Abstract: A preform for a container comprised of orientable plastics material and arranged so that the resultant blown container will include a hollow handle; said preform comprising a moulded structure having a neck portion and an expandable portion below the, neck, a hollow handle portion of orientable plastics material integrally connected at least at a first end to said preform which when the container is formed constitutes said handle, and wherein interior surfaces of said hollow handle portion form a continuum with interior surfaces of said expandable portion.

Abstract: A method of forming a container from bi-axially orientable plastics material and having an integral handle formed from a stem; said method comprising: (a) forming a preform having a neck portion and an expandable portion below the neck portion, said neck portion including a locating ring above the expandable portion and a solid stem of orientable thermoplastics material projecting from or near the neck portion or immediately below it and moulded integrally therewith, and (b) performing a blow moulding operation on said preform to expand the expandable portion to form the body of the container. Also disclosed is a container manufactured from a two stage injection stretch blow moulding process, said container including a graspable handle affixed at at least a first point to said container so as to form an enclosed area between the handle and the container and through which the fingers of a human hand may be passed.