Not every modern person knows what a string bag is, because the dawn of the era of these convenient bags fell in the middle of the 20th century. It was a net woven from strong threads and became a faithful assistant in shopping trips. Avoska was an invariable attribute of every Soviet housewife.
Advent string bag
The story of this accessory is simple and straightforward. Her homeland is the Czech Republic. The world has learned what a string bag is thanks to Vavrzhin Krchil. At the same time, he initially came up with hair styling nets; they gained incredible popularity in the 19th century. But after a while, the demand for this accessory began to fall. Vavrzhin, possessing an excellent ingenuity, attached pens to the net, making it a bag for everyday shopping.
The popularity of this bag quickly gained momentum, and by the 30s of the twentieth century, and the inhabitants of the USSR learned what a string bag is. Here she got her famous name from the satirist Vladimir Polyakov, and the concept of "string bag" spread thanks to Arkady Raikin.
The standard sizes of the bag had the ability to stretch to enormous sizes, and weaving from durable high-quality threads, allowed to carry a lot of weight in it. A string bag could easily withstand weight up to 70 kilograms, was a durable, reliable accessory. It is noteworthy that such a string-bag made it possible for residents of Soviet society to get to know each other better. The neighbors saw that someone had bought a lot of products, as they were waiting for the guests to arrive. And the alcoholic from the entrance opposite acquired a significant amount of alcohol.
Features of the mesh bag
A typical shopping bag is a combination of more than three hundred cells and has 14 rows of weaving. Initially, people did not tolerate large volumes of products in these mesh handbags due to the fact that, due to their subtlety, its threads cut their hands. Therefore, flexible tubes were later invented, which were inserted into the string handles. They allowed to load the accessory with significant weight, without the risk of injury.
Over time, the bag began to be used not only to carry purchased goods. It became a real find for those who wanted to keep perishable food in the winter without the help of a refrigerator. Milk, cheese, butter and other things were put in a wicker bag and hung out outside the window. In addition, the string bag has found its application in sports. She was equipped with basketball hoops.
The spirit of Western culture
People walking with a wicker bag, dairy bottles and other products were an ordinary picture of the mid-20th century in the USSR. However, representatives of Western Europe also quite often used this accessory in everyday life. A mesh bag, for example in England, was called a fishnet bag. Surprisingly, but today it is in high demand in Europe. This is caused by concern about the environmental situation on the planet. The cost of such a thing in the USSR was small, but in the same England the price could reach several tens of dollars.
Over time, string bags made from twine began to leave the Soviet Union market. They were replaced by a new type of bags made of nylon. They did not have such a huge capacity, but had a more attractive and stylish appearance. The main reason for the decline in the popularity of mesh bags was their unaesthetic appearance. More and more often, a string bag could be seen on the mezzanine, and not in the hands of passers-by. By the 80s of the XX century, it was mainly used by the elderly population of the country, and the beginning of the 90s put an end to the history of this thing in the territory of modern Russia.
A modern look at the wicker bag
The 21st century is a time of struggle for a clean planet, a general improvement of the ecological situation on it. Thanks to this, modern society has again learned what a string bag is. Famous world fashion designers play with texture features and a color palette. Increasingly, mesh bags can be seen on the catwalk in the hands of models advertising new collections. And this item from the past is a delight for the viewer. Perhaps in the near future this accessory of the past era will regain its former popularity and become an indispensable item in the household of every person, as it was before.