Reusable yard waste bags are a great alternative to plastic leaf bags that pollute the environment. You can use them to collect leaves, grass clippings, and other yard debris year after year, saving you money in the long run.
Best of all, these bags are easy to store, fold up in between uses, and can even be used for other purposes, like storing athletic equipment or picking up free compost from your city.
There are many benefits to using these reusable leaf bags, but how do you find the right one? We’re going to share our favorite bags and some tips for successful leaf cleaning.
The Best Reusable Yard Waste Bags
First, take a look at our top five list. We’ve added an easy comparison table so you can quickly see the size and best features of each. Click the link in the brand name column to jump to that section of our review.
| Brand | Capacity | Best Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Fiskars | 30 Gallons | Pops up quickly and stays upright during yard cleanup |
| Garden Mate | 132 Gallons | Biggest of the bunch, great for larger yards |
| Gardeners Supply Co | 20 ” wide x 30 ” tall | Rolling cart with cleanup bag means less stress on the body & your back |
| Gardeners Supply Co | 30 Gallons | Stylish & attractive design with pop up features; small but durable |
| DuraSack | 48 Gallons | Great general purpose bag at an affordable price |
Best for Compact Design – Fiskars Kangaroo Collapsible Bag
Product Specs
- Capacity: 30 gallons
- Dimensions: 22.88” W x 23.75” H x 1.25” L; Folds to 3”
- Material: Polyester
- Weight: 2.05 lbs.
The Fiskars Kangaroo collapsible garden bag is made from durable materials and has a large capacity. When collapsed, this bag is just 3,” making it easy to store in your garage, shed, or virtually anywhere.
The large 30-gallon capacity makes it easy to hold leaves, grass clippings, and other yard debris. When you’re done, just fold it up and store it away until next time.
The internal spring pops up to create a sturdy bag that stands upright on its own. The carrying handles make it easy to this bag with you as you trim and clean up.
Why We Like It
The Kangaroo collapsible bag is durable and compact, making it a great option for any home. You can easily store it anywhere in between uses, and the internal pop-up spring allows this bag to stay open and upright while cleaning up.
The large capacity means fewer trips to the garbage to empty.
Our Verdict
We love the Kangaroo collapsible bag from Fiskars. It’s light, compact, and has plenty of space to store yard debris. Whether you’re pruning or just picking up after mowing the lawn, this bag will make yard work easier.
The only issue we see is that the bag’s bottom material isn’t as durable as we’d like it to be. Take care not to store anything sharp in the bag or drag it on the ground.
Best for Big Yards – Garden Mate 132-Gallon Reusable Waste Bags
Product Specs
- Quantity: 2
- Capacity: 132 gallons; max 150 lbs.
- Dimensions: 33.86” x 33.86” x 33.86”
- Weight: 1150 grams
GardenMate’s 132-gallon leaf collection bags are big, and they’re made from durable polypropylene, which is:
- Tear-resistant
- Water-repelling
- Resistant to most organic solvents and fats
Each package comes with two bags, which makes this an ideal choice for homeowners with large yards.
Each bag can hold up to 150lbs or 132 gallons of debris. The flexible hoop helps with stability and keeps the bag open for easy filling and emptying.
For even easier maneuvering, there are two carrying handles at the top of the bag and one or two handles at the bottom.
When you’re done using the bag, it can be folded up and stored away.
Why We Like It
We like GardenMate’s 132-gallon reusable leaf bags because of their high durability and smart design. These bags can hold a lot of material, but they won’t rip or tear if used properly. They can easily fold up in between uses, and they come with convenient carrying handles for easy maneuverability.
We also like that each package comes with two bags, so it offers great value for the money.
Our Verdict
GardenMate’s reusable yard bags are a great option for anyone with a big yard or a lot of leaves to clean up. The fact that you receive two bags with your purchase makes this an even better deal.
Best for Mobility Issues – Mobile Leaf Collector
Product Specs
- Overall Dimensions: 20”L x 22” W x 43” H
- Bag Dimensions: 20″ diameter and 30″ height
- Weight: 5.6 lbs.
