Bag construction with reinforced handles

A method of manufacturing a paper bag having reinforced handle attachments, the method comprising:

• providing a bag body having a top end an opposing bottom end and one or more side walls extending between the bottom end and the top end in a vertical direction, wherein the one or more sidewalls define a hollow interior of the bag body that is closed at the bottom end and open at the top end;
• adhering a first and a second end portion of an elongate handle to an exterior surface of the bag body proximate to the top end of the bag body at a first attachment area and a second attachment area, respectively, such that the handle is configured to extend from the first and second attachment areas generally in the vertical direction beyond the top end of the bag body;
• folding a first section of a sheet of material over a second section of the sheet to define a reinforcing patch having a folded-over top edge;
• applying an adhesive to an inside surface of the folded-over reinforcing patch;
• placing the reinforcing patch in registry with the handle such that the patch overlays the first and second attachment areas and the folded-over top edge is oriented generally perpendicular to the vertical direction and is proximate to the top end of the bag body;
• affixing the reinforcing patch to the handle and the exterior surface of the bag body, wherein the reinforcing patch is adhered to an outside surface of the handle and portions of the exterior surface of the bag body that are adjacent to the first and second attachment areas.