For a long time our P&P has been 50p for a single string bag. However Royal Mail increases forced us to increase this to 60p.

Because we want as many as possible to give the string bag a try. If you've been put off string bags before because of high P&P, here's the chance to start your eco-shopping. In fact P&P per bag is just 50p when you buy a Bundle.

Why only in Natural Colour?

There are colourful versions of string bags on the market, but they are probably not of organic cotton (which is the reason for this website) and there is no guarantee that the dyes used are non-AZO, non-carcinogenic and earth-friendly.

What's wrong with AZO dyes?

Natural dyes were extensively used for the dyeing of all natural fibres until the middle of the nineteenth century. Then synthetic dyes were invented, which affected not only the handweaver but also the agriculturist. For example, some of the natural indigo dyes were leguminous in nature and played a valuable role in crop rotation. With the advent of synthetic indigo, there was no need for indigo seeds and the fields lost a valuable way by which nitrogen from the atmosphere was fixed in the soil.

The unbridled use of synthetic dyes and the non-treatment of effluents contained in the waste waters of the dyeing process has led to horrendous results. In a few places like Erode of Tamil Nadu, cocktails of lethal chemicals have been injected into the water table by the hundreds of dye houses spewing out non-degradable chemicals, so much so that the water from the borewell has an evil smell and is coloured reddish brown like rum.

AZO dyes are chemicals known to cause cancer, and are dangerous to human genes or reproduction if used carelessly. But customers who have become accustomed to dazzling colours find that most of the natural dyes produce comparatively dull shades. Change over to natural dyes calls for a shedding of mental blocks and an acceptance of the limitations inherent in these.

For more information about AZO dyes, follow the links here.