Trail friend, thank you for your order and bringing DirtBags to life, every single DirtBag being used and re-used means there are less single use and single serving chew, gel, powder and snack packets being used that inevitably end up in landfill.
For your order and help with moving the trail running industry towards a more sustainable future and asking less of the planet, here is a 10% discount code that you can share with friends: FRIEND10
Now that you've got your DirtBags, we'll go through first use, basic maintenance, some scenarios on how they can be used and how to best dispose of them to complete a circular life cycle.
Receiving & First Use
Your DirtBags should arrive in a kraft recycled brown paper envelope which sits inside of a cardboard mailer which is made with 100% post-consumer waste, these 300gsm rigid mailers are recyclable and biodegradable.
This means you have a few options on how to handle the packaging, you can compost all of the packaging materials that are sent to you in your own home compost and here in the UK you can recycle paper and card through your counties recycling program.
When your DirtBags are out, check that the zips open and close so that you can access them, place what you want inside and then seal them up to make them waterproof and that the zips are fully functioning.
It's best practice to give them a quick rinse with warm water and let them air dry completely before using them for the first time.
When you air dry them on a rack, keep them open and sat upside down so that the water can run out. I recommend trying to keep the opening for the DirtBag where the ziplocs are as narrow as possible, this is to stop the ziplocs deforming or bending open as they dry.
Ongoing Cleaning & Care
When you are using DirtBags and you've taken them home after an adventure, simply wash them with warm water and a bit of eco soap. I use my fingers and rub the warm water around and then rinse out a number of times before placing down on a rack to dry.
Do not put them in a dishwasher or use hot water to clean them, a simple rinse under a warm tap with a drop of eco-friendly dish soap is all it takes.
To help them dry and to prevent moisture from staying inside, dry them upside down over a clean wooden spoon that has a thin handle or on a drying rack.
Once dry, pack the Small DirtBags away inside a Large DirtBag in a cool, dry cupboard away from direct sunlight.
Fuelling & Saving Money
If you already have a fuelling system in place that you enjoy, such as using sweets you buy in bulk from a supermarket or energy powders from nutritional brands, you can start using DirtBags straight away. It helps if you have a food weighing scale; you simply place the fuel source you have bought in bulk or made at home into the DirtBag and weigh it out.
For instance, if you put 34g of Turkish Delight into a Small DirtBag that you decant from a huge 1kg or larger bulk bag, you have now created a single serving that contains exactly 30g of carbs. It takes just a few seconds and you have recreated a high-performance serving option without the single-use waste where the packaging is thrown away after one use.
To put that into perspective, premium branded energy chews cost around £4.00 for 60g of carbs. Turkish Delight shares an almost identical carbohydrate and functional ingredient profile but costs as little as £0.37 for that exact same 60g carb dose. By simply decanting a bulk-bought bag into your Small DirtBags, you will be fuelling like a pro for a fraction of the price. You can do the exact same thing with bulk-bought or homemade energy gels, chews, powders, snacks, etc.
Just decant, weigh and pack for your adventure then take your DirtBags back home with you to wash, dry and reuse.
If you are going out for a 3-hour run and want to fuel at 80g of carbs per hour, you simply fill up 6 Small DirtBags with the fuel of your choice, making sure there are 40g of carbs in each bag, and then you can have one every 30 minutes on your adventure. If you want any more inspiration and ideas on how to fuel like a pro for a fraction of the cost, check out our Sustainable Fuel Guide which I spent months putting together from a lifetime of experience in the mountains, supporting FKT attempts, my own adventures, and ultra-marathon races.
Lets Inspire Others
Trail running is a sport that is rooted entirely in nature, let's celebrate it by moving the running industry toward sustainable habits! If you take DirtBags out on a run, show the community how you're cutting out single-use waste.
Tag us @for.the.trail on Instagram or use the hashtag #forthetrail. We feature our favorites in our weekly For The Trail roundups to inspire others.
End of Life & Disposal
DirtBags have been made to be reusable, and I've had some that have lasted dozens of uses and others that have survived almost a year of continuous use. They only need replacing if the ziplocks and seals finally start to fail or struggle to click together, or if the bioplastic tears or rips.
When this happens, if you have access to a home compost or your local area accepts bioplastics in their industrial composting system, simply place them in the compost. They are TUV and Din Certco certified which means that in a standard home compost, 90% of the material should biodegrade within 12 months.
