We’ve all got them—the humble, yet perpetually useful, plastic bag. Often taken for granted, these multi-purpose carriers, primarily made from polyethylene (PE), are actually a marvel of modern material science. Polyethylene is a lightweight, durable, and highly adaptable thermoplastic polymer. It’s the material’s unique chemistry that makes it an affordable, flexible workhorse with...

Ah, the plastic bag. In South Africa, it’s not the flimsy, throwaway item of old—thanks to regulations mandating a thicker micron count and a consumer levy, our plastic bags are bona fide re-usable totes. They are the Mzansi Mighty Satchel, durable enough to carry your entire weekly shop and then survive a life as a refuse bin liner. But for businesses, this mandatory durability has...