I received a great question yesterday about the advantage of using one size/shape nut milk bag over another. I thought I'd post the question and answer in case anyone else had this burning question. :-)
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QUESTION: Hello I am interested in the nut milk bags, however I am not sure what the advantages of each bag is. For example the advantage of having an oval opening compared to the regular 12x12 bag.
ANSWER: I have a link that gives pros/cons for hemp vs nylon and I'll describe the other sizes here. Even though you didn't ask about materials, I thought I'd send it along just so you would have it. http://www.vt-fiddle.com/rawfood/difference_between_nylon_hemp_bags.php - link for hemp vs nylon • The v-shape bags are used JUST for filtering juices (in your blender) and nut/seed milks. They would not be used for sprouting because there wouldn't be enough room for the sprouts to grow. • The oval shape is nice because there are no corners for the nut/seed mash to get stuck in. Not that it is difficult to wash out or anything. We made the ovals because we had enquiries asking if we would make this shape for customers. I'd say if I were wanting to sprout, the 12 x 12 square would still be my preference for a bag. If you wanted a larger bag for making nut/seed milks or juices, the oval shape really does filter beautifully. Something about the rounded shape just feels nice. A bit of history: we started our nut milk bag business by making the 9 x 12s - they are the standard size nut milk bag. We tested out our bags with our first wholesale customer and so we feel we make the best bags out there. We were then asked if we could make a larger bag for some wholesale customers so we made the 12 x 12 bag. These bags are great because they give you the best of both worlds - ample space for sprouting and lots of room for making juices and nut milks. Beer makers, tempeh makers and other fermented product makers really like the 12 x 12 size (and they prefer the hemp bags). Then we were asked if we would make a funnel shaped bag that would be less material to have to deal with for squeezing out the liquid but large enough to hold the bags - so we make the 9 x 12 and the 12 x 12 into v-shapes (the 12 x 12 v-shape by special request). Finally the oval bag was asked of us to make and we make the 9 x 12 oval (by special request) and the 12 x 12 oval bag. We've also gotten some other custom size/shape bags that we've made for various projects and businesses. All of these shapes and sizes and materials really suggest that there's a lot of personal preferences for straining/filtering needs. Hopefully this helps you decide which bag(s) will be the ones you want to use or carry in your store.