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.

With a consumer-driven economy putting more and more demand on shopping carrier bags of all types, environmental groups are calling for the shopping bag manufacturers to cut down on bags made of such materials as Polypropylene and other plastic brands and switch to brown paper bags. While Polypropylene bags are still ideal for many of the products especially in food packing both in retail and at home, paper bags have quickly increased in popularity.

One of the reasons why paper bags for sale have spiked in popularity is because of the current state of the economy. With many industries experiencing shrinking profits due to less money being spent by consumers, there has been a move to switch to more cost-effective ways to pack products which consumers purchase at retail and grocery stores. Hence paper bags are the answer to a more cost-efficient way of packing.

Paper bags also work extremely well for the customer or consumer. Today's popular brands have been made more durable meaning they can withstand more weight and therefore be more adept to carry more. Customers can therefore shop more and use less bags to carry their items out of the store. The  from the car to the house is also easy especially due to the fact that most of these bags come with carry-on strings.

Paper bags are also environment friendly. Although there are those that content that they still contribute to deforestation due to the fact that trees end up being cut down to cater for their manufacture, research has unearthed the fact that the production of paper bags does not necessarily lead to more deforestation than is actually there now because recycled tree products can also be used.

Paper bags have also been recommended especially for families with children because they are safe. Plastic bags have been at the center of many tragedies involving asphyxiation (death by choking) especially where a small child slips one over their head and are then unable to free themselves.

Paper bags are therefore the answer to safe, cheap and environment-friendly retail shopping. Many retail stores still use plastic bags and offer their customers the option to choose between which one they prefer. But even while doing this there is a strong recommendation to buy paper bags instead of plastic ones. To conserve the environment and keep costs down, paper bags can also be recycled to produce more paper bags or even other products.