Paper bag
A paper bag is a bag made of paper, usually kraft paper. Paper bags can be made with virgin or recycled fibers depending on the customer's needs. Paper bags are generally used as shopping bags and for the packaging of some consumer goods, such as groceries, glass bottles, clothing, books, electronic products, etc. They are also used to transport everyday objects on a day-to-day basis.
History
In 1852, Francis Wolle, a schoolteacher, invented the first machine to mass-produce paper bags. Wolle and his brother patented the machine and founded the Union Paper Bag Company.
In 1871, inventor Margaret E. Knight designed a machine that could create flat-bottomed paper bags that could carry more weight than the envelope-type interior design.
In 1883, Charles Stilwell patented a machine that made paper bags with square bottoms and fold-over sides, making them easier to fold and store. This style of bag became known as an S.O.S., or "Self-Opening Sack".
In 1912, Walter Deubener, a grocer in Saint Paul, Minnesota, used cord to reinforce paper bags and add carrying handles. These "Deubener Shopping Bags" they could carry up to 75 pounds and became very popular, selling over a million bags a year by 1915. Paper bags with handles later became the standard for department stores and were often printed with the logo or brand colors.
Plastic bags were introduced in the 1970s and, thanks to their lower cost, eventually replaced paper bags as the bag of choice for grocery stores. However, with the trend toward phasing out lightweight plastic bags, some shopkeepers and shoppers have gone back to using paper bags.
In 2015, the world's largest paper bag was made in the UK and recorded by Guinness World Records. [6] Also in 2015: The European Union adopted Directive (EU) 2015/720, which requires a reduction in the consumption of single-use plastic bags per person to 90 by 2019 and 40 by 2025.
In 2018, “European Paper Bag Day” was established by The Paper Bag platform, an association of leading European kraft paper manufacturers and paper bag producers. The annual day of action takes place on October 18 and aims to raise consumer awareness of paper bags as a sustainable packaging solution. It was launched to encourage more people to act responsibly and use, reuse and recycle paper bags. With different activities at the local level, the association wants to open a dialogue with consumers and give them revealing ideas about paper packaging.
In April 2019, the European Union adopted Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of June 5, 2019, on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.
Construction
Standard paper bags without handles are made from white or brown Kraft paper. Paper bags with handles, such as those commonly used in stores for grocery shopping or as gift bags, can be made from a wide range of ball papers and printed in multiple colours. There are two different styles of paper handles: flat handles and twisted cord-type handles. The paper for making paper bags can be virgin or recycled fiber or a mixture of both.
Paper bags are very resistant, normally they can support weights greater than 12 kilos. And if they are specially made, they can achieve greater resistance or even be waterproof to carry refrigerated products.
Paper bags are reusable. In Spain, ITENE, the Technological Institute of Packaging, Transport and Logistics, has carried out a study that shows that paper bags are reusable at least five times to buy the same type of purchase again..
Due to the rise of online sales and the need for new lightweight packaging, special paper bags are being used for lightweight shipments.
Single Layer
Paper shopping bags, grocery bags, paper bread bags, and other lightweight bags have a single layer of paper. A variety of constructions and designs are available. Many are printed with store names and trademarks. Paper bags are not waterproof, although they can be made with moisture-proof paper to serve refrigerated products.
Multilayer paper sacks
Multi-layer (or multi-wall) paper sacks, also called industrial paper bags, industrial sacks or shipping sacks, are often used to package and transport dry powdered and granular materials such as fertilizers, feed, sand, chemicals dry, flour and cement. Many have multiple layers of paper, a printed outer layer, and inner layers. Some paper sacks have a plastic film, aluminum foil, or polyethylene-coated paper layer in the middle as a water-repellent, insect-resistant, or rodent-resistant barrier.
There are two basic bag designs: open-mouth bags and valve bags. An open-mouth bag is a tube of layers of paper with the bottom end sealed. The bag is filled through the open mouth and then closed with stitching, adhesive, or tape. Valve bags have both ends closed and are filled through a valve. A typical example of a bag with a valve is the bag of cement.
Quality standard and certification
Paper bag durability can be measured according to the European test standard EN13590: 2003. This standard is based on scientifically conducted studies and helps retailers avoid poor quality shipping bags. The quality certification system for paper bags is based on this standard. The test method subjects the transport bag to heavy weights while being repeatedly lifted. The size of the paper bag is taken into account because the larger its volume, the heavier the load it must be able to carry. As a result of the certification, the paper bag is marked with the weight and volume that it can carry. It is advisable to choose a tested and certified paper bag.
Sustainability
The raw material used in the manufacture of paper, cellulose fiber extracted from wood, is a renewable and natural resource. Due to their biodegradable characteristics, paper bags degrade in a short period of time (two to five months). When natural water-based paints and starch-based adhesives are used, paper bags do not harm the environment.
Most paper bags produced in Europe are made from cellulose fibers that come from sustainably managed European forests. They are extracted from the felling of trees and from process residues from the sawn timber industry. Sustainable forest management maintains biodiversity and ecosystems and provides habitat for wildlife, recreation areas, and jobs. This sustainable forest management is proven in the FSC® or PEFC ™ certifications of paper products. Consumers can look for the FSC and PEFC labels on their paper bags to ensure they are made from sustainably sourced fibers.
.As a wood product, paper continues to store carbon throughout its useful life. This carbon accumulation time is lengthened when paper is recycled, because the carbon remains in the cellulose fibers.
.Paper bags can be used multiple times. Paper bag manufacturers recommend reusing paper bags as often as possible to further reduce environmental impact.
Recycling
Paper bags are highly biodegradable and recyclable and therefore do not have the same environmental footprint as bags made from other materials. Fibers are reused an average of 3.6 times in Europe, while the world average is 2.4 times.
Plastic or water-resistant coatings or layers make recycling difficult. Recycling of paper bags is done by re-pulpting the recycled and pressed paper into the required shapes.
Branding and marketing
Paper shopping bags can be used as a vehicle to project the brand image of retailers. Paper is very tactile due to its texture and shape. Its print quality and color reproduction allow creativity in advertising and the development of the brand image. In addition, they achieve maximum visibility and high appreciation from customers. Using paper bags is a sign of commitment to the environment and by using packaging made from renewable, recyclable and biodegradable sources, retailers and brand owners are helping to reduce the use of non-biodegradable shopping bags. Paper bags can be a visible part of corporate social responsibility and are in line with a sustainable consumer lifestyle.
Associations
The platform "La bolsa de Papel" was born in Spain in 2010, it is made up of manufacturers of paper bags, manufacturers of paper for bags, manufacturers of paper handles, manufacturers of inks and manufacturers of paper bag machinery. Its objective is to promote sustainable consumption with a natural bioproduct, carry out technical and market research, innovate to provide new solutions to trade and satisfy consumer desires with renewable, biodegradable, reusable and recyclable paper bags.
The Paper Bag platform is made up of the main European paper manufacturers and producers of paper bags. It was created in 2017 to represent the interests of the European paper bag industry and to promote the advantages of paper packaging. The Paper Bag is run by the organizations CEPI Eurokraft and EUROSAC.
Other uses
Paper bags are commonly used to transport items. However, they have also been used for other purposes. In 1911, English chef Nicolas Soyer wrote a cookbook, Paper-Bag Cookery, on how to use clean, odorless paper bags for cooking, as an extension of the en-wrap technique and an alternative to pots and pans.
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