There comes a point in the history of every industry where a new innovation gently guides it into the future and helps it sail ever so steadily towards growth. Since its very inception, flexible packaging has revolutionized the packaging industry at an impressive pace, and continues to contribute significantly to the rapid growth of the sector. One of the finest offerings of flexible packaging is pouch packaging.
In the hustle era, represented by busier schedules and fewer breaks in between professional activities, snacking is slowly becoming the way of life, making the need for quality single-serve and reusable packaging solutions all the more evident. Owing to its many advantages, pouch packaging has proven to be one of the most efficient and economical packaging solutions for brand owners operating in the packaged food industry.
Pouch packaging stands at the forefront of the flexible packaging industry. The laminated pouches are made from multiple layers of plastic films like polyethylene, which is the most common. Apart from PE, the other common materials that are used for pouching are PET, laminates, and some types of metal foils. Although most of the pouches are heat sealed, there are some out there that are bonded with adhesives.
The most common types of pouches crowding the market today are: 3 Side, zipper, stand up, retort, spouted, quad seal, and fin seal. Owing to their unquestionable versatility, pouches are used in almost every single industry – from the automotive industry to chemicals, dairy products, drinks, medicinal products, ready-to-eat meals, pet food and treats, produce, snack foods, and so much more. So, how exactly does this category of flexible packaging serve the manufacturers, vendors as well as the end consumers well?
Let’s explore some of the key benefits of using pouch packaging when it comes to protecting and best displaying products:
Gone are the days when only rigid or traditional packaging defined durability and came with the promise of keeping your product guarded. Today, pouch packaging is one of the best examples of the sturdy yet adaptable nature of flexible packaging products. Each one of their benefits come from the many features, to name a few – excellent chemical resistance, superior tear and puncture resistance, heat seal ability, easy opening and closure, moisture, oxygen and light resistance. Here are some of the main advantages of pouch packaging:
When it comes to effective packaging for the retail or the e-commerce industry, one of the biggest challenges is linked to the transport and the storage of products. This is where pouches enter the picture as ideal solutions. Being lightweight in nature, they contribute significantly to reducing shipping costs, be it local or global.
Moreover, they are also easy to store owing to their ‘easy to stack’ feature. They bring a bounty of benefits to both vendors and consumers. Since most pouches come with the versatility and resealable feature, they happen to be one of the most sought-after packing types for end-users.
Consumers are now more inclined towards nature-friendly lifestyle choices. Hence, industries have to adapt to sustainable ways of serving their needs and wants. With competitors who are rapidly taking the eco-friendly road, firms are always on the look-out for newer, more effective sustainable solutions – pouch films being the go-to option for most of them. Once the original content is used up, the pouches can be easily reused to store other products.
Plus, the resealable zip locks that many pouches are equipped with. The opening and closing becomes an easier task – all while preserving the quality of the content inside and increasing its shelf life. Pouches layered with sustainable plastic like polyethylene films are easily biodegradable as well.
This feature makes things all the more convenient to both end-users and vendors. The gusseted bottom feature can be integrated in most flexible pouches. This proves to be very helpful for the manufacturers of liquid food. This is because the bottoms of these pouches expand as one pours any liquid into it, without losing its ability to best accommodate the liquid and maintain its quality.
As for the users, these pouches provide great stability while storing the liquid products. Gusseted pouches are highly suitable for packaging sauces and spreads, meat products, bulk candy, nuts, coffee, baked goods like bread, bagels, rolls, and cookies.
Pouches not only serve a product during the post production process, but also at the marketing stage. They are versatile not just in terms of functionalities but also in terms of visual appeal. The pouches can be easily personalized – sharp looking logos and brand taglines can be printed on the pouches. Manufacturers have the liberty to design these pouches in any shape and size, tailored to their products.
The transparent pouches enable better visibility of products, making them more appealing to the consumers. Products that are visible in their true form through the packaging can catch their eye when they are simply sifting through similar products on the store shelves. Despite the fact that they ensure excellent product display integrity, pouches are an excellent alternative to other kinds of packaging in terms of affordability as well.
Pouches are an excellent fit for food packaging as they increase the shelf-life of the products, maintaining their true flavours, aromas and nutritional value; thereby reducing food wastage as well. To enhance the effectiveness of food products, manufacturers also have the option to complement the pouches with an additional layer of UV protection. Pouches layered with polyethylene packaging films bring an added advantage to the table. The films can make pouches more capable of keeping your food fresh by protecting it from air and the moisture that lingers in it. They also do a brilliant job of keeping the wet food from losing moisture and preventing dry food from absorbing it.
Just like us humans, moist products are privy to imperfections. Although home to a long list of advantages, much like any other innovation, pouch packaging also comes with a challenge or two. One of the decisions that is crucial to getting the entire pouch packaging process right is associated with selecting the right pouch packaging films; one that can easily feature strong seals, clean edges, hanger holes, tear notches, and is compatible with laser perforation and more.
As industries are opening up and embracing the new wonders of flexible packaging, the need for effective pouch packing solutions is on the rise. With 40 years of experience, Ecoplast Ltd is one of the leading pouch packaging film suppliers. Our multilayer co-extruded polyethylene (PE) and co-polymer films are supplied to the packaging industry, as well as a variety of other specialty applications around the world.
Apart from providing excellent films for the food packaging industry, we also hold expertise in designing and manufacturing Surface Protective Films that protect products such as steel, aluminum panels / profiles, carpets, tiles, glass, and all kinds of substrates from dust, scratches and other environmental impacts.
If you have been looking for pouch film manufacturers, contact us at: +91-22-2683 3452 / +91-22-2683 1403, or drop an email at: [email protected]
For more information Custom Pouch Packaging, please get in touch with us!