D.I.Y. Project: Lunch Bags

For the eco- and budget-conscious, taking your lunch to work or school in a reusable container is a must. We've rounded up some cool boxes and bags before, but another option is making your own. Here's an interesting D.I.Y. lunch bag project we found on the Natural Home site.

Extending the concept of reuse even further, these bags are made from old plastic shopping bags. When fused together with an iron, the plastic bags turn into a durable and easily cleaned "fabric." No sewing skills are necessary; all that's required are plastic bags, parchment or wax paper, an iron, and scissors.

• Instructions at Natural Home

Etsy also has a video tutorial on plastic bag fusing, and if you are handy with a sewing machine, you can sew the plastic "fabric" into all sorts of bags and other crafts.

(Image: Natural Home)

Comments (5)

Interesting technique, but would this be creating any toxic fumes associated with burning plastic?

posted by greyrussian on February 25th 2009 at 5:20pm
view greyrussian's profile

Coolest lunch bags ever:

http://lunchbagart.tumblr.com/

But, these are obviously not reusable or easily done by anyone.

posted by Orchid64 on February 25th 2009 at 7:22pm
view Orchid64's profile

That just seems like too much trouble to me. Am I lazy?

posted by Dana McCauley on February 25th 2009 at 8:09pm
view Dana McCauley's profile

hmm. i don't know if it made toxic fumes when I made something similar- but it was a lot of fun:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sugar_magnolia/2450309958/

posted by Barbara S on February 26th 2009 at 1:04pm
view Barbara S's profile

Sounds like fun and looks cute. I still doubt my abilities to pull it off. heh.

posted by Kalinda on February 26th 2009 at 2:05pm
view Kalinda's profile