Sacks that carry coffee, flour, hops and grain are often made from jute or hessian, and stamped with the logo of the farmer or co-operative. These sacks are only used once, making the trip from farm to wholesaler, and although they may have some damage, usually have far more life left in them. So, depending on the inherent quality ( some are quite rough and therefore scratchy), damage and wear, they can make good furnishing materials, for cushions, light upholstery, bedheads, blinds and curtains.
Other sacks that we can find for furnishings are the more durable hand woven and hand stitched linen and hemp bags, typically from Middle Europe. These are less likely to have dye stamps, but almost always have one or more coloured stripes woven through them. Many are of exceptional quality – beautifully woven and very tightly hand-stitched to preserve the valuable goods they carried to market.