Abstract: A packaging machine for packaging clothing articles in a packaging portion of a hose-shaped synthetic plastic material foil includes a machine frame on which a roll of the synthetic plastic material foil is rotatably mounted. The foil unwound from the roll is guided by diverting rollers along a predetermined path to an upper region of the machine frame. An opening device opens the hose-shaped foil at the upper region of the machine frame. An upper welding device welds the foil at the upper region of the machine frame along a predetermined imaginary line situated between the packaging portion and the remainder of the foil with attendant formation of an upper welding seam at which the packaging portion is dissociated from the foil remainder foil. A pulling device pulls the opened hose-shaped foil downwardly over the clothing article to be packaged and includes a foil-pulling carriage guided on the machine frame for vertical displacement, and a motor which displaces the carriage.