http://www.cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.asp?section=fromthepress&subsection=inbombay&xfile=August2005_inbombay_standard7815 No plastic,no problem! A STAFF REPORTER | Wednesday, August 31, 2005 12:57:32 IST Forget plastic, there's a wide range of shopping bags available in the market
for : So, polythene bags are going to be banned. And it took a deluge for the authorities to realize the nuisance plastic bags caused in the city. While it is yet to be decided what kind of plastic bags are to be banned and what kind are permissible, we discovered that the city offers a range of alternate shopping bags. The most popular are the basket bags, the ones that have been around for almost thirty years. Somewhere in between they disappeared, only to make an appearance again. Not only do these bags carry a lot of weight, but they can be easily cleaned with soap and water. Available in a range of sizes and colours, these bags are certainly making a comeback. The price ranges from Rs. 25 for a really small bag to Rs. 90 for the larger size. The shop keeper at Abdul Rehman Street said that there was a better chance of these bags being sold at roadside plastic vendors. "Now with the ban being talked about, maybe they will be more easily available. The good thing about these plastic bags is that they never went out of style. There have always been available; the only difference is the demand has not been that great. But now we expect that to change," he said. Another interesting alternative, which has always been popular, is the cloth bag or the thela as it is commonly referred to. Made of canvas, unbleached cloth, jute or plastic, these are the strongest bags sold and you can get them in really large sizes. Generally these bags are available in two colours, cream and bright blue and washable, thought they might shrink an inch or two. These are very strong bags, traditionally used to carry heavy loads, the roadside vendor told us. Holding up the various sizes of bags for us to see, he added that canvas is an extremely strong fabric and this is what made it ideal for heavy shopping. The cost of these bags - Rs. 35 to Rs. 200 for the very, very large size. What we did find many people carrying around were the striped nylon bags that can be zipped up. Nylon being a strong material as it is, makes it an ideal shopping bag. All along the narrow lanes in and around Crawford Market you can spot roadside vendors selling these bags. One seller told us that they were very popular with out of town visitors who found them to be very spacious, yet sturdy. While the men say the prices are from Rs. 40 to Rs. 90, you can bargain and get them at a lower price. For example, the bag quoted for Rs. 90 can be bought for Rs. 50. If you closely examine the bag you will find that nylon is an inexpensive fabric and apart from the zip, there is no other accessory. It would be incomplete if we did not mention those bag rexine bags that Goans in the city have made famous. You won't find these bags anywhere, only in shops that sell traditional Goan sweets, sausage guts and spices and religious articles. Usually they are available in two sizes, and are priced at Rs. 40 and Rs. 80. Yes, there are still takers for this bag. And yes, you don't have to be a Goan to carry one. -- Cheers, Gabe Menezes. London, England
