You probably haven’t sat down and thought about it too much, but do you really know what the bags you use are made of. Sure, a leather bag is typically tanned cattle hide, PU leather is made from soft, malleable plastic, paper bags are made from trees or sea kelp, and so on and so forth. What’s canvas made out of?
Well, there is no “canvas plant” or mysterious canvas bird they can pluck it off of. So, what is it? The answer might surprise you a bit because, despite its humble origins, it makes some very durable and high-quality bags for everything from shopping to being a daily fashion accessory.
Check it out.
The Origin of Canvas Bags
Canvas bags aren’t anything new. They were first brought to the public’s attention as a serious fashion and daily use item in 1944 by Maine LL Bean. The original bag was a simple tote with minimal aesthetic design, but it functioned perfectly fine and provided a cheaper alternative to the leather bags that dominated the market at the time at a premium price.
Canvas Bags Today:
Today, canvas bags are a lot more varied. You can find them in the simplistic form they were originally made in, and you can even find simpler forms made as cheap throwaways sold at grocery markets instead of plastic or paper bags. However, since the fashion industry has developed as it has, canvas has gotten a ton of robust, professionally-designed, beautiful options added to its lineup. You can find canvas backpacks, high-fashion canvas bags, and more. Even better, they’re fairly affordable even when you go for the top-quality options. This is due to the materials used to make them and how easy the manufacturing process is.
Materials Used to Make Canvas:
Canvas is made from plant fibers. However, there isn’t just one plant used. Several plants can be used to make canvas, and it’s more about the method used to make the fabric than it is which plant is used.
Usually, cotton or cotton-linen is used to make canvas, but you can also find canvas made from hemp, synthetic fibers, and various other, usually plant-based, fibers.
Those fibers are separated into single strands, and then the strands are woven together tightly at a textile factory. This creates a tightly woven, high-durability, fabric that can be stitched together to form a bag or practically any other fabric-based product with little effort. It’s even used to stretch over canvas boards for painting due to its durability and ability to accept vibrant colors well.
Are Canvas Bags for You?
The great thing about canvas bags is that there are so many options available that anyone, in any price range, can find something that matches their needs and wants.
Canvas is far cheaper than leather, can last up to 75 years when treated properly, and is ultimately one of the most eco-friendly bag options out there.
So, don’t hesitate to look at canvas bags the next time you want something that’s fashionable, affordable, and made in an ethical way.