Have old/unused/unwanted cotton t-shirts or extra fabric to donate?

We’ll take them to make bags (t-shirt sizes Small to Large preferred)! Contact Toni to drop them off!

Durham’s Bull City Boomerang Bag program!

Bull City Boomerang Bag is a 100% volunteer-operated effort which since 2020 has brought together community members to sew reusable shopping bags out of reuse materials – four times per month! The program provides free and equitable access to reusable bags to people who might not otherwise own them

Bull City Boomerang Bag helps solve the plastic pollution problem AND environmental equity issues. Don’t Waste Durham is deeply concerned by the overwhelming negative economic and health impacts of single-use plastic bags and the environmental damage they cause. Low-wealth communities of color are disproportionately affected by these negative impacts. According to Dr. Nancy Lauer, Staff Scientist & Lecturing Fellow at Duke Environmental Law & Policy Clinic,

“Bull City Boomerang Bags is an amazing service for Durham residents. It’s the first step to moving away from single-use plastic bags.”

Bull City Boomerang bags are now available at Save A Lot on 812 Liberty St. and King’s Red and White on 305 E. Club Blvd. They are free to anyone! Save A Lot store manager, Jeet Parikh, says,

"Our store goes through about 2,000 plastic bags every week. Bull City Boomerang Bag gets reusable bags into the hands of customers who might not otherwise have them. Our store and our shoppers really benefit from this program.”

Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many of Save A Lot’s customers walk on foot to the store, and the cloth bags are much sturdier than the plastic bags and easier for them to carry home. 

What’s next?

Bull City Boomerang bag is currently working to scale its operation so that other locations can be included as distribution points. We hope to gain financial support to increase our production and expand to more grocery stores and convenience stores across the city.

The future Phase 2 of the program will involve collection sites for cloth bags which will be picked up for washing, sanitization, and restocking at the businesses around Durham. Circulating durable goods in Durham creates community resilience, builds wealth, creates jobs, and makes us independent from global supply chain issues.

Durham’s Boomerang Bag program committee

Toni Mason, Bryce Brooks, Scopey Mosley, Margie & Ed Pikaart, Madeline James, and Danielle Tanzer

History of Boomerang Bag – originating in Australia!

Boomerang Bag is a global, grassroots movement that aims to connect and empower local communities to tackle plastic pollution at its source. To date, the global Boomerang Bag program has created 522,361 bags, coordinated 1145 local communities, and diverted 182,826 kilograms of waste from landfills. Bull City Boomerang Bag is Durham’s local chapter of the global program.

Even more awesome photos