Paper BagsRecycled Paper Bags | Brown Paper Bags | Paper Bags for Sale

While most retail chains and supermarket joints offer the option for the shopper to bag their purchases using recycled paper bags or plastic bags, the paper bag has been the center of all retail bagging the world over. The paper bag has come a long way and has even evolved to include durable brands made from recycled paper which boasts more strength and water resistance. With grave competition coming from the plastic bag intensifying because of the fact that the plastic bag is reusable, the paper bag has managed to hold its own. But where did the paper bag come from and what are its origins?

The original paper bag as we know it came from the United States and is a brain child of one Francis Wolle at around 1852 who invented a machine to solve the dilemma of how to bag customers' purchases at a retail or grocery store. Wolle, an ordained clergyman, was a learned man who worked in his father's store and was immediately drawn to the idea of creating a better way for shoppers to bag their purchases. This was indeed a dilemma because this was the same time that retail stores began to proliferate and become a part of the country's retail future. Wolle liaised with his brother and out came the Union Paper Bag Machine Company which was the commercial vehicle for carrying along their paper bag ideas. Wolle patented his idea in the United States and then in France.  Wolle later opened a plant in Savannah Georgia, a town at that time ravaged by economic hardship. The plant still operates today and is owned by paper giant, International Paper.

Margaret Knight's modification became what today is the square-bottom paper bag that has become a household item in many supermarkets. Margret's story is a tale of determination to win at all costs and while she worked on the invention, her employer almost fired her, complaining that the invention was a distraction to her regular duties. She offered to sell to him if the idea worked and he agreed to let her commence but in the male-dominated society of those days, her idea was quickly stolen and she had to fight it in court. almost going bankrupt in the process. But because of her meticulous record keeping, the Court granted the ruling in her favor.

The well-renowned paper bag with the square bottom thus became a world wide phenomenon, capturing the hearts of manufacturers and retail shoppers alike who were drawn to its size and durability. It was also easy to dispose. Today the paper bag has undergone a renaissance of its own and is now wholly made of recycled paper rather than direct wood products. This has silenced environmentalists who claim that the paper bag has accelerated deforestation in that more trees are cut down to cater for the market for brown paper bags for sale.

Due to tough economic times, most major food stuff manufacterers are becoming particular how they package their products. A casual glance at the isles at the supermarket will tell you that most food is packaged in plastic or paper bags. While plastic bags have been very widely used, there has been a recent shift to paper bag products because of their cost and the fact that they are environmentally-friendly.

For decades, plastic bags have competed toe-to-toe with recycled paper bags, from the manufactering plants to the retail supermarkets. In many countries now especially the United States, shoppers at local super markets and retail chains offer their customers the option to have their products bagged in plastic or paper. While many customer still value plastic because of its durability, water-resistant nature and also the fact that it is extremely reusable, paper bags are also wildly popular.

One of the reasons why brown paper bags are popular is because of safety. Plastic bags have been responsible for many deaths especially for small children. This is because children are fond of playing with plastic bags and one of the ways in which they do this is to place the bags over their heads. In the event that the child is unable to free themselves fast enough, death by suffocation can occur. This is one major reason why shoppers prefer paper bags to plastic bags.

Another reason why shoppers prefer paper bags for sale is because they are easily disposable. While plastic bags have obvious advantages, they tend to litter the house because most people reuse them. This can cause an environmental issue especially it there are wrong disposal.  If disposed of wrongly especially in areas with farm animals, these animals can swallow these bags and suffer health repercussions. One major disposal issue that environmental proponents fight about in regards to plastic bags is the way recycling plants handle them. While recycling has been welcomed by many as a safe way of getting rid of plastics that have outlived their use, it has since been discovered that they are incinerated thereby releasing harmful toxins into the atmosphere.

Paper bags are light, safe and can be easily discarded after they are used. They therefore pose no threat to small children or to the environment. Although the chances of paper bags causing a fire exist, the chances are slim compared to dry grass during summer. When children play with paper bags, they end up shredding them and therefore they pose no imminent threat.

Paper bags are also extremely cost effective for the retailer and in most supermarkets, they are free with any purchase. This may not necessarily be the case with plastic bags where in countries such as Ireland, pose such an environmental hazard that an additional charge is passed on to shoppers who want to carry their grocery purchases using plastic bags.