Introducing the applied materials and layers

  1. Polyethylene
    • The oldest thermoplastic film
    • In metalized form as transparent, white and colorful
    • With 25 to 100 micron thickness
    • High quality in thermal adhesion
    • Not a good protection against air
    • Good resistance to fluids and humidity
    • Used for laminating the internal part of the pouches
    • For shrink films
    • Used as single layer for products that need minimum protection
  2. BOPP and OPP
    • Widely used amongst thermoplastics
    • With 15 to 40 micron thickness
    • In metalized form as transparent, white matte
    • Less adhesion compared to polyethylene and CPP
    • High printing quality in flexo and heliogravure technique
    • Better protection compared to polyethylene and CPP but less resistance against air
    • Used as the main layer and laminate
  3. Polyester
    • With 8 to 12 micron thickness
    • There is a kind of polyester with 23 micron thickness called twist and used for wrapping the chocolates.
    • Good protection against air
    • High quality of printing
    • Used as laminate
  4. Polyamide
    • With 15 micron thickness
    • Does not have thermal adhesion
    • High protection feature
    • Medium printing quality
  5. Aluminum
    • With 7 to 12 micron thickness
    • High protection feature
    • Does not have thermal adhesion
    • Low printing quality
    • Used between layer to prolong the preservation
  6. CPP
    • The same as OPP but with better thermal sewing and better protection against rupture
    • Less transparent and low printing quality than OPP
    • Mostly used for laminate
    • One its kind is used for bread

Introducing the films

Let’s see what the constitutive layers in flexible packing are.

It is very common and routine that our costumers ask us about the constitutive layers and their roles in pouches. In order to answer these kind of questions, we provided some information regarding this matter.

Common pouches and flexible films consist of 5 layers.

  1. Exterior layer
    • The printing surface with stable dimensions
    • Protects the ink from wearing off
    • Protects the barrier layer
    • Protects the pouch from rupture and bursting
    • Increase the total strength of the pouch
  2. Connector layer
    • More protection for barrier layer
    • Connects the exterior layer to the barrier layer
    • Hides between colors and barrier layer
  3. Barrier layer
    • Provide chemical protection
    • Barrier for humidity, light and oxygen
  4. Connector layer
    • Connects the foil to the heat treatable film layer
    • Protects barrier layer
  5. Internal / heat treatable layer
    • Heat treatable structure
    • Helps to increase the protection against bursting
    • Increase product protection
    • Protects the barrier layer