ChicoBag® Sling rePETe™ Flourish Collection

Product Information:

"The Sling Flourish Collection" is a series of unique, nature inspired designs to further beautify their most popular series of bags, the Sling rePETe™ series.  These bags incorporate everything ChicoBag® has learned over the past five years and are now available in these 5 "Limited Addition" Earth Inspired Designs.  What is rePETe™?

• Queen Anne's Lace
• Lucky Bamboo
• Fluttering Flowers
• Tree of Life
• & Global Love.

Flourish Series Product Notes:

• The single-strap style of the ChicoBag® Sling rePETe™ makes it ideal to wear comfortably for multiple uses.
• Like all ChicoBag® rePETe™ products, the Sling rePETe™ is manufactured of nearly 100% recycled content. A printed list of recycled materials used in manufacturing appear on the inside of the bag and backside of the pouch.

Sling rePETe™ Flourish Series Bag Uses:

• Ideal for taking on your bike, hopping on the subway, or toting to school.  Also doubles as a great way to wrap gifts (see video link below).

Product Tips:

• Washing: Machine wash cold and hang dry.
• Gift Wrapping: This bag can be used to wrap gifts. View Gift Wrapping Video

Eco-Friendly Materials:

• Fabric 100% Recycled PET
• Carabiner 97% Recycled Aluminum
• Cord 100% Recycled PET
• Cord-lock 100% Recycled Polyurethane

Product Specs:

• Dimensions: Bag 13.5" x 14.5"
• Pouch 4" x5.5" (approximately)

ChicoBag® Messenger 10 RePETe™ 2 Review(s) Availability: In-Stock Sale: $22.88 ChicoBag® Sling rePETe™ 2 Review(s) Availability: In-Stock Sale: $13.98 ChicoBag® Vita RePETe™ Flourish Collection 1 Review(s) Availability: In-Stock Sale: $12.98 ChicoBag® Bottle Sling rePETe™ 1 Review(s) Availability: In-Stock Sale: $8.98 ChicoBag® Vita RePETe™ 2 Review(s) Availability: In-Stock Sale: $11.98 ChicoBag® Produce Stand RePETe™ Mesh, 3 Pack 0 Review(s) Availability: In-Stock Sale: $10.98 ChicoBag® Original rePETe™ Bag 0 Review(s) Availability: In-Stock Sale: $6.88

Cust. Reviews Average Rating Makes a great gift Even if your friends and family aren't really into sustainable products, this is really a cute bag and the novelty of the packability makes it different than other products. And the patterns are cute - I bought Lucky Bamboo & Queen Anne's Lace. Reviewed by: Julie Pekoy from Minocqua, WI. on 12/31/2010

Why we chose them:

• ChicoBag® manufacturers a large portion of their bags  from nearly 100% recycled plastic (rePETe™). 
  
• They've chosen to increase their rePETe™ product line to enhance the demand for recycled products and decrease the waste that gets shipped to landfills in the U.S. and overseas. 
  
• We like to support manufacturers such as ChicoBag®, that produce their products from post consumer waste and who's marketing is driven by ethics rather than greed and used as a tool to enhance the public's desire for sustainable products rather than solely to increase company profitability.

Pros:

• Lead and other contaminants:

• Recently there has been a scare about reusable bags manufactured in China containing traces of lead.  ChicoBag® is proud to relay that their bags tested free of contaminants.  For more info please read this New York Times Article.
• Each and every one of ChicoBag's production runs are tested to ensure all products are free of contaminants three different times before they ever enter your home or business. 
• ChicoBag® adheres to lead testing standards even more stringent than those set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). In addition to the August 2011 CPSIA standards, they go even further to ensure their products also adhere to the more stringent lead standards for children's toys set forth in ASTM F963-07.  This means their products are free from lead, cadmium, mercury and other heavy metals or contaminants.  Click Here for more info on ChicoBag® and their unsurpassed commitment to consumer safety.
  

• Shipping & Recycling

• A large portion of their ever expanding product line is rePETe™, which is manufactured almost entirely from recycled plastics.
• ChicoBag® participates in UPS's Carbon Neutral Shipping Program to offset the energy consumption realized from receiving and shipping their products.
  
