How much thought have you given the bags that you use in your brick-and-mortar location?

If you are like many entrepreneurs the answer may be, "Not much."

Many retailers make the mistake of overlooking how critical high-quality paper bags can be for their brand. That is especially true when you opt for Self Opening Sacks.

Frequently referred to in the packaging industry as SOS bags, these are some of the most popular and versatile of all paper bags. They are available in a broad selection of colors and materials, which means that they can be well-suited for use in many different retail operations.

What makes SOS bags so great? Why should your brand consider making them a part of your marketing strategy? Keep reading to find out.

Then, get in touch with Mid-Atlantic Packaging. Let our expert design team help you to finalize designs for SOS bags, mailers, shipping boxes, and all sorts of other packaging.

What Are SOS Bags?

Unless you're an insider in the packaging industry, chances are good that you have not heard of SOS bags before. Regardless, you are certainly familiar with this ubiquitous form of packaging.

What makes this type of bag superior to others? Most would say that it is this bag's ability to stand on its own.

Imagine trying to get an ordinary plastic grocery bag to stand on its own. It simply cannot do it. Moreover, you will probably have to use one hand to hold the bag open while you load or unload the bag.

What makes SOS bags so much better is that they have flat, box-like bottoms. This means that they can stably stand on their own without you having to hold them open. The bottom of the bag is broad and stable, leaving you with both hands free to load and unload items.

These block bottom bags frequently are constructed with gussets on the sides so that they can expand to hold more items.

Closure options are many and versatile. Frequently, no closure is used at all, but you may see these bags with closures that are rolled and glued or sewn shut.

Typically, SOS bags do not have handles. Nonetheless, they remain easy to carry. A small, light SOS bag that is carrying something that doesn't weigh much can have its top rolled over, which makes for a built-in carrying handle. Larger SOS bags can be carried by cradling the bottom of the bag in the hands or the arms.

The History of the SOS Bag

The first person to create an SOS bag was Charles Stilwell. This Ohio-based inventor fought for America in the Civil War before settling down to a mechanical engineering career.

At the time, paper bags were already in existence. However, Stilwell felt that the bags currently in use could be improved. These early paper bags had v-shaped bottoms. This meant that they could not stand by themselves. Moreover, these bags were bothersome for storekeepers to stack.

Stilwell's invention changed all of that. Thanks to his 1889 patent, paper bags suddenly became much easier to store and use. Equipped with pleated folds, it was no longer a problem to keep the bags neatly stored away to be easily unfolded when they were needed. Customers appreciated that they were easier to carry and unload once they got home.

Thanks to the box-like bottoms of these bags, it was now possible to load and unload paper bags without having to hold them open. Even better, the bags could stand on their own. They could be placed upright on a table or other flat surfaces with the top open. At the time, it was a life-changing innovation.

Stilwell went beyond simply inventing this new style of paper bag. He also began a manufacturing business to produce them.

The Different Sizes of SOS Bags

Many people are at first a bit confused when they start looking at an order for SOS bags. They may see that the bags are sold in varieties such as four pounds and five pounds. What does this refer to?

In some cases, you can choose your paper based on its weight, but that is not quite the case with SOS bags. The tradition of referring to SOS bags by the pound goes back to the earliest days of their use.

Back then, items such as flour and sugar were sold by the pound. Instead of being prepackaged in a sealed bag as they are today, these items were measured out by the grocer. Accordingly, the grocer would place the SOS bag on the scale and start scooping the flour, sugar, cornmeal, or other food items into the bag.

A four-pound SOS bag held four pounds of the item being sold. The bag was capable of holding four pounds of goods with room left over to roll or fold the top so that it could be safely transported.

This manner of "sizing" SOS bags stays true today. If you were to order some four-pound SOS bags, you would be able to scoop four pounds of flour into that bag with room left over to seal it at the top.

What Can You Use SOS Bags For?

The reality is that these bags are tremendously versatile. While you can use them to carry home sugar and cornmeal, we recommend that these bags be used for many other items as well.

