Laundry might seem like a small, everyday task, but every choice we make around it has an environmental impact. The tools we use, the materials we bring into our homes, and how long they last - all of it adds up over time. Choosing durable, handcrafted pieces is one of the simplest ways to quietly reduce landfill waste and cut down on plastic in everyday life.
Our peg baskets were designed with exactly that in mind: to replace the cycle of cheap, cracking plastic with something that feels good to use, looks beautiful on the line, and lasts for years.
The problem with cheap plastic peg baskets
Most of us grew up with the same story: a lightweight plastic peg basket that fades, cracks, falls off the line or snaps after a year or two in the sun. It’s easy and cheap to replace, so we do - again and again. But each of those “little” replacements has a footprint.
Even if we look at just 40 years of laundry (far less than most people actually do), the waste really adds up.
If a typical cheap plastic peg basket lasts around a year, that means:
For every household = 40 plastic peg baskets thrown away over 40 years
Now imagine that across a whole street, suburb, city or country. It’s a quiet, constant stream of plastic heading to landfill.
A simple, honest plastic‑waste comparison
To make this more tangible, let’s calculate it:
Approximate weight of a cheap plastic peg basket: ~200 g
If it’s replaced once a year for 40 years:
40 baskets × 200 g = 8,000 g, or 8 kg of plastic
Now compare that to one of It's In The Bag Designs’ peg baskets:
Lifespan: up to 20 years
Number needed over 40 years: just 2
If one household switches from a cheap plastic peg basket to an It's In The Bag Designs peg basket, over 40 years they could prevent around:
38 plastic peg baskets = roughly 8 kg of plastic from going to landfill.
This is quite significant for a single household item and when you consider how many households there are in Australia (the ABS estimated 9.8–10 million in 2021), that becomes:
78.4 - 80 million kg of plastic
Materials and craftsmanship that are made to last
Where plastic baskets are designed to be light and cheap, It's In The Bag Designs peg baskets are designed and made to be sturdy, repairable, and enduring.
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Durable fabrics and construction: Our peg baskets are handcrafted using UV-stabilised outdoor material, UV stabilised sewing threads and have a galvinised wire handle. This means our peg baskets can handle daily use, full loads of pegs, and years of sun, rain and movement on the line.
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Timeless design: Instead of disposable plastic baskets that come in limited colours and don't look great, our peg baskets are available in a variety of colourways that work with any home style.
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Repairability: If a thread loosens or a small area wears over time, fabric can be mended. That’s almost never true for a cracked plastic basket, which usually goes straight in the bin.
And the longevity isn’t just theoretical. One customer recently shared that they were buying their second peg basket after more than two decades of daily use. “This is our 2nd one… the other one lasted 20+ years… it was a no‑brainer to get another,” they wrote. It’s a simple, powerful reminder that when something is made with care and built to last, it quietly becomes part of the rhythm of home life - and keeps dozens of plastic alternatives out of landfill along the way.
All of this means one thing: less turnover, less waste, more value.
Designed to be used and loved for years
Sustainability isn’t just about materials - it’s also about how something feels to use. When a product is satisfying, practical, and beautiful, people naturally keep it for longer.
Our peg baskets are:
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Comfortable to carry or slide along the line - no sharp plastic edges digging into hands
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Easy to hang and reach into - so pegs are always where they should be
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Visually calming - they look like part of a considered home, not clutter
When something becomes part of a daily ritual and genuinely makes life easier, it’s far less likely to be thrown away.
Sustainability isn’t about perfection
Sustainability isn’t about doing everything right or living a perfectly plastic‑free life. It’s about choosing better, lasting things where we can.
Swapping a cheap plastic peg basket for a durable, handcrafted one might seem like a tiny decision—but over 40 years, it can keep around 8 kg of plastic out of landfill for just one household. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of homes, and the impact becomes quietly powerful.
In the end, it’s not just about waste. It’s about surrounding ourselves with objects that feel good to use, support our daily rituals, and are made with care. Laundry will always be part of life - but the tools we use for it can tell a very different story.
