With growing awareness of the harmful impacts of plastics, more and more manufacturers are going green and producing innovative, eco-friendly biodegradable alternative products, such as biodegradable tote bags and phone cases. But before we look at their benefits, we need to understand exactly what they are.  What Are Biodegradable Products? Biodegradable products are items which can be broken down into organic matter (by bacteria, fungi or microbes), to be reabsorbed by the surrounding environment without causing any ecological harm.  So, now we have an understanding of what they a ..read more

Totes and backpacks are both popular choices, in particular for those that commute to work or school. But which one is best? Whether to choose a tote or backpack ultimately comes down to personal preference. However, there are some essential factors to consider when choosing which one to invest in. These are comfort, storage, accessibility, environmental friendliness and style.  Let's break these down in more detail.  1. Comfort  As tote bags are often worn on one shoulder, you might find this causes strain on your shoulder and back (depending on what is in yours ..read more

A tote is a large holdall with a pair of parallel handles on either side, often unfastened at the top, that is designed to hold all of your items. Tote bags can be made from a range of different fabrics, but tend to be made from canvas, cotton or jute — although you can get more expensive and much larger structured leather totes too. Canvas is the preferred material for a tote as it creates a lightweight but durable holdall that is reusable and machine-washable. Canvas totes are also better for the environment, in particular if t ..read more

We all want to protect our much loved phones from scratches, cracks and general damage, and of course phone cases are our best bet. But did you know that most phone cases are made from dense plastics, and with more than 1 billion phone cases produced every single year, after 1-2 years use, they then spend centuries in landfills, in our oceans, and contribute to environmental pollution.  The answer? Biodegradable phone cases. These eco-friendly cases are made from organic materials that will naturally compost within a short time when discarded. Some of the most popular biodegradable phone ..read more

In its original 17thc context, "tote" means to carry or wield something heavy or substantial. But does this hold up in the 21stc? Let's find out. How much weight a tote can hold depends on what the bag is made from. Most regular canvas totes will hold up to 4kg, but our biodegradable cotton totes hold up to at least 30kg — if not more. In fact, our research shows that our biodegradable totes can hold a staggering amount. This includes six bottles of wine, ten large bricks, a whole bag of sand, 35kg of gym weights and a 79kg ..read more

Yes - you can take a tote bag on a plane as long as it meets the guidelines for hand or hold luggage. You should check with your airline how many and what size bags you can take on the plane with you, but most airlines will accept them as personal items. For example, Ryanair will accept a small personal bag, as long as it fits under the seat in front of you and doesn't exceed their maximum measurements. Likewise, British Airways will accept bags if they fit into the baggage gauge at check-in, meet the weight limit, and are able to be lifted into the overhead cabin by yourse ..read more

Lightweight, practical, reusable, stylish and quite often free, we all love a tote! The dilemma happens when your totes pile up; perhaps your totes have ended up in a bottomless bag of bags, or they just aren't getting the use they should. The important thing is that you should never put these totes straight in the general waste bin. Dependent on the type of materials and processes used, you should be able to recycle or repurpose your tote instead.  Take to a Recycling Centre or Textile Bank Take your old totes to a recycling centre or textile banks - just make sure it accepts t ..read more

Tote bags are stylish, reusable, strong and better for the environment than their non-disposable plastic alternative; there is no reason we shouldn't all be making the switch. After all, there is a tote out there for everyone — whether you want simple line art, adorable frogs or to make a bold political statement with your tote. That being said, sometimes the perfect tote still isn't quite perfect enough — perhaps you feel like something is missing from the original design, or you want to add a personal touch. The good news is that, whether it's through ..read more

Tote, in its original context, means to carry or wield something heavy or substantial. The origins of the word can be traced back to the 17thc when it was used as a verb ("to tote") but, over time, tote became the noun we know it to be in 2022. This was, in part, due to the influence of the Maine-based outdoor brand L.L.Bean who debuted their ice carrier "tote" back in 1944, designed to haul ice 'from car to ice chest' and tested to hold up to 500 pounds of weight. Pretty cool, right? Image: Mackenzie Leather Edinburgh. Although this original tote was d ..read more

Tote bags tend to be made from canvas — a plain-woven fabric made from cotton. This is the preferred material for a tote as it creates a lightweight but durable holdall that is reusable and machine-washable. You might also see more expensive "totes" made from thick leather, but these tend to be much larger and more rigid than a standard canvas tote.  When blended with synthetic fibres, canvas totes can become water resistant but this has a negative impact on the environment because the fibres contribute chemicals, waste and carbon emissions.  The materials an ..read more