fabric which is quickly growing in popularity. Non-woven bags made from this material are the new favourite in solutions for advertising and promotional needs. This material is a great improvement from regular plastic bags, or even woven material, due to its strength and quality while still being inexpensive. These bags are also reusable, which saves a large quantity of money in comparison to continually purchasing plastic bags. Many groceries and department stores have adopted non-woven bags as a promotional tool, selling them to consumers at a cheap price and displaying their logo on the bags. This provides a two in one use for the bag, as a promotional tool and a functional tool for the consumer, while still being inexpensive for the store.
Most of the benefits of non-woven bags are directly associated with their durability, which is its most valuable feature, in distinction to other forms of reusable bags. These durable green bags are widely used in many nations in Asia and Europe, and have been a success with customers due mainly to the strength and durability of the bags. This is in stark comparison to plastic bags, which are often flimsy and are not reliable when carrying heavy items.
Non-Woven Bags vs. Traditional Packaging
PVC or polyvinyl chloride is the third largest widely produced synthetic plastic polymer. It is made from 57% common salt and 43% petroleum or natural gas. Productions of plastic bags by biodegradable plastic or non-plastic materials. This is because PVC poses major environmental and health hazards. This has given rise to a concept for eco-friendly bags, i.e. non-woven bags.
Non-woven bags are a new age invention, which have gone through a lot of development to reach this point. These bags are made from polypropylene which is a by-product of petroleum. The raw material is melted and extruded into the form of fibers. The fibers are arranged in a web, and then bonded together through heat, mechanical or chemical processes to make fabric. The major advantage of nonwoven bags is they are strong and cheaper than woven bags. These bags are a U-cut variety which comes in various sizes and color options. These bags are 100% recyclable which is their best benefit. This is a reason why many progressive countries have included the use of non-woven bags in their policies. For instance, China has prohibited the use of plastic bags, and Hong Kong has declared to reduce the use of plastic bags by 50%.
Environmental Impact and Sustainability
Another study compared disposable plastic bags with non-woven polypropylene bags in terms of energy consumption to produce, global warming potential, solid waste production, and toxicity. The data compiled in this experiment shows that non-woven polypropylene bags are a more sustainable option in each of these categories. With respect to global warming potential, one reusable non-woven polypropylene bag used on average annually, has approximately the same GWP as 11 disposable plastic bags. Due to legislation, the disposable plastic bag has a low cost to produce because it does not need to be durable, so it does not compare favorably to non-woven on energy consumption to produce. However, it has a large environmental impact due to high usage and litter rates. High usage rate also causes disposal bag waste to account for approximately 1-3% of all waste in US landfills. Non-woven bags on the other hand, have a long bag life and as a result much lower environmental impact due to bag waste. Because of this, non-woven bags are more of a strategic choice for reducing bag waste than the biodegradable plastic bag. Overall, study results give a specific and comprehensive understanding of the sustainability of non-woven polypropylene bags as a general reusable bag option.
Biodegradable non-woven polypropylene is already available in the market; however, because of its higher price and production cost, it is not yet widely used in our country. In terms of reducing the impact on natural resource consumption and pollution, available data clearly shows that non-woven polypropylene is superior to non-woven made of 30% polyester and 70% rayon in both categories. From the standpoints of water consumption and air emission, production of non-woven polypropylene is far less detrimental to the environment. These studies have shown that overall non-woven production is not harmful to the environment provided that raw materials suppliers conform to good environmental practices. These studies have also indicated that the sale of non-woven products to domestic and international markets actually helps the environment. This is due to the fact that disposable substitutes generally have much higher environmental impact due to their relatively high usage rate and less recyclability.
Future Trends and Conclusion
The saga of plastics can possibly not stop there for New Zealand Company ‘EcoWare’, plan a range of products for the future based on polymers from renewable sources such as bio-material and starch-based plastics. These will be designed to be dumped in a compost and will offer an environmentally friendly option to the existing plastic bags and food packaging with the last benefit, hoping to one day provide a non-toxic and clean alternative to organic waste bins that are usually lined with traditional plastic bags.
It is estimated that over 100 million tonnes of plastic currently pollute the world’s oceans. This plastic does not decompose and will persist indefinitely, causing severe harm to marine ecosystems. The impact is starkly visible, with sea birds frequently found entangled in items like 6-pack rings and turtles mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish, leading to a significant decline in marine and aquatic life.
In response to this environmental crisis, non-woven bags manufacturers have stepped up as part of the solution. By producing reusable and recyclable bags, non-woven bags manufacturers are offering a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics. Non-woven bags not only help reduce the volume of plastic waste entering our oceans but also encourage consumers and businesses to make environmentally conscious choices. This shift is crucial for the health of our planet and the preservation of marine biodiversity.
