If the word "feedsack" conjures up thoughts of burlap, then you probably weren't around before 1960. From the mid 1920s through the beginning of the 1960s, products bought in bulk were packaged in colorful sacks made from cotton. And even though they are collectively referred to as feedsacks, the most common products packaged in the sacks were flour and sugar.

Sack packaging first appeared in the 19th century, but those sacks were made from white or unbleached muslin. Even so, the sacks were saved and reused, or they were cut and sewn into clothing and household goods. The printed and colored sacks came about as part of a clever marketing scheme. Someone at one of the many sack factories realized that they could sell more sacks if their sacks were somehow more desirable. The idea was that people would request printed sacks if they needed extra fabric to match a sack they already had. The idea was successful and soon printed sacks were commonly used as packaging. Consumers loved them and soon many Americans were making everything from aprons to underwear from the bags. One 100 pound bag was large enough to make a simple blouse, but it took at least three bags to make a dress. The bag manufacturers even distributed booklets like the one at the left, which gave suggestions for using the bags in different ways.