Our Final Verdict
We give The Original Poop Bags a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Durability: 4/5
Odor: 3/5
Size: 5/5
Variety: 5/5
Ease of use: 5/5
Eco-friendliness: 5/5
Value: 4.5/5
If you’re like most dog owners, then poop bags are a regular part of your life. Whether you take your dog for daily walks, live in an apartment where you are required to clean up after your dog, or if your dog goes on road trips with you, there are many instances when poop bags are necessary. And even when not required, picking up your dog’s waste is still just the right thing to do. But what happens to all that poop you bag up and dispose of? Or rather, what happens to all those plastic poop bags?
This was the very concern that led to the creation of the brand simply named “The Original Poop Bags.” Through trial and error, this company developed an eco-friendly poop bag that would biodegrade over time, reducing the plastic waste that plagues our planet. But they didn’t stop there. The Original Poop Bags brand also sought out unique conservation projects, animal welfare missions, and humanitarian efforts to lend their support to. Any dog owner with a conscience is going to want to make the switch to The Original Poop Bags for all the good they are doing for our planet while providing a critical item in our pet supplies arsenal.
About The Original Poop Bags
Founded in 2003, The Original Poop Bags was the result of one man, Paul Cannella, contemplating the impact of all those plastic bags he was using to pick up his dog’s poop. He thought he was being frugal by reusing grocery, liquor store, and newspaper bags, but he soon realized the cost the environment was paying for all those non-biodegradable plastic bags that were ending up in landfills. Once Cannella came to this realization, he decided he could do something about it, and he started by buying the web domain PoopBags.com.
Cannella embarked upon his mission by reselling poop bags from Norway, which had the only biodegradable bags at the time. But he was also experimenting with different materials back home in the U.S. to see if he could start manufacturing his own biodegradable poop bags to sell. Some of his earliest attempts were failures, with the bags disintegrating as soon as they got wet, but eventually he got it right, and his success earned his bags the title USDA Certified Biobased Product.
Today, The Original Poop Bags company has a wide variety of products, including poop bags made of up to 92% plant-based materials, scented bags, bulk rolls, and countdown rolls so you never run out of bags. Currently, their products are made in China, but the brand is based in Atlanta, GA, and is still considered a small business with around 50 employees. They have also made it their mission to give back to the planet by donating to many worthy groups, including the Humane Society of the United States, Oceana, and LGBTQ organizations. The Original Poop Bags are even the official poop bag brand of the Jane Goodall Institute. Any pet owner that buys from The Original Poop Bags company can be confident that they are not only getting an effective and eco-friendly product, but they are also supporting many noble causes with their purchase.
Overview
Here is an overview of The Original Poop Bags brand. This innovative company has a big heart for helping others, our planet, and its animals. Not only do they donate a portion of every sale to many worthy causes, but they also developed the first biodegradable poop bag to be sold in the U.S.
Pricing
The Original Poop Bags carries a wide variety of products at various price points, and buying in bulk will get you the best deal, with most of their product line costing just pennies per bag. Their Countdown Leash Rolls, for example, currently cost $8.99 for 120 bags, which breaks down to $0.07/bag, but buying 960 bags for $36.99 brings the unit price down closer to $0.03/bag. Their highest percentage plant-based bag (92%) is pricier, with just 60 bags costing $9.99, but these are arguably the best bags for the environment. There’s something to fit everyone’s needs, wants, and budget at PoopBags.com.
Options
The Original Poop Bags company has a ton of bag options, as well as bag dispensers, cat litter, and liners for litter pans and trash cans. Within their poop bag selection, they have several types to choose from – your basic leash roll, bags with handle ties for easy closure, bulk rolls that are great to keep by the patio door, and Countdown Rolls which avoid that heart-stopping realization that you have just used the last bag and still have a mile to walk home! Some bags also come in an orange-scented option.
When shopping the website, you will also notice that some bags are labeled 38% or 92% Plant Materials. When Paul Cannella was first creating his innovative poop bags, his first achievement was a product with 38% plant materials and 62% polyethylene (plastic). As time went on, he achieved a bag that was 60% plants and 40% polyethylene, and eventually reached a breakthrough with the 92% plant-based bags available today. Though the 60% bags don’t seem to be listed on the PoopBags.com site any longer, the 38% bags can still be purchased as a lower-cost alternative to the gold-standard 92% bags.
Quality
For a biodegradable poop bag, the 92% plant-based option from The Original Poop Bags holds up surprisingly well. Though not completely impervious to punctures, this bag should remain intact and leak-proof with normal use. If you have to scrape a runny poop off of pavement, you might run into a problem, or if your dog’s poop got stuck to any pointy sticks that you inadvertently picked up with the pile. But for the most part, this is a sturdy bag that will keep your hands clean and won’t tear or leak. It doesn’t do a great job at concealing odors though, so be prepared to catch some unpleasant whiffs on your dog walk.
Eco-friendliness
The Original Poop Bags were the first eco-friendly waste bags in the U.S. For more than two decades, founder Paul Cannella has investigated new materials and experimented with different blends, and successfully created the 92% plant-based bags for the fastest breakdown possible. And while the bags themselves are contributing to greener communities, The Original Poop Bags brand is going above and beyond to donate to many worthy organizations to improve our planet. They make the exclusive waste bags of the Jane Goodall Institute, which works to save chimpanzees from extinction. Their donations recently freed an elephant in Thailand named Peanut from a life in chains to a life of freedom living in the sanctuary known as Following Giants. And they make regular donations to many animal welfare and conservation efforts across the globe.
