In the following half century, the development of kraft paper shopping bags was smooth sailing. The improvement of materials continuously enhanced their load-bearing capacity and made their appearance more exquisite. Manufacturers printed various trademarks and patterns on kraft paper bags and entered shops on the streets and alleys. Until the mid-20th century, the emergence of plastic shopping bags became another major revolution in the history of shopping bag development. It eclipses the once popular kraft paper bag with its advantages of being lighter, stronger, and cheaper to manufacture. Afterwards, plastic bags became the first choice for daily consumption, while cowhide bags gradually "retired to the second tier". Finally, the lost glory of kraft paper bags can only be applied in the packaging of a few skincare products, clothing, books, and audiovisual products under the guise of "nostalgia", "nature", and "environmental protection".
However, with the global prevalence of the "anti plastic" trend, environmentalists are once again turning their attention to the ancient kraft paper bags. Since 2006, McDonald's China has gradually implemented a kraft paper bag with thermal insulation properties in all stores to hold takeout food, replacing the use of plastic food bags. This measure has also received positive responses from other businesses, such as Nike, Adidas and other former plastic bag consumers who have started using high-quality kraft paper bags to replace plastic shopping bags.