Flour Sack Towels

From the 1800s to the 1950s, tightly woven cotton sacks were used to hold and carry flour. When these became redundant or damaged in some way, many of the sacks were converted into bedding, clothing and towels by the wives of the workers. Before the cotton sacks came into being, the food stuffs had been carried in wooden barrels.

During the early 1920's, cotton became even more popular due to reductions in its price. Synthetic fibres had by this time come on the market which meant the cheaper prices led to many companies using cotton sacks for their packaging needs.

In the mid-1920's, flour sack manufacturers finally began to realise the increasing popularity of these cotton sacks with the womenfolk of the nation. The first flour sacks were put on the market in various colors specifically aimed at women looking for materials for dressmaking and similar activities. A few years later, the first sack patterns and artistic prints were born.

The 1930's saw increased competition amongst the flour sack makers to produce the best designed prints and patterns on the market. Professional artists and local designers were commissioned to create the most desirable sack cloths ever seen. Sellers found that they could influence the type of sugar, rice, cornmeal, flour or fertilizer simply by the type of design the product was contained in.

Many manufacturers were attuned to the possible uses of the flour sack cloths after their initial use. Pretty border designs and scenic prints were pre-emptive acknowledgements that the sacks would be used for pillowcases, doll's clothing, stuffed toys, quilt blocks and kitchen tea towels.

Things didn't stop there. Women began their own small businesses swapping and trading surplus flour sacks. Some were returned to the original stores for a small, others sold to women looking certain kinds of patterns. There were also services for those living in rural areas away from the main town centers.

Just before the 1960s. The cotton flour sack was beginning to wane in popularity. Companies had discovered a cheaper form of packaging, namely the paper bag. Advertising campaigns in newspapers and on the early televisions still praised the uses of cotton sacks for sewing and other home-making activities. By the late 60's, the fabric sack industry was fighting a loosing battle and began to focus instead on advertising the cotton sacks as novelty items and even producing them in different types of fabric including rayon.

However, in recent decades, they have made a come-back and are now sold widely across America in hardware, drug and dollar stores.

No. When seeking the genuine flour sack towels it is important to know what to look for. That's why it is often best to buy online where you can check the details and materials of a product in a collective grouping. This is exactly what I have done below by collecting a horde of genuine and quality flour sack towels all in one location from across the internet for easy viewing.

People often confuse flour sack towels with the tea towel. They are not the same. Tea towels are usually made from linen and are in most cases more expensive. Add to this, the fact that flour sack material is much more impressive when it comes to cleaning and polishing.

What to look for in deciding what is a real flour sack towel:

Made from 100% cotton
Soft to the touch
Thin
Lint-free

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