A duffel bag, duffle bag, or kit bag is a large bag made of either natural or synthetic

fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, and different types of fabric. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is no ...

(typically

canvas Canvas is an extremely durable Plain weave, plain-woven Cloth, fabric used for making sails, tents, Tent#Marquees and larger tents, marquees, backpacks, Shelter (building), shelters, as a Support (art), support for oil painting and for other ite ...

nylon Nylon is a family of synthetic polymers characterised by amide linkages, typically connecting aliphatic or Polyamide#Classification, semi-aromatic groups. Nylons are generally brownish in color and can possess a soft texture, with some varieti ...

History

Historically a duffel bag had a top closure using a drawstring. Later bags had a webbing hand grip, along with a shoulder strap with clip that closed the opening by nesting grommets from around the rim of the bag. An over

padlock Padlocks are portable Lock (security device), locks with a shackle that may be passed through an opening (such as a chain, chain link, or hasp staple) to prevent wikt:use, use, theft, vandalism or harm. Naming and etymology The term '':wikt: ...

able eye loop and an independent pair of ruck sack straps were also used. Generally a duffel bag is used by non-commissioned

personnel Employment is a relationship between two parties regulating the provision of paid labour services. Usually based on a contract, one party, the employer, which might be a corporation, a not-for-profit organization, a co-operative, or any othe ...

in the military, and for travel, sports and recreation by civilians, especially schoolchildren, who may use them to carry their physical education or football kits. When used by a

sailor A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. While the term ''sailor'' ...

or marine a duffel is known as a seabag. A duffel's open structure and lack of rigidity make it adaptable to carrying sports gear and similar bulky objects. A duffel bag is often confused with a hoop-handled hard-bottomed zippered bag, generically also known as a gym bag. Some of these misnamed ''duffle bags'' are also cylindrical but zip open on the long, horizontal side, and have handles like a

tote bag A tote bag is a large, typically unfastened bag with parallel handles that emerge from the sides of its pouch. Totes are often used as reusable shopping bags. The archetypal tote bag is made of sturdy cloth, perhaps with thick leather at its h ...

. File:Troepentransportschip de Seven Seas met militairen terug uit Nieuw-Guinea in Rot, Bestanddeelnr 914-4847.jpg, Single shoulder strap, 1962 File:US Navy 020416-N-4374S-505 Sailor walks with his daughter after returning from deployment.jpg, Sailor walks with his duffel bag, 2002. File:US Navy 110208-N-5538K-073 A Marine ties down sea bags during exercise Cobra Gold 2011.jpg,

Padlock Padlocks are portable Lock (security device), locks with a shackle that may be passed through an opening (such as a chain, chain link, or hasp staple) to prevent wikt:use, use, theft, vandalism or harm. Naming and etymology The term '':wikt: ...

ed duffel bags, 2011 File:Crew Swap 130729-N-YZ252-312.jpg, Dual shoulder straps, 2013

Name

The origin of the name is disputed. Most sources maintain the name comes from

Duffel Duffel () is a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Belgium, Belgian province of Antwerp (province), Antwerp. The municipality comprises the town of Duffel proper. On 1 January 2020, Duffel had a total population of 17,664. The total ar ...

, a town in

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, where the thick duffel cloth used to make the bag originated in the 17th century. According to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the word dates back to 1649, used to describe ‘a coarse woollen cloth having a thick nap or frieze’. The earliest reference of the word specifically referring to a ''duffel bag'' is 1768.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Duffel Bag Bags Luggage Duffel de:Rucksack#Seesack

History

Name

See also

References

External links