Review: BURDEN – Fashionably Reducing Single-Use Plastics

It is a well-known fact that plastics are useful, yet they can have a detrimental impact on the environment. Plastic waste has not only been piling up drastically in landfills, but can also be easily found while walking around cities or washing up on shores from open water. Some businesses combat this by charging a fee for plastic bags at the counter after you finish shopping. So, why not save the environment, save a bit of money, and do it fashionably? That’s the mission of this Korea-based fashion company: to reduce the impact of single-use plastics.

This is BURDEN (burden.co.kr). By chance, I met the owner and team while travelling through Jeju, South Korea. What began as a small, casual conversation turned into a pleasant exchange of personal life goals. Jeju Island is renowned for its natural environments; forests, mountains, and oceans. Yet, even this secluded paradise isn’t immune to the impact of waste. Many documentaries feature the Haenyeo (sea women) of the island, who have noticed an increase in ocean rubbish and the effects of global warming, as diving for food is their life’s work. That’s how the transition into this team’s mission came about.

Eventually, I made my way to Seoul, South Korea and casually met with the team again. They showed me a simple yet effective idea: a reusable bag, compact enough to fit into a sub-bag with a keychain. This isn’t a new idea, but this is easily the best-looking version I’ve seen. One was a round, small, soft case that fit a surprisingly large bag. The other was a smaller bag, but tucked inside an adorable dog plush. I’d like to point out that the dog has a name: MONGTOO. It was explained that this is their most popular product, and I can understand why. MONGTOO, you’re a good puppy.

I do have plenty of reusable bags at home that I use for shopping and road trips. What gets me, though, are the spontaneous trips to the grocery store when I forget to bring a reusable bag. I’ll admit, I’m susceptible to buying plastic bags at checkout if I end up leaving with a haul larger than I can handle. All my reusable bags are pretty big and stiff, so they usually stay at home. This is where I found a place in my Everyday Carry (EDC) for BURDEN’s mission.

I wanted to spend some time with the bags before writing this review. With any new addition to your life, I like to believe there is a honeymoon stage; the time frame where you tell yourself this is the best and most amazing thing ever. Even though I met the team in person, I wanted to give a real, honest review.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve been swapping between the round case and MONGTOO. They were used for a range of situations, but primarily shopping. Both lived on my EDC bag via the keychain hook. I will happily admit, having a reusable bag key-chained to my EDC bag was a game changer. There were times when a spontaneous trip to the store occurred, and the BURDEN bag carried the items. My personal bag is fairly small and already carries quite a few things. Occasionally, I even received compliments on how nice the BURDEN sub-bag looks.

Would I recommend this? Absolutely. The random compliments helped, but overall, the bags themselves are useful and durable. They have added value to my lifestyle. The keychain idea was probably my favourite concept. Like putting your travel ear-buds in a case with a keychain. You don’t have to rummage through your bag to find them or remember if you packed them. It does not take up any room inside my personal EDC bag and other bags, which is already strategically full.

I messaged the team again to compliment their fashionable reusable bags. By mere coincidence, they let me know they have a special edition MONGTOO version they did with Squid Game, but it’s only available in South Korea.

Although I carry an EDC bag everywhere I go, I was rarely self-conscious of having another bag as a back-up, especially for those spontaneous trips. The ability to just add another bag that’s compact and key-chained to my EDC was the easiest way to carry more things conveniently. It also saves me some money, not needing to buy a plastic bag at check out. Plus, it looks great. If anything, trying to figure out a way to avoid single-use plastics should be a personal goal for the environment. Reducing your carbon footprint can begin with simple steps. Adding some fashion and flair makes the journey more enjoyable. Thanks, BURDEN, for taking that extra step.