Like everyone else in 2020, I adopted a sourdough starter and learned how to to bake boules. It was fun, and my family enjoyed my experiments, but after a few weeks of having fragrant, fresh bread anytime we wanted, the novelty wore off and we were often left with too much of a good thing. Stale bread became my nemesis, and I found myself stuffing down slices three meals a day just to avoid it. That’s when I decided to stop my sourdough adventures.
In hindsight, having a proper way to store the loaves would have helped. Experts say that the best method is to store fresh-baked bread in something breathable—a paper sack, a ceramic bread box, or cotton or linen bags—so that the crust remains hard and the inside soft. Of those options, I like fabric bags the best: They’re affordable and reusable, and gifting a homemade boule inside a pretty bread bag makes for a perfect housewarming or hostess gift.
Below are 10 favorite fabric bread bags. (Tip: If you one day decide you’re just fine with store-bought bread, you can always repurpose the bags and use them to take home bulk dry goods from the store.)
Above: The Bicla Filial Bread Bento is made from 100 percent linen with subtle embroidery in bottle green (shown) or red; $68 for a set of two from Porta NYC.
Above: From Farmhouse Pottery, a simple cotton-linen design: Drawstring Reusable Bread Bags in ticking stripe are currently on sale for $23.80 for a set of two.
Above: Dans le Sac’s Cotton Canvas Bread Bag is $15.99 at Canadian retailer La Boite à Grains. (For more on Dans le Sac, see Kitchen Storage: Simple Cotton Bread and Dry Good Bags from Quebec.)
Above: There’s no shortage of bread bags offered on Etsy. We particularly like this Linen Bento Bag, which has a square base and double layers of OEKO-Tex certified fabric. To close, simply tie the ends. It’s available in an assortment of colors and three sizes; on sale for $15.
Above: We are big fans of Aplat (see their sexy fabric bowl cover here). Recently we discovered on their site these pre-shrunk organic cotton Poche Bags, which can stand upright on the counter. They are designed to be used as produce and bread bags and come in multiple sizes; shown is medium, $32.
Above: Cultiverre carries Dot & Army’s Bread Bag and Bowl Cover Set (the cover is for covering the dough as it rises); $29.
Above: The Printed Linen Bread Bag from MagicLinen features simple typography screen-printed in water-based ink; $17.
Above: An ingenious product from Remodelista favorite Uashmama. Their Italian-made Porta Pane Loaf Bag is made of organic washable paper with a linen drawstring top; $49 at Uashmama.
Above: From Linen Notes, the Linen Bread Bag is available in thirteen colorways and three shapes: sourdough, loaf, or French baguette; $22 each.
Above: And another Etsy find: Linen Bread Bags from Textiles by Tracy have handy carrying straps; starting at $18 each.
For more on reusable bags, see:
- Beauty and the Reusable Bag: Mesh Produce Sacks and More from Caya of Japan
- Our Editors’ Planet-Friendly Habit Shifts, Inspired by ‘Remodelista: The Low-Impact Home’
- Use This, Not that Plastic Thing: Expert Advice on 5 Easy, Eco Swaps for the Kitchen
N.B.: This story originally appeared on November 23, 2022, and has been updated with new products.
