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SatMay 25

National Brown-Bag It Day – May 25, 2024

National Brown-Bag It Day is celebrated annually on May 25. This day is an ode to the unsung hero in our lives that gives us so many benefits. Brown bags have been popularly used in grocery stores and to pack and carry lunches to school or work. They’re great as they not only help us save some money that we would have otherwise spent on buying lunch but also encourage us to pack home-cooked meals and stay healthy. They truly deserve a day dedicated to them.

History of National Brown-Bag It Day

National Brown-Bag It Day is a fairly recent celebration and has been observed for less than a decade. It’s not known who established this day.

Brown paper bags have been part of our daily lives for many years. Knowingly or unknowingly, we use them almost everywhere for packing lunches, carrying groceries, or even making Halloween masks, and much more.

However, they did have to be invented at some point for them to have made an entry and improvement on our lives. The invention of the brown paper bag has been attributed to many innovators such as Francis Wolle, Margaret Knight, and Walter Deubener. These people endeavored to make it the best version of itself, be it through adapting the design, functionality, or pricing. Thanks to their efforts, we now have a timeless product that is widely used across the country and world.

People have been brown-bagging their lunches to school or work for a while now. However, the trend seems to have slowed down with people’s ever-increasing hectic schedules. In fact, between 2012 and 2013, Americans spent a whopping $1,000 on lunch each year. Now, imagine if you’d just brown-bagged your lunch. It would save you quite a lot of money and even help you eat healthy as you can control the portions of the food you pack.

National Brown-Bag It Day is the perfect occasion to bring brown bags back in style and encourage people to start using them more often. You definitely won’t regret this lifestyle change.

National Brown-Bag It Day timeline

1852
Brown Bags are Invented

A man named Francis Wolle from Pennsylvania creates a machine that cuts and pastes paper into an envelope-shaped bag.

1871
Flat-Bottomed Paper Bags

Margaret Knight, an American woman, invents flat-bottomed paper bags that can carry more items than the envelope-shaped bags.

1912
Deubener Shopping Bags

A grocer from Minnesota, Walter Deubener, uses cords to reinforce paper bags and adds handles to them.

2015
Largest Paper Shopping Bag

The world’s largest paper bag is made in the U.K and is recorded by the Guinness Book of World Records.

National Brown-Bag It Day FAQs

Who invented the brown bag?

The brown bag was originally invented as an enveloped-shaped bag by Francis Wolle. The flat bottom paper bag was later invented by Margaret Knight. 

What can I use brown bags for?

Brown-bags are extremely multi-purpose and can be used for a plethora of things. Use it to carry your lunch or groceries, make masks for trick or treating, keep your restaurant leftovers in it, and much more. 

Where is Brown-Bag It Day celebrated?

Brown-Bag It day is mostly celebrated in the U.S., however, you can encourage your friends across the globe to celebrate with you as well. 

How To Celebrate National Brown-Bag It Day

  1. Pack your lunch in a brown bag

    Make it your mission to brown-bag your lunch for work today and ensure your kids also do the same for school. Pick your favorite foods and enjoy a delicious home-prepared meal. You might even inspire others to follow suit from this day onwards.

  2. Make your own brown bag

    Yes, it’s easier buying brown bags, but you can save money by making your own! Why not use National Brown-Bag It Day for a little DIY craft project. Get supplies like sheets of brown paper from the store and get to work. Make a few for yourself and even distribute some to friends and family to show them that brown bags are still cool.

  3. Paint a brown bag

    Yes, it’s a rather unconventional idea but if you do have some spare brown bags lying around at home, why not use them as a blank canvas? Unleash your creativity and paint something beautiful on them. You can then use these artistic brown paper bags and show them off at work or school.

5 Important Facts About Brown Paper Bags

  1. They’re a renewable source

    Since paper bags are made from trees, they’re a renewable source, unlike plastic bags.

  2. They take a month to decompose

    While plastic bags take 10 to 100 years to decompose, a paper bag can decompose in one month.

  3. Less energy to produce

    Paper bags consume less energy during production, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

  4. They’re reusable

    Paper bags can be reused at home for multiple purposes such as for the storage of certain foods.

  5. Good for composting

    Paper bags are ideal for composting as they can be used to contain food waste.

Why We Love National Brown-Bag It Day

  1. It helps to save money

    When we are stuck in our busy lives, it’s easy to rely on bought meals as they’re more convenient. But Brown-Bag It Day is a great place to start if you’re looking to save some money and live on a budget. Brown-bagging your lunches for work and school will help you save the money you’d end up spending on take-out.

  2. Brown bags are versatile

    Who said brown bags only have to be used for carrying lunches? You can use them to carry small non-fragile belongings, as craft supplies, as shopping bags, and much more. National Brown-Bag It Day is a perfect day to celebrate their versatility.

  3. They help to make better health choices

    Deciding to brown-bag your lunch to work or school will encourage you to form healthier eating habits. You’ll know what’s going in your food and this way you can work on having a more balanced diet.

National Brown-Bag It Day dates

YearDateDay
2024May 25Saturday
2025May 25Sunday
2026May 25Monday
2027May 25Tuesday
2028May 25Thursday

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