Recycled Juice Pouch Lunch Bag

This is a great inexpensive project to do with and for your kids before they go back to school! They learn about recycling and reusing things they would normally throw away and have the added bonus of having something cool for school.

Step 1: Materials

You will need:
1. 14 juice pouches
2. exacto knife or sharp kitchen knife
3. sewing machine
4. thread
5. scissors
6. 16 inches of gross grain ribbon (opional)
7. 2 inches of 1 inch Velcro tabs (opional)

Step 2: Collect and Clean Your Juice Pouches

1. Have your kids drink the juice and save enough pouches for the project.

2. Once you've got all your pouches, take the Exacto or kitchen knife and cut a large slit on the bottom of the pouch. (It doesn't have to look neat or straight, no one's going to see it ;) .

**Be careful not to cut yourself or cut through to the outside of the pouch.

3. Then clean the inside of the pouches with soap and water and let dry.

4. Once dry, flatten the pouches to get them ready for sewing.

Step 3: Sewing the Pouches Together

I like to use a long zig zag stitch for these bags, but you can use a long straight stitch as well.

1. Slightly overlap two pouches side-by-side and stitch them together. Do this with two more pouches.

2. Now overlap the two sets of two's top-to-bottom and stitch them together. You should now have a panel of four pouches. This will be the front (or back) of your lunch bag.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 so that you have two panels of four pouches.

4. Now overlap two new pouches top-to-bottom and stitch. Do this step twice so you have two sets of two. These will be your side panels on the lunch bag.

5. Cut two pouches to fit the width of the front panel (set of four pouches) and stitch them togther. This will be the bottom of the lunch bag.

Step 4: Constructing the Lunch Bag

1. Sew the front and back panels to the bottom panel.

2. Next sew the side panels to the bottm as well.

3. Now, sew the front and back panels to the side panels. This could get tricky when the seam meets at the bottom, but that's okay. Just try to sew all the way to the end.

4. You have now constructed your lunch bag! You could stop here and roll the top of the bag like a regular brown paper bag to close it, or you can move on to step five and add the ribbon and Velcro.

Step 5: Adding the Ribbon and Velcro

1. Center the Velcro tabs on the inside of the front and back panels.

2. Insert the ends of the ribbon between the Velcro tabs and panels and sew .

And there you have it! A recycled juice pouch lunch bag. It is sturdy, reliable, easy to make, and cheap! Not to mention... pretty cool :)

Now it's your turn! Be creative, use different juice flavors and create a colorful pattern, or use a bright colored thread or ribbon.

Comments

[CesarF]

Any idea as to where i can have my uands on these materials..eap teyra packs..im i tetested

[EstelleC4]

It may be easier to sew the strap/ handle on to the top portions of the bag BEFORE stitching all sides together. That way you do not have to turn the bag inside out to sew on the strap as a last step.

[EstelleC4]

If you just flatten the juice boxes, the print will be on the inside of the purse as well as the outside, not the silver showing. The silver portion is in the INSIDE of the juice bag. Your photo of the purse assembly had me confused. So, you are not cutting the juice boxes open after all?

[Turtle11]

This is sooooo cute!

[japalacios]

[huskerland3]

love it

[mikmarmer3]

My daughter wanted a lunchbag like this but she wanted it wider than the one that I made before, so I sewed 3 pouches sideways on each side and then 2 pouches sewn side by side for the bottom. I had to trim the sides slightly before attatching them, but it turned out great. I'm posting the original and the modified larger one side by side to see the difference. Enjoy!!

[mikmarmer3]

Side by side they almost look thesame, yet sideways you can see the difference.

[mikmarmer3]

I love this pattern!! I didn't like the way the ribbon just flopped to one side though and my son thought it was too "girlie" for him with the ribbon...so I took the left over pieces that I cut off the bottom, cut those 1 inch wide, sewed them together lengthwise, edged them, and made new handles for each side of the bag. It turned out so lovely that I'm making another one today. Thanks for sharing!!

[cheeriokate]

Great Idea!! I can't wait to try this

[itobor2525]

Reminds me of the 'beer hat' fashion back in the Seventies and eighties. One cut up beer cans, saving the 'label' portions, punching holes around thier perimeter and crocheting or knitting the whole thing together. This is far more practical; great idea.

[autumnRoses]

I like the coin purse. I am going to make one and I am going to try to some how put something on it so I can wear it around my neck when I only need to take it in the store.

[autumnRoses]

I seen a pattern for a lunch box like the metal kind in the shape of the one's my dad had years ago not the square kind. If anyone knows how to make one of them would you please post the instructions. Thank You.

[Zebragirl2016]

could you put an ice pack in here without it being a wet mess

[Puzzledd]

Love this green project- and looks so good. I've turned wine cask liners into insulated bags but this looks great!
Now I just have to find something in pouches like this (we don't have this product in our shops).
Thanks for an inspiring 'ible!

[BarginsTech]

I agree with QTPi, beautiful 'ible and thanks so much! I'm making some myself :P I love how you contrasted the colors :]

[dotcam1000]

This is a great and green project and they look soooooo good. Congrats! You have my vote.

[QTPi]

I saw these in a store and thought, " I could make that!" Well now I can just follow your instructions and make myself a cute case and my son a fun lunch bag. I hate to buy expensive lunch boxes and bags with no personality!! Thanks for your posting!

[irrilia]

I love this, what a way to recycle!

[L0ch_n3ss]

This is fantastic!! A cute bag, and an excuse to buy and drink some capri sun! I win twice!