Introduction
The non-woven polypropylene sector dedicated to creating bags, known as the NWPP bags in the industry, is currently a four hundred million dollar market. NWPP bags have become quite popular in many developed and developing nations as a feasible and cost-effective substitute to paper and cloth bags and have latched on as the market leader in a couple of nations. Despite the fact that NWPP bags are recyclable, people do not do so and still discard them as they would with a regular plastic bag because they have the perception that plastic is. Now a study has been initiated to keep a look on the recycling and waste management of polypropylene after it found that the majority of plastics, most importantly polypropylene, is not being recycled and has a very high calorific value and burning it would generate a lot of energy and an effective oil-rich ash. With all this in mind, there is still a major push in the NWPP bags sector worldwide.
This is not only because of the cost but because of the perception that NWPP bags are actually better for the environment than a fully biodegradable and/or an organic cotton and or Hessian bag for reasons explained further on in this paper. This is because in the production of the said eco-friendly bags, there are heavy emissions of greenhouse gases and the degradation and waste disposal of these said bags have not been taken into consideration by consumers. People will be more conservative with their money and spend less and this may have the NWPP bags sector as a whole, due to the fact that there is a general perception that the bags are still more expensive than others when this is not the case.
With processes being more integrated and cheaper in the modern world, there are machines and practices that produce NWPP bags in a much more cost-effective manner and closer to the cost of actual plastic bags. With retail and grocery sales, there is a recorded spike in the sales of NWPP bags with the event of G.F.C. StepFS said that when looking at the sales of their product the Thermo Tote cooler bag: during times of economic recession, their sales were considerably higher. This is because people will eat out less and buy more groceries and the Therm Tote provides a cheap and effective method to keep frozen and cold items from the store to home. This can be seen as imitation of a recent event and this industry will only grow as newer markets develop and global warming continues to push for a greener earth.
Environmental Policies and Their Impact on the Non-Woven Bag Industry
Knowing the growth of globalization, another key issue to assess will be the effect of possible government policies in relation to trade and its consistency with international standards. It is well recognized that the New Zealand and Australian policies are attempting to combat environmental issues, yet it is also noted that the European Union has recently rejected an Australian-initiated proposal towards a standardization of eco-efficient products.
The result of this policy is still unknown. Should the Australian government decide to impose a tax or ban on non-woven polypropylene bags, consumers will be required to pursue alternative disposal bags. Due to its superiority to many single-use bags, there is an increasing worry that polypropylene bags will be stockpiled by consumers for use at a later time in an effort to avoid perceived “wastage”.
The objectives and targets for solid waste minimisation and recycling by the 2nd National Environment Action Plan aim to create a cleaner and healthier Singapore. This report also plans to discuss the various environmental implications, such as the impact on land, water, and air, which will be caused by the manufacture, usage, and disposal of non-woven polypropylene bags. This is because various environmental impacts occur at different stages of the product life cycle.
Shifts in Consumer Behavior and Their Influence on Non-Woven Bags
On the other hand, there has been a movement away from using bags for any purpose. This has come about due to the increase in popularity of online shopping and home deliveries, reducing the reliance on physical transportation of goods. Although there is less need for packaging in terms of carrying products, non-woven bags are still an option as a promotional tool for retailers. An alternative environmental promotional tool for non-woven bags has been increasing in popularity in recent years: promotional “events”. These events range from music festivals to sports events and take advantage of good weather conditions to promote their cause. In this scenario, brightly coloured non-woven bags can serve as a great promotional tool for the event and a useful take-home item for consumers.
Developments in consumer behaviour are likely to have a significant impact on the non-woven bag industry. These effects are both positive and negative depending on the shifts. For example, the move away from using plastic bags, because of their bad environmental reputation, is a positive shift that is likely to benefit the non-woven bag industry. Also, the increased interest in environmental issues has increased the willingness of consumers to pay a premium on “green” products. Therefore, the cheaper production cost of non-woven bags compared to other reusable bags, whilst maintaining a reasonable level of durability, makes them an attractive option in comparison for both consumers and retailers.
Emerging Trends and Innovations in Non-Woven Bag Manufacturing
The latest innovations for non-woven bags involve a more sustainable bag that is durable and long-lasting. These new non-woven bags aim to offer consumers a good alternative to plastic bags that is still cost-effective to the businesses providing them. They offer the same convenience as single-use plastic bags, but without the negative repercussions on the environment. Measures were introduced to improve the design and strength of the non-woven bag, which also increases cost-effectiveness to the consumer. This includes improved stitching methods, rounded corners, additional handles, reinforced handle stitching, and cross stitching. Newer development involves the use of rice husk to produce non-woven bags. Rice husk is an agricultural waste product which is a renewable resource. It is biodegradable, causes no pollution in production, and is considered an environmentally friendly substitution to wood. Bags made from rice husk have a similar appearance and functionality to traditional non-woven bags. However, they are stronger, providing increased durability and can last up to 5 years. Only costing 10-20% more than traditional non-woven bags, these may be likely to become a long-term replacement for plastic bags at supermarkets and similar retail stores.
As the UK’s leading supplier in printed, promotional bags, here at CrazyBags we have seen a significant rise in enquiries for eco-friendly bags. We launched our first eco-friendly bag made from 100% recycled PET plastic in the second half of 2018. Since then, enquiries for all other types of eco-friendly bags (such as those made from sustainable materials, those that offer the bag’s user a long-term alternative to plastic bags, and those made from natural fibers with fair trade accreditation) have greatly increased. Non-woven polypropylene bags are one of our best-selling products, and this year we have seen a significant increase in eco-friendly non-woven PP bag enquiries, as many are looking for a sustainable alternative to the standard plastic “single-use” carrier bags provided in the majority of shops.
2019 has seen a surge in promotion about the importance of sustainability. Many of the global concerns such as climate change, plastic pollution, and wildlife in the environment are all topics prompting people to consider changes to their everyday lifestyles to become more eco-friendly. Due to all of the recent coverage, this year has shown the most interest in sustainable promotional products than ever before.
Conclusion
Spunbonded and calendered production led the pack in 2002 for the reasons stated above – with the installation of facilities being less capital-intensive than meltblown or airlaid processes. As public demand for non-woven bags and a higher standard of bag production quality continue to rise, the cost differential among these process types may become irrelevant. With improvement, the same can be said for replacing today’s staple and heat-set air-laid non-woven bags with the spunbonded and meltblown variety. Step advances in per-unit energy consumption, polymer recyclability, and bag durability would undoubtedly tip the scale in favor of meltblown bags – the targeted upshot for Kuraray after acquiring E. I. Du Pont’s Tyvek business last year. A final solution may lie in the production of a biodegradable non-woven bag. Though no current options are cost-competitive with bag materials discussed in this paper, the bags’ future market prospects do hold potential if production technology enables cost efficiency.
This essay has taken a broad look at the non-woven bag production process, noting the diverse material and process types and their various advantages in utility and cost. It is important to recognize that none of these methods is inherently best.