{"id":1905,"date":"2022-09-01T12:46:22","date_gmt":"2022-09-01T17:46:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mrtakeoutbags.com\/blog\/?p=1905"},"modified":"2024-08-10T16:36:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-10T21:36:39","slug":"what-are-sos-bags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mrtakeoutbags.com\/blog\/what-are-sos-bags\/","title":{"rendered":"What, exactly, are SOS bags?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SOS! OK, now that I have your attention, I\u2019m not really in need of any help. Instead, I\u2019m here to offer some. No doubt as a business owner, you have folks needing to take items out of your store. And for more than 130 years, SOS bags \u2013 or Self Opening Sacks \u2013 have come to the rescue.<\/p>\n

Invented in 1882 by Ohio-born mechanical engineer Charles Stilwell, SOS bags have been a favorite for those many years for its ability to stand and easily be filled. This invention improved the store owners\u2019 and shoppers\u2019 experience and led to the creation of handled shopping bags in 1912.<\/p>\n

According to Ohio History Central<\/a>, \u201cCharles Stilwell was a resident of Fremont, Ohio. He fought in the American Civil War in the Union military. Following the conflict, Stilwell returned to Fremont, where he embarked upon a career as a mechanical engineer.<\/p>\n

\"sos<\/p>\n

Stilwell dedicated his free time to manufacturing an improved paper bag. Paper or grocery bags already existed, but they were not easy to fold or to store. They also could not stand on their own because of their V-shaped bottom. On June 12, 1883, the U.S. Patent Office granted Stilwell a patent for a machine that manufactured a square-bottom bag. The bag also had pleated sides. The square bottom allowed the bags to stand on their own, while the pleats permitted easy folding and storage of the bag when it was not in use. \u2026<\/p>\n

Stilwell’s invention dramatically improved the paper bag, making it much more desirable to American consumers. In essence, Stilwell’s bag was the precursor of modern-day paper bags. In 2000, Americans used approximately forty billion grocery bags based on Stilwell’s original design.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take a look at Stilwell\u2019s patent<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

\"sosBy the pound<\/h2>\n

When you visit MrTakeOutBags.com and look for an S.O.S. bag, you\u2019ll see them referred to by \u201cpounds,\u201d for example, 8# SOS bags. This naming convention has its roots in history, too.<\/p>\n

Back in the day, neighborhood grocers actually would fill your bags with dry ingredients such as flour and sugar for purchase. A 4# bag would fit just about 4 pounds of sugar and leave enough room at the top to be able to fold the bag down to seal it. Back then, they even referred to \u201cbarrel sizes,\u201d which would fit about \u201c1\/6th<\/sup> of a barrel of flour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interestingly \u2013 and if you\u2019ve used them before you know this \u2013 the thickness of the paper used to make the S.O.S. bag increases along with the size of the bag to be able to support more weight.<\/p>\n

Standard S.O.S. bags come in white or kraft paper and often many colors as well.<\/p>\n

Grease-resistant S.O.S. sacks have a coating that makes them not only heavier, but resistant to oils. These are best for donuts, tortilla chips and fries, to name a few.<\/p>\n

S.O.S. bags<\/a> also come in what\u2019s known as a \u201chardware\u201d bag. These will hold up to a pound of nails just fine.<\/p>\n

\n

\"varietySpecial styles cover all needs<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at a few of the special types of S.O.S. bags we offer:<\/p>\n