We take bags for granted simply because we can never remember a time when they didn’t exist in some form or another. From the humble grocery bag to a Louis Vuitton stylish shoulder bag, we need them for carrying out precious items. There are hundreds of different styles and shapes of bags, but there are far fewer ways of keeping those bags shut. For instance they can be secured shut by the use of a zipper, a stud, buttons or a drawstring.
Drawstrings are commonly seen on clothing items such as hoodies and sweat pants, as well as other types of clothing. They are pulled tight from either side and the gather the material and make it so it doesn’t fall down or fall off. The drawstring inside a bag works on a similar principle, as in to keep it shut tight. The string is pulled from both ends and as it tightens around itself the hole of the bags opening gets smaller and smaller until the bag is closed—exactly like a drawstring garbage bag.
Types of Closing
Burlap drawstring bags are one of the earliest types of carrying equipment and they were very likely a forerunner for the Duffel bag that sailors used to use for carrying their civilian items when going on shore leave. The Gunny sack is another example of the use of burlap and drawstring, whereby the potato sack was developed for transporting one hundred pound weights of potatoes between farms and their final destination.
Some materials are not suited to drawstrings when used in bags, simply because they are not pliable enough, but burlap, cotton, wool, leather and other such softer materials are all perfect for the task. Bags have been the subject of fashion icons since around the 1950’s when women’s fashion became the target market for many advertisers. The trend began in the 1940’s but the war slowed down progress, but once women were targeted they pretty bought into the idea. During the 1960’s the women’s handbag, clutch bag and Tote bags began a whole new life when trends starting to change, patterns progressed and materials were perfected and invented to make for a more user friendly market. Prices came down making fashion accessible to everyone, but the big brand names remained exclusive and elusive.
To find burlap drawstring bags check out the website for the Burlap store and get a list of their products and prices.
