Paper bag
They carry a wide range of products from groceries, glass bottles, clothing, books, toiletries, electronics and various other goods and can also function as means of transport in day-to-day activities.
In 1853, James Baldwin, papermaker of Birmingham and Kings Norton in England, was granted a patent for apparatus to make square-bottomed paper bags.
In 1883, Charles Stilwell patented a machine that made square-bottom paper bags with pleated sides, making them easier to fold and store.
[5] In 1912, Walter Deubener, a grocer in Saint Paul, Minnesota, used cord to reinforce paper bags and add carrying handles.
[8] Also in 2015: The European Union adopted directive (EU) 2015/720, that requires a reduction in the consumption of single use plastic bags per person to 90 by 2019 and to 40 by 2025.
The annual action day takes place on 18 October and aims to raise awareness among consumers about paper carrier bags as a sustainable packaging solution.
With different activities on local level, the association wants to open a dialogue with consumers and give them revealing insights about paper packaging.
[13] Plastic films [13] or different dispersions are sometimes used as inner layers or coatings to provide a barrier against moisture, water vapour, grease, oxygen, odours and bacteria.
They can carry and protect products up to 50 kg, and adapt easily to the nature of their contents and to handling constraints.
In especially adverse weather conditions, an extremely thin bioplastic, plastic or other adequate barrier film can be part of the surface layer in the paper sack construction for particularly effective protection.
Also, the correct storage and handling of paper sacks along the supply chain extends their shelf life.
Due to their natural, non-slippery texture and their construction, paper sacks can safely be handled, stacked, palletized and stored.
User-friendly opening systems, such as a tear-open flap, allow quick and clean access to the contents without the use of tools such as knives.
[19] The paper may be coated with polyethylene (PE) or different dispersions to ensure an effective barrier against moisture, grease and bacteria.
[20] In the first step of tube forming, paper and film (if applied) can be vent-hole perforated to improve the air permeability.
All paper sacks are tailor-made and cater to the specific area of usage, product type and transportation needs.
An SOS sack has a high stability and makes quick open mouth filling easy, and can also be reclosed.
This standard is based on scientifically conducted studies and helps retailers to avoid poor-quality carrier bags.
Due to their biodegradable characteristics, paper bags degrade in a short period of time (two to five months).
Most paper bags that are produced in Europe are made from cellulose fibres that are sourced from sustainably managed European forests.
Sustainable forest management maintains biodiversity and ecosystems and provides a habitat for wildlife, recreational areas and jobs.
Consumers can look for the FSC and PEFC labels on their paper bags to make sure they are made from sustainably sourced fibres.
The studies have shown continuous improvement, as the carbon impact of paper sacks has been reduced by 28% in eleven years between 2007 and 2018.
Paper carrier bags can be a visible part of corporate social responsibility, and they are in line with a sustainable consumer lifestyle.
"[33] Individuals may choose to brown bag to save money; if options to buy food are limited or absent; or to accommodate medical, religious, or lifestyle dietary requirements (e.g. low-fat or low-salt, kosher or halal, vegetarian or vegan).
Additionally, while "a substantial minority of brown baggers have access to microwave ovens or refrigerators," those who do not need to ensure their food can stay fresh until mealtime without refrigeration (possibly bringing their own, via ice packs and thermal bags), and be ready to eat without being reheated.
[33] The noun form of the term included in the Merriam-Webster dictionary in 1950 refers to use of a paper bag instead of a lunch box.
[38] Paper bags are occasionally worn over the head as symbol of embarrassment,[39] for example, the Canadian comedian The Unknown Comic.
It was established in the 1930s to represent the Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish kraft paper manufacturers and now has eleven member companies in twelve countries.
In 1911, the English chef Nicolas Soyer wrote a cookbook, Paper-Bag Cookery, about how to use clean, odorless paper bags for cooking, as an extension of the en papillote technique and an alternative to pots and pans.
