Flexible packaging is more significant than ever, and more brands are introducing bags and pouches to their product lineups.
Producers enjoy the versatility that flex bags offer, in addition to solid barrier properties and shelf appeal. From a customer standpoint, flexible bags and pouches are easy to use and keep their favorite products fresh.
These characteristics don’t happen by chance, of course. Not all bags are equal, and materials are what set the best apart from the rest. Here are the top materials for bag packaging, including extra shipping materials and the best that Dymapak offers.
What Are the Best Packaging Bag and Pouch Materials?
As brands embrace the benefits of flexible packaging, they must be smart about which materials they choose. The following materials offer specific strengths for particular product types, allowing you to package your bestsellers confidently.
Mylar (BOPET)
Initially engineered for industrial applications, Mylar has successfully adapted to modern, flexible packaging solutions.
The material is made with biaxially stretched polyethylene terephthalate, generating immense tensile strength and exceptional oxygen and moisture barrier properties.
The top-selling Dymapak Secure Sack is crafted with strong Mylar materials and finished with various top layers for visual flair. Printed labels and branding elements also translate well to the Secure Sack, increasing your products’ shelf appeal.
Polyethylene Options
The standard polyethylene variations have long been the norm in flexible packaging, from old-school shopping bags to the more recent selection of resealable stand-up pouches. While not as strong as Mylar, poly bags are highly customizable and offer sufficient strength in most use cases.
The added benefit of PE is its recyclable abilities, which help brands meet sustainable packaging needs by reducing waste and emissions. This is the aim of the Secure Sack Eco, which features familiar construction and trusted child-safe mechanisms.
Kraft and Paperboard
Wood pulp and paperboard materials are commonplace in rigid packaging options like corrugated shipping boxes and containers.
Flexible packaging quickly adapts this material with kraft paper pouches and bags, offering a high-quality, eco-friendly product packaging solution.
For products like organic snacks and premium cannabis goods, kraft offers exceptional protection and a rustic look and feel customers love.
What Should You Look for in a Bag Material?
Knowing your options is critical to choosing the best material for your following flexible packaged product. But what qualities are most important when finalizing your choice? Run through this quick checklist to compare your options and make the right pick.
Strength and Durability
Protection starts with strength, and flexible materials are deceptively strong. They are highly resistant to tearing, and precise heat seals allow packaging to travel safely throughout the most extended supply chains and storage environments.
However, Mylar is the clear winner in the strength department, offering more durability than the standard PE options. With that said, the Secure Sack Eco is also highly resilient, with the bonus of sustainability.
Barrier Properties
Products encounter hazards from every direction and dimension, and barrier materials stand in the way of preserving and protecting them. Flexible packaging may not have the benefit of brute strength, but barrier protections more than make up for this deficiency.
Mylar is a great all-around barrier protector, particularly from light and oxygen. Poly and kraft are ideal for temperature regulation, while foil is ideal for moisture protection. Find the correct formulation for your products and always avoid the following hazard.
Child-Resistant Features
Packaging materials are not inherently child-resistant, so packaging suppliers create specialized mechanisms to deliver extra safety features. Dymapak is a leader, offering lab-certified seals on all our bags and pouches.
Regardless of material, child-resistant features are a must when you’re packaging cannabis products, household cleaners, or snacks containing ingredients with potential allergens.
Lightweight Construction
Lightweight materials are a universal benefit of flexible packaging, and most options will not weigh down the scales significantly. This is appealing from a logistics standpoint and makes life easier for retailers and customers.
The material type will not significantly affect weight, so brands can confidently choose from most varieties.
Customizable Look and Feel
On the customization front, bags and pouches have much to offer. Stand-up bags and pouches offer plenty of surface area to cover with logos, colors, labels, and branded messaging.
Mylar offers the broadest printing and finishing options, while traditional polyethylene bags may be more limited.
Sustainability Metrics
Different types of packaging fall under the umbrella of “flexible,” and not all of them are eco-friendly packaging solutions.
As a result, brands will want to choose a cost-effective, trusted packaging design that will preserve fragile items and food products without cluttering landfills with more plastic bags.
The Secure Sack Eco, the world’s first recyclable lab-certified child-resistant pouch, meets these metrics. These bags are fully recyclable polyethylene and can be sorted with recycled plastic packaging.
Other Packing Materials To Use With Bags
Bags and pouches are considered the immediate or primary packaging layer for products, though there is more to the logistics equation. Consider the following materials when completing your packaging plan, and be aware of critical pros and cons.
Boxes
Corrugated and cardboard boxes are still the go-tos in the shipping world, and millions are loaded daily on and off pallets. These can safely store bag and pouch product units and are fully recyclable, with many alternative reusable outlets.
Mailers
Direct product mailers are commonly used in pharmaceutical applications, offering discrete and sleek customer presentations. When paired with flexible packaging supplies like plastic or paper bags and pouches, products can travel safely with high space and weight efficiency.
Cushioning
Extra cushioning is sometimes needed for non-standard shipments with flexible packaging, especially for more fragile product types. Determine whether your products can benefit from packing peanuts, bubble wrap, or corrugated cushioning with a more sustainable footprint.
Put Trust in Your Flexible Packaging Materials
Packaging materials shouldn’t be complicated, so Dymapak makes your choice easy. Pick from the strongest, tested materials with the barrier properties and unique features you expect from premium packaging.
Customers, shipping partners, and retailers will appreciate flexible packaging that keeps products safe and stylish from start to finish. Reach out to Dymapak today, and let’s create a custom packaging solution that leaves nothing to chance.
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