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Selecting the appropriate poly bags for packaging applications is crucial for ensuring product safety, security, and aesthetic appeal. By familiarizing yourself with the various poly bag options and their uses, along with identifying your customers' unique requirements, you can guide them in making the perfect choice for poly bags, delivering outstanding service that leaves a lasting impression.
The Smart Choice for Diverse Packaging Needs
In today's dynamic market, the demand for versatile, durable, and cost-efficient packaging solutions has never been higher. With the US poly bags market valued at approximately $4 billion, it's clear that businesses across various sectors are recognizing the enormous benefits of poly bags. From agriculture and healthcare to food service and industrial applications, poly bags are a cornerstone for efficient packaging solutions, thanks to their adaptability to various needs.
Master Poly Bags. Guide Your Customers. Strengthen Loyalty.
Poly bags are adaptable to a wide variety of needs. They have impressive tensile strength, which means they can withstand significant stretching without breaking. They can be clear to show contents or opaque for privacy and have various options for closures.
Learn the many types, applications, and benefits of poly bags to educate your customers, help them make smart decisions, and become their trusted source.
What Are Poly Bags?
Poly bags are flexible packaging options commonly made from polyethylene or polypropylene sheeting that is stretched, cut, and sealed in a fast, cost-efficient, and reliable process. Of their many uses, they excel at protecting products from dust, moisture, and other environmental hazards.
When Should You Choose a Polyethylene Bag vs. Polypropylene?
Within the numerous options for packaging materials, polyethylene and polypropylene emerge as frontrunners, each distinguished by unique qualities tailored to meet diverse packaging needs.
- Polyethylene is renowned for its durability, flexibility, moisture resistance, and cost-effectiveness, making it a popular choice for various applications.
- Polypropylene stands out for its higher clarity, temperature resistance, chemical resistance, and increased rigidity.
Each material's distinct properties make it suitable for different uses in packaging, depending on the specific requirements for clarity, resilience, and environmental conditions.
Choosing the Right Size
Poly bags come in many shapes and sizes and have different attributes, all of which play a part in your ability to help customers select the most suitable bags for their needs. The first step in choosing the appropriate poly bag size involves understanding the intended product's dimensions. It is also essential to consider if extra packing materials are needed when determining the proper poly bag size.
Remember, poly bag sizes are typically listed using the inside measurements.
Assessing Thickness for Poly Bags
The strength and durability of a poly bag are influenced by various factors, including the material used and its construction. However, the thickness of the poly bag, measured in mils, plays an essential role in determining its overall strength. One mil equals 0.001 inches, highlighting the precision in gauging the bag's thickness.
Typical Applications for Mil Thickness
| Thickness | Recommended Use |
| 1 - 1.5 MIL | Economical and lightweight for temporary storage of items. |
| 2 MIL | Most popular thickness used for light- to medium-weight products like clothing, small parts, and food. |
| 3 MIL | Sturdy thickness to protect slightly heavier products such as fasteners and hand tools. |
| 4 MIL | Heavy-duty to protect heavy products, including hardware and power tools. |
| 6 MIL | Extra heavy-duty for puncture resistance and protecting products such as industrial parts and machinery. |
| 8 MIL | Ultimate protection and maximum strength for items with sharp edges. |
Know the Most Popular Styles of Poly Bags
Flat Poly Bags
Flat Poly Bags have an open-top design and are the most common form of poly bags. They are available in many sizes and thicknesses to accommodate different needs. These are easy to fill and can be closed with twist ties, bag tape, or impulse sealers.
Reclosable Poly Bags
Reclosable Poly Bags feature convenient sealing options, such as adhesive strips, drawstrings, or slider zippers, allowing easy and secure opening and closing. This closure type is ideal for items that need to be accessed multiple times or need to maintain freshness. Reclosable zipper bags are commonly used for grocery products and storing and organizing small items such as jewelry, hardware, or craft supplies.
Gusseted Poly Bags
Gusseted Poly Bags have expandable sides (gussets) that accommodate bulkier or larger items. A gusseted design provides additional space, making these bags suitable for packaging products with irregular shapes or varying sizes. They are commonly used in the food, retail, and personal care industries and by anyone packaging and shipping bulky items.
Suffocation Warning Bags
Suffocation Warning Bags have a printed warning to alert users of the potential suffocation risk they pose, particularly to children. These warnings are often mandated by law for certain types of bags used in shipping and packaging, advising consumers to keep them away from babies and children and to ensure they are not used as toys. The purpose is to increase safety by raising awareness about the suffocation dangers associated with plastic bags.
Anti-Static Poly Bags
Anti-Static Poly Bags protect products, such as electronic components, from electrostatic discharge. They can safeguard sensitive devices and are ideal for shipments in the electronics industry. Some also are airtight or contain fire-retardant material. They have a distinctive metallicized or silver film.
Know the Key Features and Benefits of Poly Bags
Versatile and Flexible: Poly bags are available in various styles and have many convenient options. They are strong, have secure closures, can accommodate goods of many shapes, are expandable, show evidence of tampering, and protect products from dust, dirt, tearing, and moisture.
Durable and Resistant: Poly bag material is robust and can withstand harsh conditions, including moisture, dust, and extreme temperatures. Poly bags have a high tensile strength to help protect products through rough shipping, storage, and display conditions.
Cost-effective: As an affordable packaging option, poly bags help businesses reduce shipping and storage costs, making them a smart choice. They are also easy to open, load, close, seal, transport, and store, providing additional operational efficiencies.
Storage Space Savings: Poly bags can be stacked, piled, or hung. They are flexible and take up less storage space than most boxes.
Transparency: Options range from clear to fully opaque. Clear bags enable products to be viewed without opening the package. Opaque packaging helps protect privacy and adds to a product's security.
Meet FDA and USDA Regulations: Certain poly bags that meet strict criteria are approved for direct contact with food, pharmaceuticals, and other consumable products by the Food and Drug Administration and the US Department of Agriculture.
Environmental Considerations: Most polyethylene and polypropylene bags are recyclable, and some can be reused several times to promote environmental sustainability. They are lightweight, reduce transportation costs, and typically require less energy to create.
Expert Tips
When helping customers select the most appropriate poly bags for their needs, ask these three questions to help them determine their best choice:
- What are the size and weight of the product?
- What level of strength and protection is required?
- What are the expected shipping, storage, display, and delivery requirements and conditions?
We Are Trusted Partners
Every time you assist your customers with product decisions, you are providing a valuable service, being a trusted partner, and building loyalty. Similarly, BOX is the trusted partner you can count on committed to Helping YOU Sell Packaging®. If you need assistance choosing the most appropriate poly bags and related supplies for your customers' needs, we're here to help. Just contact your dedicated BOX account manager or call 800-806-2636.
