Sack those groceries in sustainable style

As retailers and municipalities begin to prohibit environmentally hazardous plastic shopping bags, naturals shoppers are leading the movement toward reusable versions. But just because your customers are focused on saving the planet doesn't mean they have to forgo fashion. Forward-thinking designers are transforming the mundane canvas satchels of yesteryear into stylish accessories for shoppers of all tastes. And for an added bonus, they're incorporating fair-labor practices and recycled materials. To help your shoppers avoid crimes of fashion, look into carrying a couple of hip shopping sacks. Here are The Natural Foods Merchandiser's top picks for carrying groceries in style.

For those with more simpler, ChicoBag makes practical, uncomplicated grocery sacks, but offers them in nine different colors. So whether your shoppers prefer an earthy brown or an eye-catching pink, you've got them covered.
www.chicobag.com

From groovy graphics to cute kitsch, Blue Q bags are popping with pop-art appeal. Made of lightweight, durable woven polypropylene with a reinforced floor, they'll stand the test of bulky cans and produce.
www.blueq.com

Gecko Traders works with the Fair Trade Federation to create employment for disabled and disadvantaged workers, recycling brightly colored Asian commodity sacks into hip grocery totes.
www.gecko?traders.com

JP Monkey takes style just as seriously as you take groceries. With sophisticated textiles and even a touch of masculinity, these made-in-the-U.S. bags make smart accessories. Plus, the company contributes a percentage of profits to environmental-education programs.
www.jpmonkey.com

Want a reusable bag that reflects your store's image? Pop Packaging and Bags Go Green offer personalized sacks that can feature your choice of colors and logos. Bags Go Green applies fair-trade principles, and Pop Packaging uses recycled polypropylene fabric.
www.bagsgogreen.com, www.poppackaging.com

Who could resist a shopping tote decorated by the hip illustrator of the best-selling French Women Don't Get Fat (Vintage, 2007)? Stylized designs by R. Nichols are screen-printed on sacks made of 100 percent recycled materials so your shoppers can "do their part" in style.
www.r-nichols.com