The Original Poop Bags Review 2024: A Cleaner Way to Pick Up
By Sara Seitz
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We give The Original Poop Bags a rating of 4.85 out of 5 stars.
Are you looking for a better way to pick up your pup’s piles? Not just better for you, but better for the planet? The Original Poop Bags company has been working for over 21 years to make picking up poop better for everyone.
This company offers multiple sustainable products while giving back to animals and the environment through their You Buy, We Donate program. So if you’re looking for a way to do more while doing your part to keep your neighborhood trails clean, this company may just have what you need.
I recently had the opportunity to test The Original Poop Bags’ new bags made of 92% plants. I’ll tell you how they worked and why I believe they’re worth the purchase in my full The Original Poop Bags review, below.
Overview
| Product Type: | Poop bag |
| Best Suited For: | Dogs |
| Price Range: | Moderately pricey |
| Contents: | Leash roll poop bags, bulk poop bags |
| Specs: | 9” by 13” (roll), 8” by 13” (bulk) |
| Ingredients: | 92% plant materials, 8% PE |
| Options: | 60 to 400 bags |
Our Experience
I’ll start by admitting that I am a long-time supporter of The Original Poop Bags. When you walk your dogs as often as I do, you tend to feel a little overwhelmed by all the waste generated by picking up after your pets out on the trail.
I first discovered this company while looking for a way to reduce the amount of resources I tossed into the trash with each doggy potty break.
There are a ton of “biodegradable” poop bags out there these days, but none of them go as far as The Original Poop Bags in terms of trying to make a difference. And that is exactly why my Chihuahua, Papyrus, my Dalmatian mix, Ragz, and I love these bags!
What I Liked
The Original Poop Bags newest product, and the one I tested for this review, is made of 92% plant materials. These bags are listed as being compostable and come up in every search you do for “biodegradable” poop bags. But these buzzwords aren’t what make these bags great.
The truth is, no bag that ends up in a landfill will biodegrade. There simply isn’t enough oxygen in landfills to accommodate this process. That means, plastic or plant-plastic, any bag you toss away is going to be around for decades, if not longer.
So why go with plant-based? Well, for one, these 92% plant-ingredient bags require fewer resources to make and have a much smaller climate impact.
Plastic is derived from crude oil, coal, and natural gas. Plant plastic is derived from plants! This means that not only are these bags better for the environment, but they are far more sustainable.
On top of this, The Original Poop Bags donates tens of thousands of dollars each year to various non-profits, including the World Wildlife Fund and the Humane Society of the United States.
Now, as far as how well these bags work, I don’t see any reason why anyone would choose conventional plastic over these green bags. They are well-sized, durable, and easy to use. And they are thicker and stretch better than plastic bags, meaning they don’t tear nearly as easily.
Additionally, the perforated junctions mean they come apart easily, they are available in a variety of size packs for added savings, and can be purchased in rolls or bulk boxes to accommodate any need.
These bags are sizable enough that I can usually pick up after both dogs on our walk using a single bag knotted twice. That means even less waste and resources used.
Where I See Room for Improvement
My biggest disappointment with these bags is simply that they haven’t cracked the code on a 100% plant-based poop bag yet. But if someone is going to do that, I’m betting it will be The Original Poop Bags company.
Many other poop bags claim to be plant-based, but The Original Poop Bags are the only ones I’ve found that are USDA-Certified Biobased. This means that the amount of plant materials used in the bags has been verified by the USDA.
The only other minor issue I have with these bags is that they are a little pricier than other options, even other bags that include plant-based ingredients. But, personally, I’m willing to spend a little more knowing that I am getting a verified plant-based product and that some of those funds go to help non-profits.
Overall, testing these new bags only reaffirmed my love for The Original Poop Bags. They are so easy to use, perform better than plastic bags, and are a much better choice for the environment.
Pros & Cons
- 92% plant-based
- USDA Certified Biobased
- Well-sized
- Thick and stretchy
- Come apart easily
- Fund non-profits
- Contain some PE
- A little expensive
Key Features
Ingredients
The newest bags from The Original Poop Bags are 92% plant-based. That means that they contain mostly ingredients derived from plants and very little polyethylene. Since PE is derived from unsustainable ingredients like coal and crude oil, the less we use as a society, the better for the planet and our future.
The unique combination of plant-based ingredients and just 8% PE makes for a highly durable poop bag that’s user-friendly. These bags are thick, stretchy, and easy to pull apart so you can spend less time worrying about picking up poop and more time enjoying your walks.
You Buy, We Donate Initiative
The Original Poop Bags has always been generous with their profits. Since day one, they have donated an average of 5% per quarter to various non-profit organizations.
Each month, they choose two organizations to support. They even occasionally do special fund drives for specific causes. Most recently, they helped free an Asian elephant named Peanut from a life in chains.
Their “You Buy, We Donate” initiative is just one more way they help support the planet and the animals on it.
Purchase Options
In addition to their 92% biobased bags, The Original Poop Bags also offers 60% and 38% plant-based poop bags. These options are slightly less expensive and have a more familiar feel that’s comparable to traditional plastic bags.
In addition to these three options, they also sell their bags in various forms, including leash rolls, bags with handles, and bulk rolls that can be used around the house or placed in community poop bag dispensers. All options are available in multiple quantities, with pricing discounts for bulk buys.
About The Original Poop Bags
The Original Poop Bags has been producing sustainable poop bag solutions since 2003.
| Manufacturing: | Designed in the USA, manufactured in China |
| Certifications: | USDA Certified Biobased |
| Shipping: | Free shipping on orders over $30 |
| Ordering Options: | Bulk discounts |
| Other products: | Poop bag holders, cat litter, trash bags, and more |
Is The Original Poop Bags a Good Value?
Compared to other biobased poop bags, products from The Original Poop Bags tend to be slightly pricier. But it’s worth remembering that those other companies do not disclose what percentage of their bags are made from plants. In all likelihood, there aren’t any other bags that are 92% plant-based to compare to.
Additionally, The Original Poop Bags donates much of their profits to humanitarian, environmental, and animal welfare organizations, making them, in my opinion, worth the higher price tag.
How We Tested
I tested these new bags from The Original Poop Bags by hitting the trail with my dogs as often as I could.
I relied on the poop bag rolls while out of the house. I used them in my standard poop bag leash holder and have picked up more piles than I can count over the last couple of weeks. I kept detailed notes about how easy they were to use, the number of times I had to deal with rips (none!), and other issues associated with smell and cleanup.
I used the bulk bags around the house for cleaning up accidents and even cleaning out the kitty litter box. Again, I made notes about how these bags performed under normal-use circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do these bags tear easily?
Some users of The Original Poop Bags’ older bag versions complain they tear easily. I found that these new 92% bags are more durable than previous options. I’ve never had one tear on me while picking up poop and have yet to have one rip open on me while pulling it off the roll.
How big are these bags?
The roll bags are 9 inches wide by 13 inches tall. The bulk bags are just as tall but only 8 inches wide.
Do they come in any other colors?
The standard biobased bags come in various shades of green depending on the plant-based ingredient content. Occasionally, The Original Poop Bags offers special edition bags with different colors and patterns.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a way to reduce your doggy’s carbon footprint while doing some extra good for the world, I highly recommend making The Original Poop Bags your only poop bags.
This company is a pioneer in the sustainable poop bag market and their impressive 92% plant-based bags are far better for the environment than the competitors while offering the same durability and ease of use as plastic bags. Best of all, they donate tens of thousands of dollars each year to non-profits that strive to make the world a better place for animals and humans alike.
