World Paper Bag Day- July 12

July 12, 2022

World Paper Bag Day- July 12

Paper bag day also know as World Paper Bag Day occurs on July 12 each year and celebrates the humble paper bag ,which does so much more than carrying our groceries. Today millions of people choose to switch to paper bags for carrying their shopping, as the widespread use of plastic and its harmful effects on the environment at large, raises alarm bells in our collective consciousness.

World Paper Bag Day 2022

The Paper Bag Day or World Paper Bag Day is celebrated every year on July 12 across the world. This day is committed to raising awareness about the need for the usage of paper bags. Also, it encourages people to use paper bags instead of plastic bags. Paper bags are eco-friendly, biodegradable and easily recyclable.

History of the World Paper Bag Day

The first world paper bag day celebration is not known yet. The creator and origination of the day are not found, it does mark the date one American patent was issued for a paper bag machine. 1859, July 12 William Goodale received a patent for his paper bag machine.

In order to properly understand the history of Paper Bag Day, we have to go through the history of the paper bag itself. In 1852, an American inventor, Francis Wolle, designed the first paper bag machine. Further, Margaret E. Knight established another advanced machine in 1871, that can manufacture flat-bottom paper bags.

So, she became famous and earned the title of “the mother of the grocery bag”. In 1883, Charles Stillwell twisted Knight’s design by adding pleated sides to the paper bag in order to make it easier to carry, fold, and store. Moving forward, in 1912, Walter Deubener added a cord to reinforce the paper bags and handles for ease of carrying.