Wandering around the recent Miami Wine Fair, I came across one of the more intriguing exhibits at the event - to be honest, I’d walked by them three or four times; each time, what I saw was wine gift bags. Big whoop. Then I noticed their sign: Bags Made from Stone. That caught my attention.

The company, The Earth Balance Bag Company, makes gift bags from stone – limestone. No trees are harmed in the making of the bags – in fact, there’s not a shred of “tree” in the bags. It’s about as green as you can get. I spoke with Shelly Sanders, a rep from the company, she explained their process to me.

The bags are made from about 80% calcium carbonate (crushed limestone), mixed with a polyurethane binder. The result is a flexible “paper” product that is water-proof, sturdy, and that can be used to create just about anything that you can do with a tree-based paper product. It really saves a LOT of trees.
The bags on display at the fair looked like most wine gift bags that you’d find in a shop, but – I’m sitting at my desk checking this as I type – are far more substantial than any typical wine bag that I’ve used before. The bags have a substantial feel – they’re flexible, they feel nice, and look really good. I have two samples with me, one that’s got a linen textured surface, the other that’s a matte finish with a cute design on the front – that’s the other thing – the designs are printed with vegetable ink, making them even more earth friendly.

According to Shelly, the bags are waterproof, and will last quite a long time. They offer both standard gift bags and wine gift bags; unfortunately, they don’t sell directly to the public, but do have several locations in Florida – and (hopefully) soon in our area. I’ll post that info when it happens.

Bottom line – these are a very attractive way to gift wine; the bags have a rich, elegant appearance and a really nice feel to them. I’d certainly appreciate getting my next gift of wine in one!

More About: Miami Wine Fair · Earth-Friendly · Green · Gift Bag