Ideas for plastic bag recycling

Plastic is an amazing material - that is why it is so incredibly popular across the world.
It's cheap, waterproof, light and incredibly hard-wearing - which is precisely why its so problematic when it gets into wild places.

So why throw it away? OK they are a bit ugly especially when they have been in a cupboard for a few weeks all crumpled up. But with a bit of ingenuity you can make them into our own custom bag-for-life. Or all sorts of other useful things. And although you might think you don't have time for some of these tricks, in fact its very easy to knit or sew in front of the television on on a train.

Here's some great ideas:

• Plastic bag knitted doormat
• Plastic bag handbag
• Fused plastic satchel (from Etsy, a fantastic crafts site)
• Whole big list of crochet plastic bag projects
• How to prepare your plastic bags into strips for knitting and crochet
• Flowers made from plastic bags
  

Have fun - and send us pictures of your plastic bag projects!!