The reality of that timeframe differs and cannot be strictly guaranteed because every single compost pile is different. If you get higher temperatures in your compost, it will biodegrade more quickly. In my own testing I have had a DirtBag achieve this within less than 6 months, and this is due to my home compost reaching temperatures of 50c and consistently staying above 40c.
If you don't have a home compost, maybe now is a good time to start one? It's great for wildlife as well as creating a circular life cycle for DirtBags and you can use it in your garden too.
If you are unable to compost them, do not worry. Bioplastics which use plants in their production have a smaller environmental impact during their production compared to normal plastics. Even if a DirtBag eventually ends up in standard waste, its upfront carbon footprint is much lower, and it will leave behind absolutely zero toxic microplastics or forever chemicals, unlike a standard multi-layered laminated plastic gel packet that can stay in the environment for centuries.
DirtBags in the Wild - Help Us Track Their Durability
We’re doing a quick bit of fieldwork to see how DirtBags are performing out on the trail and in real world scenarios.
At the beginning of every month, we will send out an email with a simple poll to see how many times you've re-used your DirtBags. With the aim of gathering real-world durability stats from the community to find out exactly how many single-use plastic wrappers we’re keeping out of nature.
As you use DirtBags, if you can roughly log how many times you have re-used a single Small DirtBag or Large, it will help us back up our sustainability metrics with hard data.
You can do this just by taking a photo on your phone each time you use the same Small or Large DirtBag or by marking down the uses in a notepad.
We will send out the email at the beginning of each month.
Looking For Future Adventures or Races?
One of our partner sites is FindTrail and there we are cataloguing every single UK ultra-marathon race, where each event gets over 50+ data points so that you can find races based on your own specific requirements.
Stop wasting hours digging through race websites that are made for race directors. FindTrail brings every ultra-marathon in the UK into one powerful platform so you can focus on the training.
🔍 Search the Ultimate Ultra Database Our flagship tool lets you search, sort, and filter every UK ultra-marathon in seconds. Instantly narrow down the field by precise distance, elevation profiles, or specific race requirements to find your perfect starting line. 👉 Search the Race Database
🗺️ Explore the Interactive Race Map Visualise every single UK ultra on one map. Filter by region or National Park to find hidden gems right near your home, or map out an epic destination weekend. 👉 Open the Race Map
⚖️ Compare Races Side-by-Side Torn between two brutal mountain loops? Put them head-to-head. Instantly compare steepness metrics (m/km), historical DNF rates, entry fees, and over 80 deep-dive data points to see exactly what you're signing up for. 👉 Try the Comparison Tool
🍱 Dial In Your Race Fuel An ultra-marathon is just an eating contest with some running thrown in. Use our Food Discovery Tool to filter high-performance nutrition and build a fueling strategy that keeps you moving. 👉 Find Your Fuel
Safety & Legal Disclaimer
Hygiene Responsibility: As a reusable product, the user assumes all responsibility for maintaining hygiene. For The Trail DirtBags are not liable for illness or contamination resulting from improper cleaning or storage.
Trail Safety: Do not attempt to open or manipulate the packet with your teeth while running or moving at high speeds. When you are consuming foods and snacks from the DirtBags, do so whilst stationary or walking slowly to avoid choking or injury.
Choking Hazard: Contains small parts. Keep away from infants and small children.
Food Safety: DirtBags are manufactured using certified food-grade, BPA-free, non-toxic materials.
Terms & Conditions
Limitation of Liability & Food Safety Disclaimer
Product Use & Hygiene: DirtBags are sold as reusable containers for sports nutrition and gear. By purchasing, the customer acknowledges that DirtBag Brand cannot control the conditions of use, cleaning, or storage once the product has been delivered. It is the sole responsibility of the user to ensure the product is cleaned and dried to food-safe standards before every use.
Disclaimer of Illness: DirtBag Brand shall not be held liable for any bacterial growth, food poisoning, or illness arising from the reuse of the product or the ingestion of substances stored within it.
Material Compliance: Our products are manufactured from materials certified for food contact. While the material is non-toxic, it is not intended for ingestion.
Liability Cap: To the fullest extent permitted by law, DirtBag Brand’s liability for any claim related to the purchase or use of our products shall be limited to the total purchase price of the item(s) in question.
Need Help?
If you have questions about your bags or how to use them for a specific race, reach out to us and send us an email.