Plastic Bottle Bag

Hello! Are you in need of a bag to carry items? Don't want to spend extra money on bags at shopping stores? Do you have a bunch of water bottles just lying around? Then look no further because this project is meant for you!

This bag is made completely out of water bottles and nothing else! This is a great way to reuse all of your water bottles and to avoid spending extra cash on stores charging for bags. You hit two birds with on stone!

Let's get started!

Step 1: Gathering the Materials

For this project, you will need the following:

• Plastic Bottles (amount may vary but at least 10 will be needed to make a decent bag)
• Aluminum Foil
• Scissors
• Sharp, toothed cutting knife
• Clothing Iron
• Soldering Iron
• Paint (optional)

*Parent/guardian/adult supervision may be needed due to the handling of hot tools*

After gathering all the tools you need, find a place without any flammable objects surrounding you and with a flat, even surface and outlet.

Once you're all set, it's time to make your bag!

Step 2: Making Plastic Sheets

Get two square sheets of aluminum foil about a square foot to a square foot and a half big.

Plug in your clothing iron and set it to max power.

As you wait for your clothing iron to heat up, take your knife and cut off the neck of the plastic bottles. Then, taking your scissors, cut straight through the water bottle, from top to bottom and remove the bottom of the water bottle. Make inch by inch incisions near the top of the water bottle so it will be easier to lay it down flat. Repeat for each bottle.

By the time you finish, the iron would be hot enough to make your plastic sheets. Pile the aluminum foil with a plastic bottle/sheet in between, making a sandwich. Then, press the hot iron down, being very careful not to burn yourself. Spread the iron out so the sheets can be as even as possible. Do this for 20 seconds. Repeat the process for each sheet.

After finishing the sheets, it's time to assemble the bag.

Step 3: Making the Bag

Plug in the soldering iron and set it to 600-700 degrees Fahrenheit and set it somewhere out of harm's way.

While waiting for the soldering iron, you can determine how you want to assemble your bag. As an example, this bag was assembled by putting 8 sheets in a symmetrical plus sign, setting 2 other sheets aside for the handle (see image).

After laying out the format of how you would construct your bag, weld the plastic together using the soldering iron, being careful not to burn yourself. Be extra careful as you may cause holes with the soldering iron given how hot it is and how easily the plastic melts. You can fix holes by using left over scraps you trimmed from making the plastic sheets. Goggles and gloves are ideal to avoid injury.

Carefully, fold the sides using the soldering iron. Allow the plastic to melt a little for you to bend it without melting all the way to the point where it melts completely. You can use the edge of a flat surface to help you fold the sides. Then, after folding the sides, weld the sides together, making a plastic box without a lid.

Using the two extra sheets, cut out a handle for the bag. In this case, an upside down U-shaped handle is perfect. Lastly, just weld the plastic handle to the plastic box to make your plastic bag!

Step 4: Optional: Be Creative!

Although the bag is already set, you can pretty much do anything with the bag from painting it to making different kinds of sizes and shapes. There are many different types of bags and by using the plastic sheets, you can pretty much make any bag you want to make, instead of the basic, classic grocery bag. For example, using more water bottles may make the bag more durable by layering the sheets. Using different kinds of plastic bottles may also help increase the strength. Have fun with the plastic bottle bag!

Step 5: Process Summary

Here is a quick video for clarification if needed. Have fun making the plastic bottle bag!