Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection
name: label: Creator
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
topic: label: Topic
content: advertising -- Business ephemera
label: Topic
content: Libraries and museums
label: Topic
content: Department stores
label: Topic
content: Museums
label: Topic
content: Taverns (Inns)
label: Topic
content: Advertisement
label: Topic
content: Advertising art -- 20th century
label: Topic
content: Graphic design
label: Topic
content: Bookstores
label: Topic
content: Clothing -- American
label: Topic
content: Consumer goods
label: Topic
content: Beauty, Personal
label: Topic
content: Retail trade
label: Topic
content: Retail stores
label: Topic
content: Retail trade -- United States
label: Topic
content: Home
label: Topic
content: Home industry
label: Topic
content: Chocolate candy.
label: Topic
content: Shoes
label: Topic
content: advertising -- Groceries
label: Topic
content: Groceries -- Stores -- 1930-1990
label: Topic
content: cafes
label: Topic
content: Coffee shops
label: Topic
content: Sporting goods
label: Topic
content: Gifts
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
creator: label: Creator
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
setName: label: See more items in
content: Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: Collection documents commercial use of shopping bags to promote and or advertise products or services.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Many businesses use shopping bags as a less expensive form of advertising and promotion rather than print advertisements or television commercials. The shopping bags illustrate the creative aspects of the businesses and convey a brand message. These bags are made of a variety of materials including cloth, heavy paper, and plastic. In addition, retail stores, restaurants, bookstores, museums, libraries, coffee houses, grocery stores, and social groups create shopping bags with the hope that the consumer will reuse it.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 4 Cubic feet (9 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1980-2004, undated
custodhist: label: Custodial History
content: This collection was artificially created.
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0570
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Trademarks
label: Type
content: Shopping bags
label: Type
content: Advertisements
label: Type
content: Business ephemera
label: Type
content: Ephemera
label: Type
content: Home furnishings
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: Collection processed by Vanessa Broussard-Simmons, December 12, 1996.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Trademarks
label: Genre/Form
content: Shopping bags
label: Genre/Form
content: Advertisements -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Advertisements -- 21st century
label: Genre/Form
content: Business ephemera
label: Genre/Form
content: Ephemera -- 20th century
label: Genre/Form
content: Ephemera -- 21st century
label: Genre/Form
content: Home furnishings
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents note
content: Materials were created by department stores, bookstores, antique stores, banks, libraries, museums, art institutes, toy stores, restaurants, hotels, etc. and were gathered from a variety of sources to represent a wide regional selection. These materials were collected as one form of commercial use to advertise and promote products and services. In addition, the shopping bags document the businesses use of self promotion. 

Materials are arranged in alphabetical order by the name of the business since they were collected as advertising rather than their relationship to art or graphic design.  Researchers interested in a particular type of art style, technique, or artist should consult the shopping bag collection at the Cooper Hewitt Museum where they are collected as art forms.
relatedmaterial: label: Related Materials
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