Reusing the old newspaper to make an environment friendly bag is a great way to make the surrounding clean. We see people carrying paper bags to schools, offices and grocery stores. These bags are easy to carry and can hold many items. It is fun to make and also a great way to engage the children in a creative activity. Nevertheless, we can find many benefits through it if we start using the paper bags.

Some of the pros of a paper bag are:

It makes the environment plastic free zone.
It can be reused and recycled.
It will also help keep the ocean clean.
It is biodegradable.

Step 1: Precaution

Since the work includes scissor, it is best to let the children work under elder’s supervision.
Glue if not used properly can cause irritation to eyes, hence, children should work under elder’s supervision.

Step 2: Materials and Tools

Newspaper
Glue
Scissor
Ruler
Thread

Step 3: Preparation

Place the newspaper in the flat surface. Put the glue on one side of the paper and overlap with another paper (It is done to make it thick). We can use ruler to even out the glue and make sure no bumps are there.
Again, fold about 3” paper from the bottom, and fold the opposite side of the paper overlapping the previous fold. (Figure: 1)
Now a proper shape is formed till this stage, hence, in the other stage, we will be sealing one end to make it a base. (Figure: 2)
For the base, choose any open end and fold about 8” of the paper. (Figure: 3)
Open the fold. Now, fold it on both the ends so that it forms a triangle. After that again fold both side of the triangle so that one side overlaps the other. (Figure: 4/5/6)
Glue all the folds properly.
Now that the base is made, fold 3” paper on both the sides to give the bag in a proper shape. (Figure: 7)

How to Make Paper Bags - Step #3
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Step 4: Adding Handle

Cut the newspaper into 3x10 cm (To make the paper thick, we can glue the same size paper together). Make sure to make two of them. (Figure: 8)
Glue both the cut papers on the opposite side of the open part from inside.
With the help of scissor, make two holes that is 6” apart on both the sides of the bag.
Now, place the one end of the thread inside the hole and make a loop so that it is secured. Repeat same on the other side.

Step 5: Thoughts

I am happy that I have managed to get the crafts done for newspaper bag. I usually take this bag for grocery shopping as it is easy to carry, and it is environment friendly. Aside from the paper bags, I have also made a mail holder and a piggy bank. From this way, I have managed to save a lot of money and have been able to reuse some unused cardboard and papers. It has helped me be a minimalist as well.