Box-bag with permanently secured handle

The method of making a container with a bag-like lower end portion and a top portion that is constructed with features of a folding box, including advancing a web in the direction of its length, making successive transverse cuts through the web at locations that correspond to a mid-region of the top of successive container blanks that are made from the web, securing reinforcing sheets to the web over areas that will form the top portion at the front and rear of each container blank, cutting away at least a part of the front top panel area for a distance extending down from the upper end of the container blank and of a width greater than the width of a handle that is to be applied to the upper part of the front of the container, forming a slot through the reinforcing sheet of the rearward top area in a direction transverse of the length of the web and at a distance below the top of the container blank approximately equal to the depth of the cut-away part of the front top panel area, applying a handle to the front top panel area with the handle permanently connected to said front top panel area at a location below the level of the cut-away part, folding the web lengthwise to form container blanks, and severing successive blanks from the folded web at the top end of the rear top panel area.