Bag

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"Paper bag" redirects here. For other uses, see Bag (disambiguation) and Paper bag (disambiguation).

Wash bag

A bag is a container that is usually used for storing or holding something. Bags are non-rigid, normally made of paper, cloth, thin plastic or some other flexible material. A bag may have one or two handles, or none at all. A bag may be closable by a zipper, etc., or simply by folding (e.g. in the case of a paper bag). Sometimes a money bag or travel bag has a lock. Sachets may be fabric bags that are filled with pot pourri and tied off with ribbons.

Youth giving a purse to a sitting courtesan

The word probably has its origins in the Norse word baggi[1].

Bags vary from small ones, like purses (e.g. as an alternative to putting small objects in pockets of clothing) to large ones for use in traveling like a suitcase.

Cheap disposable paper bags and plastic shopping bags are very common in the retail trade as a convenience for shoppers, and are often supplied by the shop for free or for a small fee. Customers may also take their own shopping bags to the shop.

Environmental concerns regarding over-use and disposal of disposable plastic bags means their availability is being reduced in many European Union countries, including Ireland and the Netherlands. In some cases the cheap bags are taxed so the customer must pay a fee where they may not have done previously. Sometimes heavy duty reusable plastic and fabric bags are sold, typically costing €0.5 to €1, and these may replace disposable bags entirely. Sometimes free replacements are offered when the bag wears out. A notable exception to this trend is the UK, where disposable plastic bags are still freely available and are dominant. See also Plastic bag (Environmental issues).

Paper bags are often stamped with the name of the individual who constructed the paper bag.