The Shorewood group Bring Your Bag Shorewood is changing the way we bring home groceries.
The group uses donated thread and pieces of fabric to make reusable grocery bags.
"It will be for people to use if they forget their bags or they just would like to use a reusable bag," said group member Meenal Atre.
She and several others formed the group after they saw a viral video from an Australian organization called Boomerang Bags.
There are dozens of groups all over the country. Atre said the idea is to cut down on the amount of plastic we use saying, "It's convenient, it's cheap, it's durable, but we don't know where it's taking us."
They have made more than 200 bags and hope to make at least 1,500. They love it when they see the bags out in public.
"We tag each other on Facebook saying we saw each other's curtains in the community, at Metro Market, at Swanky Seconds," said Ana Brokmeier.
The best part is the bags can be used over and over again.
"The main part of the screen says 'borrow and bring back'," said JoAnn Macken. "So that's to reinforce the idea that people can borrow these bags but that people should bring them back and not keep them forever."
Atre added the group is holding a sewing bee on July 1 and will take all the help they can get.
"You don't have to know how to sew,” she said. “It's a simple pattern. You can cut, iron, or bring some food and cheer."
Bring Your Bag Shorewood meets in the basement of the Shorewood Public Library.
For more information visit Bring Your Bag Shorewood on Facebook or email bringyourbagshorewood@gmail.com.