• ChicoBag® sources its rePETe™ fabric from Repreve, which uses 100% Post consumer recycled content for the rePETe™ fabric.
  
• Packaging and hang-tags are made from recycled materials, printed with soy-based inks and are recycled and reused whenever possible.
• ChicoBag® uses and reuses shipping cartons that are made from recyclable cardboard and they use packaging for shipping their products only when absolutely necessary. 
• ChicoBag® does not individually package their products for shipment (this means that ChicoBag® products are never put into plastic poly-bags for shipping).
• ChicoBag® has a strong commitment to the environment and sustainability and it shows through their dedicated attention to waste diversion and reduction programs.  Click Here for more info.
  

• Labor & Environmental Standards in Manufacturing:

• ChicoBag® conducts "random" self audits a minimum of 2 times a year which are performed by the owner of ChicoBag® himself, Andy Keller (AKA "The Bag Monster")
• They also adhere to stringent fair labor standards for both social and environmental manufacturing processes throughout their supply chain.  This includes internal self-audits at their Chico, CA warehouse and office as well their China Based Factories.
  

• Certifications:

• ChicoBag® products are tested by SGS and EnviroHealth Technologies to ensure safety.
• SGS, one of the worldís leading inspection, verification, testing and certification companies.  Click Here for more info.
• EnviroHealth Technologies, Inc. is an industrial hygiene company committed to providing personalized services in the identification, evaluation by lab analyses and management of environmental hazards.  Click Here for more info.
  
• In addition to rigorous testing, ChicoBag® is also a participating company in the Fair Labor Association and is a Green America Approved Business.
  

• Partnerships

• ChicoBag® has formed many partnerships with organizations whom share their vision of helping humanity solve the social and environmental challenges in the present and future. 
  
• ChicoBag® is a strong believer that now more than ever it is imperative we all work together toward common goals.  They support the following organizations by providing product donations, financial resources and educational materials to help them achieve their missions.

• Bioneers
• The Plastic Pollution Coalition
• Heal the Bay
• Algalita Marine Research Foundation AMRF
• The EcoMom Alliance
• & Many More!
  
• Click Here for a complete list of ChicoBag® Partnerships and links to more info on them.
  

Neutral:

• ChicoBag® bags are manufactured in China, although the process is strictly overseen and closely regulated by the company and a 3rd party (see Fair Labor Association above) to ensure the highest social and environmental standards are met.

Cons:

• None at this time

Notes:

• We've heard rumors that the ChicoBag® is considering sustainable energy options to power its U.S. based facility in the future.  We will keep you updated :)
• Use caution when choosing a recycled bag manufacturer. Take this statement for example, "This eco friendly tote bag is made from 80% recycled water bottles.  It Includes matte lamination which is tear resistant and water repellent."  Because of the tricky wording, this could mean that as little as 1% of the bag was made from an 80% recycled water bottle.  It also excludes the "matte lamination" from the recycled content. To prevent any confusion in this category, ChicoBag® provides full, accurate disclosure of their bags recycled content on each bags pouch.

Eco-Score:

• B+
  

Eco-Rating Breakdown:

• Life:  A
  
• Source:  C
• Packaging:  A
  
• Manufacturing:  B
  
• Product Content:  A

Eco-Rating Details:

• Life: The Sling Fourish is very durable and built to last.  ChicoBag® has a repurposing program so that this strap may be returned to them at the end of its life to be woven into rugs by The Grateful Thread, a philanthropist organization.
• Source: Product is manufactured overseas and overseen by the fair labor association.
• Packaging: Product packaging is recyclable tag-board.
• Manufacturing: ChicoBag® is serious about sustainability!  Their entire company generates less than 25% the amount of waste per month as an average individual American. Please click the 'manufacturer' tab for detailed info.
  
• Product Content:  Nearly 100% Recycled materials.  Please see the additional product pictures for this item on its product page, where it shows this item folded into a pouch.  The back view of the pouch lists its recycled content.
  

Founder's Choice:

• No
  

Fair Trade:

• No, but ChicoBag® is a Participating Company (PC) of the Fair Labor Association. PC is the highest level awarded by the Fair Labor Association.