SOS bags can be used in virtually any industry. At Mid-Atlantic Packaging, we have suggested the use of these bags for:

• Hardware stores
• Bakeries
• Soap makers
• Candle factories
• Jewelry stores
• Candy makers

Of course, the list does not have to end there. SOS bags can be constructed out of a variety of materials to suit the needs of any industry and its products.

Options to Consider When Ordering SOS Bags

One of the foremost options to think about is the material out of which your SOS bags will be constructed. The choices go far beyond simply "paper."

Standard SOS bags are made from white or brown Kraft paper. This makes them simple, beautiful, and flexible. In addition, they are compostable and biodegradable, which makes them an excellent choice for the eco-conscious brand and their consumers.

You do not have to settle for white or brown paper alone. With SOS bags, you can have any color of the rainbow. This includes the overall paper out of which the bag is formed as well as the inks that you can use for printing. Choose a single bold color to make a statement or make a bag that is mostly one color but features a contrasting logo or other graphic.

In addition to choosing the paper color, you will need to consider how heavy the objects that will be carried in your bags will be. This goes back to that "pounds" measurement for SOS bags that we discussed earlier.

As you might have already guessed, the paper that is used to construct SOS bags gets thicker as the pounds increase. Accordingly, a four-pound bag is constructed of thinner paper than an eight-pound bag will be. The increased weight that it can hold necessitates heavier, more durable paper.

You can work one-on-one with the designers at Mid-Atlantic Packaging to ensure that the SOS bags that you design for your brand are appropriately sturdy. Many of our customers do fine with lighter-weight bags, but we certainly can help you figure out how to scale that upward for any larger, heavier items.

Another essential consideration is whether or not the paper out of which your SOS bags are made needs to have any special coatings or finishes applied. These options can reinforce the bags, making them stronger or more resistant to leaks and spills. For instance, some SOS bags can be made grease-proof or grease-resistant. If you will be putting any items into your bags that might be greasy or have some liquid content, a special coating or finish is a very good idea.

What About Customization?

If you are going to invest in SOS bags for your brand, it is definitely worthwhile to go the extra mile. Don't hand out plain SOS bags in just any color. Make certain that each one is clearly marked with the signature of your brand.

This can look extremely different from one brand to the next. Consider adding one or more of these elements to your brand's SOS bags:

• Logo
• Brand name
• List of brick-and-mortar locations
• Website
• Social media handles
• Telephone number

Printing on SOS bags is easy and inexpensive, so don't be afraid of letting your imagination run wild. Some brands choose to keep their paper bags extremely simple and clean. Others opt to add all sorts of design elements. You can choose what's right for your business depending on your brand's personality.

SOS Bag Options from Mid-Atlantic Packaging

For many years, Mid-Atlantic Packaging has worked hard to bring its customers a broad selection of SOS bags and other packaging solutions. This means that you will find a surprising number of options when you browse our products.

Among them are our colored paper lunch bags. Choose the ready-made color that best suits your needs, then select the appropriate dimensions. We make it easy for you to find the perfect SOS bags for your brand.

Additionally, Mid-Atlantic Packaging sells simple brown or white paper lunch bags. Sturdy and stable enough to stand on their own, these bags make a statement that is straightforward yet stylish.

Whether you choose bags with bright colors or an understated brown or white, Mid-Atlantic Packaging makes it easy for you to add your logo to these bags. You can do so by clicking on the order page where it says "Click here to add your logo to this bag!"

What if you want to make even more changes? Just contact us! We specialize in designing custom-order SOS bags.

Also among our selection is the Kraft Extra Heavy Paper Lunch Bags. Available in packs of 400 or 500, these bags come in a wide array of dimensions. When you need bags that are able to carry larger, bulkier, or heavier items, just choose these sturdy bags. These are incredibly versatile options that are suitable for virtually any type of product.

Contact Mid-Atlantic Packaging Today

At Mid-Atlantic Packaging, we like to make the latest innovations in packaging available to our customers. Charles Stilwell's 19th-century invention was an enormous innovation in its time, and it's still an effective item today.

Why change something that works as well as the SOS bag? The only improvements that they need are the addition of your brand's name, logo, and other identifying information.

Contact Mid-Atlantic Packaging today for a custom packaging quote.