Did you know that a cotton bag uses more than 1141 liters of water to produce?
Cotton bags have taken over the market. Initially designed to combat single-use bags, they've become a trendy accessory. Brands have turned them into a true cult item. However, cotton bags are an ecological disaster. Cotton production uses astronomical amounts of water and pesticides, causing soil drought and the development of marine dead zones.
In recent years, the "fiber gap" phenomenon has emerged. Demand for cotton continues to increase while supply decreases. The result is skyrocketing prices. Natural fibers like cotton are increasingly being replaced by fibers derived from fossil resources. Cotton is mainly produced in Asia and requires intercontinental transport. These supply chains emit enormous amounts of CO2.
Organic farming systems are better for soils because they maintain higher quality, reducing runoff into local rivers. Organic soils are also more resilient and can withstand extreme weather conditions. Healthy soils act like sponges—they can absorb and retain water longer, even during droughts. This leads to a much lower consumption of organic cotton, although it is still 90% higher than that of our lyocell wood fiber.
The TreeTote
The TreeTote, a bag made from 100% wood fiber, was developed to address these challenges. Our bags are 100% made in Europe. We keep our supply chain as close as possible to reduce transport-related CO2 emissions while producing a socially responsible and affordable bag. Our supply chain is exclusively European and includes three streams: Made in Europe, Made in the Alps, and Origine France Garantie. The entire chain is traceable via the Respect Code on all our bags. By scanning the QR code, you can follow the entire journey, from research and development to raw materials, production, distribution, and use.
The raw material for our bags is wood, sourced from sustainably sourced wood fibers. Beech predominates among the species used for the TreeTote. Beech wood availability is increasing as forests are being restored to a more natural species mix. Rising temperatures also favor its growth. This beech wood comes exclusively from PEFC/FSC-certified sources.
The material is generated from thinning operations or damaged wood from other activities. Almost all of the wood used to produce the TreeTote comes from Austria, where the fiber is manufactured. The remainder comes from neighboring countries, minimizing transportation and associated carbon emissions. Transportation is highly optimized to minimize our carbon footprint. Shared transportation is preferred whenever possible, and for long distances, low-emission transportation such as trains is prioritized.
Over 99% of the solvent used is recovered and recycled, and water consumption is drastically reduced. Even sustainable bags use plastic threads and labels, which are cheaper and widely available. We avoid plastic and use only TENCEL accessories to make our TreeTote entirely made of wood fibers. We also do not add any additional mechanical or chemical steps after weaving, which is rare in textile production, to save energy and water.
TreeTote: The bag that saves more than 1100 liters of water
Regarding the water used to produce our bag, we have managed to reduce consumption by 90%. Compared to a conventional cotton bag, which uses approximately 1,200 liters of water, we reduce consumption by 99%. In the case of organic cotton, the reduction reaches 90%. More than 39,158,595 liters of water have been saved thanks to the TreeTote, which replaces cotton bags.
Dyeing and the processes that go with it have a huge impact, especially because of the water used for the dyeing itself and the washing steps that follow. We therefore chose to work with the fabric in its natural white color.
OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100 is one of the most well-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances. It represents consumer confidence and product safety. The TreeTote has achieved Class I certification, meeting the strictest requirements of this label.
After using the bag as much as possible, we recommend recycling it with textiles, as this remains the most valuable recycling method. The TreeTote is also 100% compostable.