A method of manufacturing a handled plastic container which includes the steps of: a) positioning a preformed handle and a synthetic resin preform within an open blow mold without mutual engagement of said handle and preform; said handle including upper retaining means and lower retaining means and said preform including a molded engagement portion adapted to engage with the upper retaining means of the handle; b) causing the upper retaining means of the handle to interconnect with the engagement portion of the preform after the handle and preform have been separately positioned within the blow mold; and c) stretch blow molding the preform in the blow mold wherein said blow molding stretches the preform beneath the engagement portion into blow mold to form a container and expands the sidewall of the preform so as to retain the upper retaining means of the handle in interconnecting relation with the engagement portion of the preform. In another aspect of the invention there is provided a handled plastic container, said container comprising a low molded plastic bottle and a separate handle interconnected thereto wherein the handle includes upper retaining means and lower retaining means, said upper retaining means including a lug or protrusion, and the bottle including a neck finish having an engagement portion co-operate with said lug or protrusion connecting said upper retaining means with said bottle, and wherein the lower retaining means in integrated with a portion of a sidewall of the bottle.