There’s a growing number of places worldwide banning single-use plastic bags. I used to keep them and use them as bags to line small garbage bins. Now they are becoming harder to get. A good thing because they aren’t good for the environment.

So, as we all steer away from them to save the planet, what can we use to replace them? Newspapers! You can make your own paper bags easily from old newspapers. The bags are fantastic because they’re cost-free, and you’re using something that would have gone to waste. Isn’t it so nice when you can use what you already have to make what you need?

Priya Prakash Thane, a blogger that likes making her own paper bags, said:

I try to follow a zero-waste lifestyle. Recycling old newspapers into bags is one of my favorite hobbies. I use several layers of paper and a cardboard base to make small bags. I use these for gifting purposes during festivals. My daughter also recycles the health drink tetra packs by pasting color paper over them and decorating them with sequins. These are used for gifting packaging on birthdays.

There are a few ways to make eco-friendly recycled paper bags. Some are decorative for gifts, while others are simple trash can liner bags or transporting bags that don’t need to be beautiful, just functional. For the gift bag, you’ll want to use nice paper, like wrapping paper. For the functional bag, you can recycle newspapers – either use your own or grab some from a recycling bin in the neighborhood if you don’t mind “dumpster diving.”

Using one sheet of newspaper opened up (about 21″ x 21.5″) becomes a bag about 7.5″ x 9.5″ once folded up. So, if you want a bigger bag, you’ll have to tape a few sheets together. This method is ideal because all you need is the newspaper (unless you want a big bag, you’ll need tape too).

There are other versions of making paper bags that involve glue and other materials, but the less you need, the better because it’s cheaper and faster. However, if you’re going to be carrying heavier items around, you’ll probably want to tape the bottom cuff shut for extra security.