From simple chocolates to hamper basket gifts, you would truly find some breath-taking options for packing them in bags here.   In a gift basket, there can be chocolates and cupcakes, dry fruits and chocolates, sweets and candles, etc. Bags are used for carrying the return gifts and giving it to the guests who come for the wedding.  In South Indian weddings bags which are popularly known by the name “Thaamboolam” bags are used for  coconuts and betel leaves and given to the guests. These bags are either in cloth or Jute materials.  In many marriages, sweet boxes or return gifts are placed in the bags and given to the guests in an elegant way.   Let’s explore the world of bags one by one. 

1) Jute Bags

Ever since man learned to use the products of nature, Jute has been found to occupy an integral part of the culture of many civilizations. Archaeological evidence shows the usage of Jute during the time of the Indus civilization.  It was not until the arrival of the British East India Company, that Jute entered into the large scale commercial market.  The Jute which was just a weaving fabric was expanded to other uses as well. Bags were produced in tonne and were exported from India by the British.

Jute Bags are still trending in Indian weddings and are also used in wedding functions for carrying  return gifts. 

Jute bags come in colours that are symbolic with Indian weddings. The name of the couple are printed on the wedding bags or printed on cards that are tagged to the bags and are then given to the guests with return gifts in them.  

2) Cloth Bags

These Cloth bags are mainly manufactured with cotton.  Cloth bags are used for the same purpose as the jute bags.  Cloth bags come in a variety of colours.  The names of the couple are printed on the bags.  These cloth bags are generally used for carrying return gifts and giving them to the guests.  These cloth bags together with the jute bags are called ‘Thamboolam bags’ in South India.  Apart from using for return gifts, some varieties of cloth bags are also used for giving along with  sarees.  The sarees are kept in these bags and given to the guests.

3) Silk Bags

Wanna make the packaging look luxurious and grand?  Then Silk Bags are an excellent choice.  Made out of silk woven in the tradition of Kanchipuram or Varanasi, carefully and artistically stitched in an elegant way, the Silk Bag is a unique choice for the wedding functions.  The bags come in a lot of sizes big and small to suit the specific needs of the wedding. Big bags are essentially ideal for the wedding functions.  Small sizes of silk bags are mainly used for giving return gifts. Using silk bags is a new trend that is becoming more and more famous nowadays.

4) Paper Bags

Paper bags are mainly used for small weightless return gifts.  The return gifts are placed elegantly in the paper bags and given to the guests at the time of wedding. There is a growing trend for recycled paper.  Bags made out of recycled paper are now being preferred for return gifts.  Paper bags are not only used for return gifts, they are used for invitations too.  Bags made out of Art paper, designed in an artistic way are used along with Invitations and weightless box invites.  The invites when carried in a paper bag gives a rich appearance for the invites.

5) Potli Bags

Potli bags are made out of rich cloth, satin or velvet.   They are usually embellished with artificial beads, small mirrors and other such embellishments.  The potli bags are affixed to a draw string for opening and closing the bag.  Small potli bags are used for carrying valuables like coins, etc., whereas large potli bags are used for carrying the belongings of the bride.

The history of Potli Bags goes back to the Ramayana.  It is said that Lord Rama used a potli bag for carrying his belongings when he went on an exile to the forest for 14 years.  According to Mahabharata the Pandavas were said to have used Potli bags. 

Potli bags are not only unique to the Indian culture, they are also used in foreign countries under different names.  The swag bags of New Zealand and Australia are good examples.  Whatever it is, a potli bag is generally a bag used to carry something valuable.

 

For more information please check our Digital Book on Wedding Invites, Stationery & Gifts