What Are You Doing With Your Empty Burlap Coffee Bags

[expat]

My empty burlap bags are beginning to pile up and I need to do something with them. I've seen lots of krafty things on the web: pillows, furniture, lamp shades, and more. But I'm not that krafty. So I'm thinking of dog beds. My yellow Lab needs a new bed so I think I'll start with him. I can just use the entire bag and fill it with . . . I don't know, something, and just sew up the end. No cutting, no shaping, just fill and sew.

What's your experience? Suggestions on filler? Suggestions in general?

[Ads]

[topher]

They are messy. Skin of the coffee and the bag "sheds" I used to make backpacks out of them but you have to use a liner on the back panel or the burlap sticks to their clothing. I keep the nice ones with prints to give away or frame...but the rest I just end up tossing. I tried saving them for recycling but no one wanted them

[PinkRose]

"Hello, Expat"

Is your yellow lab attracted to the burlap bags? You can always make a bed by stuffing one nice bag with lots of other burlap bags, especially since you have so many of them.

In the past I've read posts (either on this forum or some other one) where people say they're looking for burlap coffee bags because they want to use them for wall hangings, etc. You could always try to sell them on E-bay if they're in decent shape. I bet there are all sorts of "crafty" people in the world who could come up with lots of practical uses for the bags. Unfortunately, I'm not one of them!

Rose

[charlesrojo]

Hello Expat,

Run an ad under free stuff on Craigslist. We found in Denver Colorado that organic farmers use them for weed control between their rows of organic vegetables. Also farmers use them to cover cages to keep animals out of the direct sunlight. At Boca Java we give away hundreds a month and people still call!

Chuck

[expat]

"Hundreds a month" -- right now I can only dream. Let's see, 100 60kg bags would be 26,431.72 227g bags of coffee, which would just about caffeineate the whole of county Galway!

Kudos to your CharlesRojo --- and I'll let you know when I make it to my first 100.

[PinkRose]

Expat,

You'll make it to your first 100 bags one bag at a time! I hope you'll let us all know when that day comes.

By the way, it this the book where your wife found the scone recipe?
Amazon.com: Victoria at Table With Family and Friends (9780688116620): "Victoria Magazine": Books

Rose

[expat]

The lovely and talented Roast Mistress says that is the one.

[PinkRose]

Please thank the lovely and talented Roast Mistress for me!

Rose

[wmark]

I almost choked on my coffee when I saw someone trying to sell them on another forum. I am giving some away to someone that makes dog beds. Other than that, I have started tossing them. I was discussing this issue with someone else, he was suggesting that most large roasters just toss them.

[PinkRose]

I've heard that animal shelters are always looking for old sheets and towels, etc. . I guess they use them for the dog beds. Perhaps the burlap bags would be welcomed there too.

Rose