Have you got an old trusty jute bag that has served you well time and time again but is looking a little worse for wear? You might not be ready to completely part with your jute bag, after all it has probably been through a lot with you.
Did you know that there are plenty of ways that you can repurpose your jute bag and give it a new life? After all, a key reason behind using a jute bag in the first place is because they are more environmentally friendly so why not stretch out their use as long as possible!
Potato bags
If your jute bag is slightly on the larger side then it could be great used as a potato growing bag. Simply fill your jute bag with a couple inches deep of compost, add your seed potatoes and cover with another generous coating of compost. As leaves begin to emerge through the soil, gradually top up with more compost leaving just a few leaves poking out of the top. Potatoes grow from the stem of the plant hence why you need to earth up.
Welcome mats
If you have a couple old jute bags looking for a new purpose, an easy way to extend their life span is to use them for welcome mats. You can do this by removing the front and back panels and sew together binding with the side panels. These can then be placed pride of place outside your front door, or in your porch for dirty shoes and wellie boots.
Jewellery display
If you are a bit creative then old jute bags can be used to make mini cushions for storing jewellery. You can cut them to fit within jewellery boxes and use some eco stuffing to plump them up, jewellery can then easily be stored on them. This method is much more eco friendly than velvet too!
Weed mats
Cutting up your old jute bag can be an easy way to save money instead of splashing out on some new weed mats. After cutting up the bag and weeding the ground, you can secure the jute with pegs or pins around your plants. Not only will the jute protect your plants from weeds but it will also reduce the chances of root damage from frosts and also retain moisture in dryer seasons.
Compost
If you do not have the time or creativity to repurpose your old jute bags that is not a problem, instead of taking them to a recycling centre or throwing them away you can actually add them to your compost heaps. Jute is 100% biodegradable and will therefore break down into compost which you can then use to fertilise your garden or even leave to completely break down if you do not have many plants.
There are many uses for old jute bags once you are finished using them for their primary purpose. The great thing about jute is that if you are unable to repurpose it fully there is always the easy option of adding to your compost heap as it is biodegradable. Make sure to conduct your own research to check that your jute bag does not contain other materials or chemicals that could be harmful or prevent biodegrading.
