Reusable shopping bags come of age

A lot of folks have moved beyond the "paper vs. plastic" grocery bag debate, having settled on neither.

Today, there are so many other bags from which to choose, made from materials both familiar and unusual, at price points both affordable and astronomical.

It appears everyone — from grocery stores to online sellers — wants in on this eco-friendly game. Nonprofits have jumped into the fray, trading sturdy totes for donations.

For the shopper, it's a matter of how much to spend and where.

For many, the sturdy, 99-cent grocery-store totes will do. But maybe you'd like a little more bling in your bag? Then this list is for you.

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The Recycled Denim Tote ($95, MoMA Store), from the gift shop at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is made from repurposed denim collected by a South Korean non-profit group that promotes recycling and sustainability. It comes in black or blue (selected at random).

http://momastore.org

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The medium or large tote ($50 donation, World Wildlife Fund) offered by this non-profit group that champions wildlife and land conservation is made from canvas and jute, and features the WWF's trademark panda bear.

http://www.worldwildlife.org

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The "This Bag is Garbage" Tote ($44.95, Original Good) turns trashy into trendy: It's made in New Delhi, India, from plastic-bag litter, which is melted down and handcrafted into these totes.

http://www.originalgood.com or http://www.worldofgood.com

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This grocery bag ($24.95, Bazura Shop) is made from recycled juice boxes at a women's cooperative in the Philippines.

http://www.bazurashop.com

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Each of these four reusable bags touts an ecological message ($5.99 each or $18.99 for all four, Green Concept Online), including this one: "Plastic bags take 1,000 years to degrade. This bag won't."

http://www.greenconceptonline.com

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This grocery tote ($25, Green With Envy) is made from recycled advertising banners, such as those from past AFI Film Festivals. The company also can make totes from banners that customers provide.

http://www.greenwithenvy.com

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The "Shopper Tote" ($24, UncommonGoods) is a canvas bag made from recycled cotton that aims to add some style in the aisles. There's a companion tote ("Nuts About Recycling") with a squirrel motif.

http://www.uncommongoods.com

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The FEED 2 bag ($100, The FEED Foundation Inc.) is reversible organic cotton and burlap with two green straps (including a messenger strap). The foundation says the purchase of this bag will feed two children in school for one year through the United Nations World Food Program.

http://www.FEEDprojects.org

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The "New Black is Green" Market Bag ($12.95, The Rainforest Site) is a stylish organic-cotton tote made in India. Purchases at this site, managed by the GreaterGood Network, help fund land preservation.

http://www.therainforestsite.com

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The polyester Envirosax ($7.95 or 5 for $37.95, ReusableBags) is so lightweight and compact it can tuck inside a purse or pocket. There are many colorful, artsy designs from which to choose, including several made for kids.

http://www.reusablebags.com

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.