The Mobile Leaf Collector makes yard work a breeze. This rolling collector bag sits on wheels and can be laid on its side for easy raking into the bag. The included scoop creates a chute, so all you have to do is rake the leaves up onto the chute and into the bag.
For homeowners with arthritis or mobility issues, this leaf collector is a great option.
You can also remove the chute and use it as a giant hand rake to pick up leaves.
When you’re ready to move to a new spot, the stabilizing frame allows you to tip the bag upright.
The two side clips can hold long-handled tools, like rakes.
While designed with leaf collection in mind, you can also use this bag to collect straw, weeds, trimmings, and other yard waste.
When you’re done using it, it folds flat for easy storage.
Why We Like It
We like the Mobile Leaf Collector because it saves your back. Forget having to bend over and pick up leaves for bagging. With this cart, you can rake the leaves directly into the bag.
Not only will this save your back, but it will also save you time. The built-in wheels make it quick and easy to move the cart from one area of the yard to the other.
We also like that the chute doubles as a hand rake and two convenient clips allow you to bring your tools along for the ride.
Our Verdict
We love these reusable leaf bags. They’re great for homeowners with mobility issues or arthritis who may have difficulty bending over to collect leaves. But really, any homeowner can benefit from this product’s convenient, time-saving design.
Smart Design, Smaller Capacity – Gardeners Heavy Duty Pop Up Yard Bag
Product Specs
- Capacity: 30 gallons
- Dimensions: 18.5” diameter x 25” height
The heavy-duty reusable yard waste bags from Gardener’s Supply are built to last. These 30-gallon bags have reinforced bottoms to prevent tears and holes. They’re made to handle heftier material, and the smart design makes it easy to move filled bags from one location to another.
Each bag features a drawstring top and locking handles, so you can fill up, close up and haul it away. Thanks to the hard-shell base, you don’t have to worry about debris creating holes and falling through during use.
These bags also collapse down to a 4″ size for easy, compact storage in between uses. Convenient built-in clips keep the bag collapsed, so you can easily take it with you on the go.
Why We Like It
We like these heavy-duty yard bags because they’re big, durable, and have a hard base. Other similar bag designs have weak bottoms that easy tear. The hard-shell base design helps prevent this from happening.
We also like that the bag closes up for easy transport when full.
Our Verdict
For tough yard clean-ups, these heavy-duty bags are ideal. They’re compact and durable, but they’re also light and easy to use.
Best for Budget – DuraSack 48-Gallon Reusable Leaf Bag
Product Specs
- Capacity: 1,000 lbs.; 6.3 cubic feet; 48 gallons
- Dimensions: 20” x 20” x 28”
- Weight: Less than 2 lbs.
The DuraSack 48-gallon reusable yard bag is durable enough to handle an impressive 1,000 lbs. Puncture- and tear-proof, this bag is made from water-resistant polypropylene material and easily folds up in between uses.
This bag can handle tough clean-up jobs, and when you’re done, you can wipe it down or rinse it clean.
Best of all, this bag comes at an affordable price without sacrificing quality.
Why We Like It
We like the DuraSack reusable yard bag because of its great price and high durability. It has a simple design, but that’s what makes it so special. It’s compact and lightweight yet durable enough to handle up to 1,000 lbs. of weight.
Our Verdict
If you’re on a tighter budget, the DuraSack reusable bag is a great option. It’s a little big and awkward to carry, but it gets the job done and can stand up to heavy use.
Tips for Cleaning Up Leaves
- Wait until the leaves are completely dry before cleaning them up. Wet leaves are harder to rake, and if you plan to make mulch, wet leaves will only rot and attract pests.
- Be consistent with your clean-up. Rake a little bit every weekend or whenever you can to avoid having to clean huge piles of leaves at the end of the season.
- Hand rakes are great for gathering leaves and putting them into your reusable bags. We love these giant leaf collectors from Gardener’s Supply.
- When raking, stop every 10 minutes to stretch and straighten your back.
Leaf clean-up is just a part of homeownership. Raking is just one part of the job. These reusable yard waste bags are an environmentally friendly way to clean up your raked leaves for removal, mulching, or composting.