In Summary
Pros
- Biodegradable
- Leak-proof
- Recyclable packaging
- Small business
- “You Buy, We Donate” guarantee
Cons
- Thin material may be punctured
- Does not contain odors
Key Features
Eco-friendly
Products from The Original Poop Bags are designed with sustainability in mind and made from upcycled farming byproducts like corn starch and wheat stalks. These bags are biodegradable to reduce the ever-growing plastic waste problem around the globe. And this incredible company donates to organizations that are also focused on helping to clean up the planet.
Variety
There is a nice variety of products on the PoopBags.com website. They carry both scented and unscented bags, convenient countdown bags and bags with handles, and even varying material blends to meet every pet owner’s budget. There are also bag dispensers, cat litter, and litter pan liners. If you have to deal with pet poop, this is the website for you!
Benefit to planet
Aside from its plant-based poop bags, this company has donated to many worthy causes including:
- Oceana
- Florida Little Dog Rescue
- SEE Turtles
- World Wildlife Fund
- Humane Society of the United States
- SeaShare
- One Tree Planted
- Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
- Wounded Warrior
- LGBTQ organizations
Currently, The Original Poop Bags is donating 1% of all gross sales to support animal welfare and environmental causes. For special projects, like rescuing Peanut the elephant from chains, they may donate more or use special funds like t-shirt sales to meet their goals.
Are The Original Poop Bags a Good Value?
Although competitors may offer lower-priced options, these cheaper bags are often flimsier and more prone to tearing or leakage. But aside from durability, another important factor in The Original Poop Bags’ prices is the incredible work they are doing to better our planet through their “You Buy, We Donate” promise. By doing business with this brand, you can be assured your dollar is doing the most amount of good it can while still receiving a quality eco-friendly product.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q) Why should I pick up my dog’s poop?
Dog feces can contain parasites that are transmissible to other animals, as well as bacteria. In addition to limiting other people and pets’ exposure to harmful pathogens, picking up the waste also reduces nitrogen pollution to our waterways. In a nutshell, cleaning up after your pet helps keep our environment cleaner for everyone.
Q) Since these bags are biodegradable, will they disintegrate when they get wet?
No, Poop Bags are guaranteed to be leak-proof for up to 7 days. Even though they are biodegradable, it takes time for the materials to break down, so you don’t have to worry about a bag falling apart in your hand!
Q) How durable are these bags compared to other brands?
Because they are made from plants and designed to be biodegradable, they may be less durable than other bags made of 100% plastic. However, they are still resistant to tears and should not break with normal use.
Q) What are the bags made from?
The plant materials in The Original Poop Bags are things like cornstarch and sugar cane. Each bag also has a percentage of polyethylene, a synthetic plastic that by itself is not immediately biodegradable, but breaks down faster when combined with starches, such as the cornstarch used.
Q) How long do these bags take to break down?
The amount of time it takes any biodegradable plastic bag to decompose varies based on factors like air exposure, water exposure, UV exposure, etc. It can take weeks, months, or even years for this to occur. This is also influenced by the exact material composite of the bag, which is why purchasing bags with the highest percentage of organic materials in the blend is so important to our planet.
Our Experience With The Original Poop Bags
I recently ordered the 92% plant-based poop bags from PoopBags.com. I received two boxes – one containing 4 leash rolls totaling 60 bags (9” x 13”), and one bulk roll of 200 bags (8” x 13”). Both rolls are perforated for easy tearing, and the bags from both rolls are thin yet durable, and leak-proof (I tested one by filling it with water and leaving it on my counter for several days).
These bags are a blend of 92% plant materials and only 8% polyethylene. Plastic waste is something I’ve been thinking about a lot, especially when it comes to my daily poop bag usage. I was eager to test these, but curious if they would be tough enough for my big Lab-mix’s piles.
The only downside I experienced with these bags was their odor concealment, or lack thereof. Although I have yet to find a bag that totally traps these unpleasant aromas, this one really created some wafting poop smells during our walks. If you can quickly dispose of your filled bags, this isn’t an issue, but if you must walk a long way with it like I do, or you’re going to be filling up the garbage can in your garage with these bags throughout the week, it’s something to consider.
Regarding durability, I was impressed with these bags considering they are biodegradable. I found the material to be thinner and stretchier than my usual poop bags, but during my testing period, I never tore a bag, so I’m happy with the durability. They tear off the roll easily at the perforation, and the seam at the bottom of a leash roll bag is about ¾” from the perforated line, meaning you won’t risk tearing the seam open and ending up with a literal mess on your hands. The seam distance on a bulk roll bag is over ½”, so you’re good there as well.
The final part of my test was how much one bag could hold. While the slightly smaller bags of the bulk roll are great for picking up piles around the yard, I need my leash roll bags to be capable of carrying hefty loads, because on a walk, you never know what you’re going to get! The Original Poop Bags did well in this category. This morning, for example, I walked all three dogs – 60 lb. Turtle, 20 lb. Rooney, and 15 lb. Candy – and by the end had poop from all three contained inside one poop bag. I did this by following my usual method – when the second dog poops, I place the first tied-off poop bag inside the second bag…then when the third dog does their business, I put the second bag, now containing two piles, inside the third bag and tie that one up to make one hefty bag (this also helps with the smell, as some poop ends up double or even triple bagged). So in the end, these bags did prove big enough and strong enough for my needs.
Conclusion
The Original Poop Bags brand is a mindful and innovative company that has spent the last two decades trying to make a greener world for all living things. Through unprecedented product initiatives and regular donations to many worthy causes, they have succeeded in becoming one of the most successful and eco-friendly waste bag brands on the market today. Pet owners concerned with reducing their plastic waste can go the extra mile for our planet by supporting The Original Poop Bags.