An Auckland mum has come up with an eco-friendly way to help New Zealanders reduce their usage of plastic bags with the launch of the reusable Fresh Produce Bag, perfect for fruit and veges.

Made from pure, unbleached Indian cotton, the tailored bags are 100% biodegradable and have been produced in compliance with the internationally recognised Global Organic Textile Standard. The bags are also machine washable so they can be used and reused, removing the need for the single use plastic bags currently available in the fresh produce sections of supermarkets.

Mum of three, Lisa Cohen-Smith came up with the idea for the bags when she was in the supermarket one day. Lisa said, "I buy a lot of fruit and veges for the family and was constantly trying to prevent the loose vegetables from rolling off the scales. I decided that there must be a practical yet eco-friendly alternative to the plastic bags and decided to look into a durable, certified organic cotton bag resulting in the Fresh Produce Bag."

The bags come in small and large sizes and are available in single units RRP $2.99, or a handy three pack RRP $5.99, from New World Victoria Park, New World Green Bay and New World Wellington City, with other stores pending.

Owner/operator of New World Victoria Park, Rob McGregor commented, "The bags are a great idea as they will help encourage our customers to use and re-use eco bags instead of plastic ones."

"When the customer brings their filled Fresh Produce bag to the check-out, we simply deduct the weight of the bag, so it's an easy way for our customers to do their bit for the environment."