OUR little ones are heading back to school. It's time to start thinking about back-toschool clothes, packing lunches and school supplies.
This year why not take an eco-friendly approach to packing the daily school lunch?
GoGo bags is a Canadian company based right here on the North Shore that creates fun, food-safe, natural and chemical-free alternatives to plastic baggies.
This mother-and-daughter team is passionate about helping families make a greener choice in a stylish and affordable manner while staying healthy and helping the environment. You may have seen Rouhangiz Bahramshahry and daughter Anahita Sharvini featured at the Epic Vancouver Sustainable Living Expo in May and they have also participated in many farmers' markets during the year.
GoGo bags, priced $7$15, come in three main products: sandwich bag, snack bag and cutlery/ toothbrush bag. Soon they will be producing products such as a wet bag, fridge bag (to keep produce fresh in the fridge), bread bag and a produce bag for shopping.
The snack and sandwich bags are made of washer and dryer safe cotton in two layers. The outside shell is a printed, patterned cotton and the inside shell is a tightly woven unbleached 100 per cent cotton fabric. This inside layer keeps the food fresh longer than a standard plastic bag and it helps to keep the moisture in and let a minimal amount of air into the bag while allowing the food to breath.
Each bag is chemical free and the unbleached cotton lining is not coated with any kind of chemical that may touch the food. They are easy to use and easy for moms to work with. The unfolded top gives a wide opening to insert the snack easily and without mess.
The other nice thing about these bags is that they are washer and dryer safe.
The cutlery/toothbrush bags are made in a similar fashion with the inside layer being a BPA-free rip-stop nylon which makes cleaning easier and reduces the number of washes.
These bags can also be used to carry makeup brushes, pens and pencils for school.
The design is clever with a simple fold-over top that is secure enough to keep Cheerios and other small items inside. Velcro was avoided in the design of the bag as it has a tendency to attach itself to other garments and ruin them in the wash.
Unlike bulky plastic containers, GoGo bags fit almost anywhere and can be folded to the shape of the snack inside to get the maximum freshness.
GoGo Bags is a green company that buys and manufactures locally to reduce the carbon footprint as much as possible.
Using recyclable and reusable lunch bags is just one way we can all help the environment and keep our kids healthy for years ahead.
Look for these bags on the company's website at gogobags.ca. barb@lunter.ca
