DIY: Cloth Bento Bag

Jul 12, 2018Create, Sustainable Living

Please welcome the newest addition to my zero waste kit – this 100% cotton cloth bento bag!

I love the florals, the elephants, the colors and the paisley pattern. And it’s so so soft. I’ve been loving my lime green cloth bento bag that I made several months ago as a draft but the seams are messy. I’ll continue to use it as a backup bento bag and for grocery shopping. This new bento bag is extra special to me because the fabric is from an upcycled circle skirt that I bought from a market in India back in 2012. I’ve always loved the soft cotton material and the earthy tones so I kept it over the years even though I almost never wore it.

Cloth bento bags are useful for carrying leftovers in containers, produce from grocery stores (instead of plastic), and I’ve even used it for pizza takeaway (the only time I ever had to wash it). They’re also great as reusable gift wrappers.

STEP 1

Measure 10 inches x 30 inches of fabric and cut with some space for seam allowance. Width to height

STEP 2

From bottom left corner of your rectangle, fold  up so it’s aligned with the top of the fabric, making a triangle.

STEP 3

From top right corner of rectangle, fold down so it’s aligned with the bottom of fabric, making another triangle.

STEP 4

Now from bottom right edge, fold up diagonally so that your folded fabric looks like the photo above.

Finally

Sew up where the edges meet on the front and back so you have this open box shape. Swipe right to see the finished project above.

And voila – you’re done!

To use, simply put your tupperware/ produce/ gift inside and tie a knot. It may not look like much but the knot will hold and you can easily carry it around in your lunch bag or tote.

Thanks to everyone who wrote me about my sustainable living posts!

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