Reusable produce and bulk bin bags: what to buy and how to weigh them

The bag weight problem

Fresh produce is sold by weight, so a heavy reusable bag adds cost every checkout. The best modern produce bags are around 10–15g each — trivial against a kilo of apples. Cheaper thick-canvas bags can weigh 40–80g, which stacks up over a full trolley.

At self-checkout, most Australian supermarkets have a "reusable bag" button that tares roughly 5–7g. If your bag is heavier, weigh it once and stick the number on the bag with a laundry-marker so you can key it in.

Mesh vs cotton muslin vs woven cotton

Mesh (nylon or recycled polyester)

Best for supermarket produce. Cashier can see contents (no unpacking required), scales through the mesh, dries fast after washing. Downsides: not compostable at end of life; edges can fray after 100 washes.

Cotton muslin

Best for bulk-bin flour, rice, sugar, spices. Fine weave stops flour dust escaping. Ties with a drawstring. Compostable. Downsides: can't see contents, and heavier when wet.

Woven cotton (Onya style)

Best for bulk-bin grains and pasta. Sturdier than muslin, machine-washable. Downside: heavier tare weight (~20–30g).

What "tare" means

Tare is the weight of the empty container. Most bulk stores in Australia (The Source, Naked Foods, Terra Madre, Wray Organic) will tare your bag at the front counter before you fill it, then subtract that weight at checkout. Some print a tare sticker; others write it on the bag with a marker.

At the supermarket bulk section (Woolworths, IGA), there is no formal tare process — use the lightest bags you own and accept a few grams of noise.

Sizing right

• Small (25×20cm) — mushrooms, nuts, snacks, spices.
• Medium (30×35cm) — apples, oranges, potatoes, most bulk grains.
• Large (40×50cm) — leafy greens, celery, cauliflower, 2kg flour.

A set of 4 mediums plus 2 smalls covers most weekly shops.

Care

• Wash after every use if the produce was leafy or damp.
• Machine wash in a mesh laundry bag (protects the drawstrings).
• Line-dry (dryer heat can shrink cotton bags and set fruit stains).
• Replace when the drawstring or seam fails — usually 2–3 years.

Where produce bags fail

• Wet leafy greens stored more than 24 hours in a plastic-lined mesh bag mould faster than in the supermarket plastic bag. Empty into a container at home.
• Berries — the mesh crushes them. Use a rigid container.
• Very small items (chia seeds, sesame) — muslin only, or borrow a jar from home.

Our picks

• Mesh set: Ever Eco Reusable Produce Bag Set (8).
• Bulk bin: Onya Bulk Food Bag Set.
• Muslin/cotton: any Australian brand under 15g per bag.