Package consisting of a paper bag compactly packing compressed flexible articles

A substantially rectangular paper package containing compressed flexible articles, said paper package comprising:

• (a) a front and a back panel connected to one another by means of a pair of side panels, a bottom panel and a top panel;
• (b) an opening device comprising a pair of vertical lines of weakness located within one of said side panels of said paper package, said vertical lines of weakness defining a predetermined portion of said side panel to be at least partially separated from the remainder of said side panel without releasing the tension in the remainder of said side panel, said predetermined portion of said side panel being partially separated by applying a grasping force to a tear flap extending from the lowermost end of said opening device, whereupon said flexible articles coinciding with the aperture thus formed in said side panel expand through said aperture in a fan-like array while the portion of said flexible articles coinciding with the remaining tensioned portion of said side panel are retained in a substantially compressed condition;
• and
• (c) an internal reinforcement sheet comprised of biodegradable and/or recyclable material located on the innermost surface of said side panel comprising said opening device and said tear flap, said reinforcement sheet substantially coinciding with said tear flap having an uppermost end substantially coinciding with the lowermost end of said opening device and the uppermost end of said tear flap.

A substantially rectangular paper package containing compressed flexible articles, said paper package comprising:

• (a) a front and a back panel connected to one another by means of a pair of side panels, a bottom panel and a top panel;
• (b) a carrying device extending from said top panel;
• (c) an opening device comprising a pair of vertical lines of weakness located within one of said side panels of said paper package, said vertical lines of weakness defining a predetermined portion of said side panel to be at least partially separated from the remainder of said side panel without releasing the tension in the remainder of said side panel, said predetermined portion of said side panel being partially separated by applying a grasping force to a tear flap extending from the lowermost end of said opening device, whereupon said flexible articles coinciding with the aperture thus formed in said side panel expand through said aperture in a fan-like array while the portion of said flexible articles coinciding with the remaining tensioned portion of said side panel are retained in a substantially compressed condition;
• and
• (d) an internal reinforcement sheet comprised of biodegradable and/or recyclable material located on the innermost surface of said side panel comprising said opening device and said tear flap, said reinforcement substantially coinciding with said tear flap having an uppermost end substantially coinciding with the lowermost end of said opening device and the uppermost end of said tear flap.