Greener than you think: The environmental case for custom plastic bags

Plastic bags have long been labeled as the “culprit” of pollution. However, from another perspective, plastic custom shopping bags can actually be more eco-friendly than paper or cloth bags, while also delivering business advantages such as cost savings and flexibility in use. This makes them especially suitable for international trading companies that need to place bulk orders.

This article highlights three key environmental benefits of custom plastic bags that set them apart.

Three green benefits of custom plastic bags

Benefit #1: Easy to reuse and recycle with custom plastic bags

Today, plastic bags are no longer limited to single-use products. Thanks to advances in materials and manufacturing, many plastic bags are now highly durable, water-resistant, and oil-resistant, allowing consumers to reuse them for longer periods of time.

They are often reused for practical purposes such as carrying food, shopping, covering household items, packing personal belongings for travel, or even serving as liners for small trash bins. These versatile applications create added value that paper bags or cloth bags cannot match. Paper bags tear easily when wet, and cloth bags can be difficult to clean when stained, making plastic bags far more convenient.

Custom plastic shopping bags that are easy to reuse and recycle

Beyond reuse, plastic bags are highly recyclable. Recycling follows a closed-loop process: used bags are collected, sorted, and processed into recycled resin, which can then be used to produce new bags or other plastic products. This helps significantly reduce plastic waste while maximizing the value of materials already in circulation.

Reports from the plastics and environmental industries show that around 20–30% of plastic bags currently on the market are made from recycled materials. This figure is steadily increasing thanks to advancements in recycling technology and greater consumer awareness. Manufacturers are also becoming more proactive in integrating recycled content into their production, conserving virgin resources, and easing the burden on landfills. This positive trend shows that the packaging industry is moving toward sustainability, opening opportunities for businesses with green strategies.

See more: Types of plastic shopping bags and important factors you need to consider.

Benefit #2: Occupies less landfill space compared to paper and cloth bags

One often overlooked advantage of plastic bags is their efficiency in landfill use. According to the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), plastic bags take up only a very small portion of landfill space due to their light weight and compact volume. In contrast, paper bags are bulkier and heavier, occupying significantly more landfill capacity. This means that, pound for pound, paper bags put more pressure on municipal waste management systems. (Source: css.umich.edu)

Moreover, paper bags weigh 6–7 times more than plastic bags. The heavier weight leads to higher transportation and disposal costs. Surveys in the U.S. indicate that landfill tipping fees average $50–60 per ton, depending on the region (Source: erefdn.org). With paper bags, these costs increase rapidly due to their added weight. Ultimately, such costs are often passed on to citizens through taxes or environmental fees.

Therefore, choosing plastic bags is not just a matter of convenience or production cost—it also has direct implications for long-term public budgets. Lighter, more compact plastic bags reduce the strain on waste systems and help save municipal funds, making them an indirect but effective way to support sustainable urban development.

Benefit #3: Less pollution during production

According to combined research from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators/Association of Local Air Pollution Control Officials (STAPPA/ALAPCO), producing paper bags causes greater environmental impact than producing plastic bags in several critical areas:

• Paper bag production consumes over 40% more energy than plastic bags, largely due to logging, pulp processing, and energy-intensive drying.
• It generates over 50% more water pollution because of bleaching chemicals and pulp waste.
• It creates over 70% more air pollution, including CO2, SOx, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The production of plastic bags is less polluting.

A report by Franklin Associates (2020) further found that, across the entire life cycle—from raw material extraction to production and end-of-life management—paper bags consume more resources and generate more than double the emissions compared to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic bags.

For businesses, this means that choosing packaging should not be based solely on the “green” appearance of paper. A life-cycle perspective reveals that plastic bags, when used responsibly and paired with recycling programs, can actually be the more sustainable option in the long run.

Why will the plastic bag market continue to grow?

Since the 1970s, plastic bags have become the top choice thanks to their low cost and high flexibility. According to the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), producing a plastic bag costs only about 1/10 to 1/20 of a paper bag, enabling businesses to save significantly when ordering in bulk.

Beyond cost efficiency, custom plastic bags deliver strong operational and branding value:

• Practical convenience: Suitable for a wide range of products, from groceries to irregularly shaped goods. Their water resistance protects items during transportation.
• Easy branding: Plastic bags allow logos and messages to be printed sharply, enhancing brand visibility.
• Logistics-friendly: Lightweight, stackable, and space-saving, which reduces storage and transport costs.
• Eco-compliant options: With biodegradable or recycled plastics, they meet international sustainability standards.

Thus, custom plastic bags are not only cost-effective but also serve as powerful marketing tools aligned with sustainable growth strategies.

VNK’s – The ideal custom plastic bags manufacturing partner for global traders

At VNK’s, we understand the challenges buyers and procurement professionals face—from pricing and quality to tight production timelines. That’s why we’ve developed a system that leverages OEM advantages to deliver optimal solutions—efficiently and proactively:

• Nearly 20 years of industry experience: Serving hundreds of clients across the US and Europe, with an annual capacity of 10,000+ tons—primarily for export markets.
• Advanced manufacturing technology: Our dedicated production lines for handle bags—soft loop, rigid, etc.—allow us to fulfill complex, high-volume orders with consistent quality.
• Custom-tailored solutions: From standard to premium bags, from simple logos to complex multi-color printing, we can meet the strictest global standards.
• Cost efficiency at scale: By controlling raw materials and manufacturing in-house, VNK’s offers highly competitive prices without sacrificing quality.
• Expert support team: Our advisors are industry-trained and product-savvy—offering clear, responsive communication from design to delivery.

When working with VNK’s, you’re not just hiring a factory—you’re partnering with a technically minded, market-savvy ally who understands how to deliver quality, aesthetics, and value to your end customer.

Looking for a trusted supplier of plastic shopping bags for the retail sector? Whether you need takeaway bags for fashion stores, supermarkets, or convenience shops, VNK’s offers a full-service solution from A to Z.

With our strengths in technology, talent, and experience, we’re proud to be your ideal packaging partner for a sustainable, professional, and profitable supply chain.

Contact us today for a custom quotation or a sample kit with VNK’s plastic bags manufacturer. We’ll respond shortly with tailored recommendations for your order.