On Earth Day, many retail and grocery stores offered free reusable bags, which are becoming more and more popular among shoppers who are looking to go green.
But while popularity for reusable bags has grown, there still remains one major issue: shoppers tend to forget them.
Julie Zizka was tired of forgetting her bags and not having them easily accessible. So she came up with an idea to neatly organize her bags in a single case.
She developed The Tote Buddy.
“I started thinking about what would help me remember to use them,” she said in an interview with GreenTech Tv. “I knew I’d need a way to keep them all together in a binder of sorts. And, voila. The idea was born.”
Zizka thought of ways of how to keep her bags together, so she sewed fabric together to make a portfolio-style case. Soon after, she created her company, Momentum 1 Products, Inc., and started selling The Tote Buddy.
“I made my first one by hand and it worked like a charm,” Zizka said. “I’ve never developed a product before (or owned a business for that matter), but it seemed doable, so I went for it. It’s been the most amazing experience. I’ve met some really inspirational people and I’m continually amazed by what determined people can accomplish.”
The Tote Buddy comes in two styles, black and a floral print, and can hold up to 10 reusable bags and range from $14.97 to $19.97
"This is the world's first reusable grocery bag organizer," Zizka said. "Many cities across the U.S. have adopted 'ban the bag' or 'bag tax' legislation. Reusable bags are clearly here to stay."