Vacuum packed.

• Position: What's New? - Space Bags, Space-Savers introduce collapsible packaging

* When you pack a suitcase or put things away for storage, do you realize how much space is taken up by air? No? Neither did we until the folks at New West Products, Inc., San Diego, Calif., filled us in. Of course, this did not just come up in idle conversation. They were letting us know how much more we could cram into a limited amount of space if we used their products to get rid of that pesky air. It turns out that they're right.

Utilizing the Space Bags and SpaceSavers can create more room in closets, chests of drawers, suitcases, or wherever else you are packing things away. Space Bags, which come in jumbo (36" x 48") and large (21 1/2" x 33 1/2") sizes, are meant for putting away blankets, cushions, winter coats, sweaters, or whatever else you wish to store until they are needed next. Simply slip the contents into the heavy-duty polyethylene and nylon bag and seal it with the patented Sure-Zip system that ensures an airtight closure. Then, with a vacuum cleaner, suck all the air out of the bag through the one-way valve that prevents it from returning. The resulting flattened package produces up to 300% more storage space, New West maintains. We diligently followed the directions and, lo and behold, an amazing shrinking package replaced the bulging one we had started out with, though we didn't quite reach the 300% stage. Bags full of clothing shrank down much more successfully than pillows, which seemed to have a natural buoyancy, but every bit of space saved was vastly appreciated. Moreover, sucking out air also serves to remove...