Monkey Foot Designs offers waterproof wet bags in adorable fabrics for use with cloth diapers, wet swim clothes, mama cloth, or just toting around spillable/messy items (like art supplies)!
Available in a variety of sizes, priced $13-28 US, these wet bags offer ample interior room, long zipper pulls that are easy to close (even with your hands full), and they fold up perfectly to fit in your diaper bag or purse.
The interior features sealed seams, so unlike other brands that have stitched seams with tiny needle holes, this bag will not leak - fluids or odor! While the exterior fabric is cotton or polyester blend (organic fabrics are available upon request currently, although a spring 2011 "budget-friendly" organic line is in the works), the interior is made of ProCare. We had some concerns about ProCare and investigated to find out all we could about this top-secret patented fabric so you can decide whether it is right for you.
ProCare was created by, patented under, and is currently produced by Wazoodle. They disclose that this fabric contains: 25% polyester, 75% vinyl (proprietary formulation) - does not contain phthalates or BPA plasticizers. Basically, they start out with polyester fabric and apply a medical-grade vinyl coating to it. According to the owner of Monkey Foot Designs, it is inherently antimicrobial and flame retardant without the need for additives. For some, this will raise concerns about dioxin contamination as well as environmental impacts of manufacturing, however the owner of Monkey Foot Designs made a great point:
"Any bag that can be washed 1000 times is MUCH better than putting 1000 shopping bags in the trash."
And on that thought, we agree. Even though the production of vinyl and polyester are not eco-friendly processes and waste is created, it is likely less pollution created than the many single-use disposable bags this bag will take the place of before it's lifecycle is over. To reduce waste, reportedly Wazoodle melts down new scraps to recycle them into new ProCare and Monkey Foot Designs utilizes scraps to create reusable snack bags! Our only other suggestion for Wazoodle to lower the environmental impact of their ProCare product would be to utilize recycled polyester fibers for the base fabric.
In the end, this is a product which is on the fence in our opinion - since there are few eco-friendly waterproof bags which are readily available, the next best thing is to get the longest lasting bag you can find with the lowest impact and safest attributes. If you are in the market for a waterproof wet bag, this one certainly works well, if you can live with the fact that the manufacturing and disposal processes for the inner lining are less than environmentally responsible.
