Comparison of 10 common printing material properties and uses in packaging bags

Ten types of packaging bags, including BOPP, BOPA, BOPET, PVC, etc. A comprehensive summary of the definitions, properties, and uses of common materials, Customers who need to order packaging bags can use this as a reference to order suitable packaging bags. Now, let's follow Shun Xing Yuan Packaging, a professional flexible packaging manufacturer, to learn more.

1. BOPP

Biaxially oriented polypropylene, density 0.92g/cm3, flammable, blue flame at the bottom when burning, yellow at the top, with a small amount of black smoke and a petroleum smell.

Main Properties:

1. Colorless, high transparency.

2. Excellent tensile strength, impact strength, and stiffness.

3. Excellent cold and heat resistance: -40~120℃.

4. Very good moisture barrier properties, but poor oxygen barrier properties.

5. Generally used as printing material for high-transparency versatile bags and composite bags.

Uses:

BOPP is the most commonly used surface material for packaging, especially when packaging requirements are not very high. Common thickness is 18 - 48μm. Due to its excellent barrier properties, it is suitable for easily moisture-absorbing biscuits, pastries, clothing, and other light packaging.

2. BOPA

Biaxially oriented nylon film, density 1.15g/cm3, flammable, with a burnt nail or wool smell when burning.

Main Properties:

1. Oil-resistant, organic solvent-resistant, non-toxic, odorless, colorless, and transparent.

2. Good printability, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and puncture resistance.

3. High pressure resistance.

4. Very good oxygen barrier properties, excellent cold and heat resistance, good oil resistance.

5. Easily absorbs moisture, has higher breathability, weak stiffness, and is prone to wrinkling.

6. Good heat and cold resistance (-60-140℃).

Main Uses:

Used for packaging greasy fried foods, frozen foods, vacuum packaging, retort sterilized foods, dairy products, and often for heavy packaging of puncture-resistant and frozen foods.

3. BOPET

Biaxially oriented polyester film, density 1.4 g/cm3, flammable, produces a large amount of black smoke and black fragments when burning, with a benzene smell.

Main Properties:

1. High mechanical strength, strong stiffness, good impact resistance.

2. Good heat and cold resistance, stable at high temperatures up to 240℃.

3. Good oil resistance, excellent acid resistance, poor alkali resistance.

4. Low oxygen and water vapor permeability, excellent aroma retention for spices.

5. Good transparency, but poor UV barrier properties.

Main Uses:

Commonly used for making retort pouches, vacuum metallized substrates, and intermediate substrates for composite packaging bags, packaging light and heavy packaging for clothing, cosmetics, hardware electronics, broths, frozen foods, rice cakes, or tea.

4. PVC

Polyvinyl chloride film, density 1.39g/cm3, transparent, flame retardant, self-extinguishing when removed from fire, with a pungent hydrochloric acid smell. It is divided into three types: rigid, semi-rigid, and soft, distinguished by the amount of plasticizer in the material. Currently, twisted PVC and shrink PVC are widely used.

Main Properties:

1. Good oil resistance.

2. Good transparency and surface gloss.

3. Good ink adhesion.

Main Uses:

Packaging for tablecloths, handbags, raincoats, candy wrappers, bottle labels, bottle sleeves, etc.

5. Matte OPP

Biaxially oriented polypropylene matte film is a film with a matte effect produced by co-extrusion of matte materials and polypropylene, followed by biaxial stretching.

Main Properties:

Low reflectivity, semi-transparent, it is a new type of packaging material.

Main Uses:

High-grade paper lamination, gift bags, food packaging bags, clothing bags, composite packaging bags, and other light packaging.

6. POPP

Biaxially oriented polypropylene pearlescent film, density 0.7g/cm3, is a film made primarily from polypropylene with a certain amount of special pearlescent masterbatch added, then biaxially stretched.

Main Properties:

1. Has shading properties, protecting food from UV rays.

2. Has a beautiful pearlescent luster.

Main Uses:

Used for decorative light packaging of candies, biscuits, chocolates, ice cream, and daily necessities.

7. KOP

Biaxially oriented polypropylene coated film, density 0.91g/cm3. KOP is the application of polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) to the surface of BOPP, with a coating thickness of 1-2μm.

Main Properties:

1. Excellent moisture resistance and airtightness.

2. Good chemical resistance, resistant to common organic solvents and acids, alkalis, and salts.

3. Good barrier properties against odor.

4. Has heat shrinkage.

5. Withstands 100℃ boiling water, can be used to make retort pouches for food packaging.

Main Uses:

KOP has both the properties of OPP and the advantages of PVDC, excellent oxygen barrier and moisture barrier properties, and good chemical resistance. It has good barrier properties against odor and is often used for packaging ham, sausage, fish and other protein and fat-containing foods, mooncakes and other light packaging.

8. PT

Cellophane, also known as cellulose film or hydrated cellulose film, is a non-thermoplastic film. It is divided into three categories: ordinary cellophane, moisture-proof cellophane, and plastic-coated cellophane.

Specific categories:

1. PT, ordinary cellophane (untreated, transparent)

2. WST, double-sided moisture-proof cellophane.

3. MT, double-sided moisture-proof, non-heat-sealable cellophane.

4. MOT, single-sided moisture-proof cellophane.

5. MOST, single-sided moisture-proof, heat-sealable cellophane.

6. CPT, colored cellophane.

7. LPT, low moisture-proof cellophane.

8. JPT, flame-retardant cellophane.

Main Properties:

1. Good printability, no pre-treatment required before printing.

2. Extremely high transparency and gloss, printed colors are exceptionally vivid and eye-catching.

3. Non-toxic and odorless, it is the best traditional material for candy packaging.

4. Has a certain degree of stiffness, which can enhance the appearance of the packaging.

5. Biodegradable material, it can be degraded in the soil within four months.

6. Excellent transverse and longitudinal tear strength.

Main Uses:

Used for packaging candy, food, shirts, cigarettes, cosmetics and other light packaging.

9. PE

Polyethylene film, produced by blown film and cast film processes. Polyethylene prints have the general advantages of gravure printing, such as excellent color reproduction, high production efficiency, high print resistance and relatively low processing costs; however, surface-printed films are not as bright, beautiful, colorful, non-fading, non-color-shedding, moisture-proof, wear-resistant, durable, long-lasting, non-sticky, and non-breakable as reverse-printed products; and because the ink of reverse printing is printed on the inner side of the film (after lamination, the ink layer is sandwiched between two layers of film), it will not contaminate the packaging, which is more in line with food hygiene requirements. Therefore, reverse printing is mostly used for film packaging with high hygiene requirements.

Main Properties:

1. Surface treatment strength, PE has extremely low surface tension and needs to be corona treated before printing, so corona treatment strength is a key indicator for film printing.

2. Excellent mechanical properties, such as longitudinal and transverse tensile strength, and breaking elongation, PE film has excellent tensile properties and is easy to stretch and deform.

3. Various resistances, such as abrasion resistance, light resistance, and solvent resistance.

4. For films with high hygiene requirements, pay attention to their solvent residue characteristics.

Main Uses:

Used for packaging many products such as clothing and apparel, hardware and electronics, hygiene products, and cosmetics packaging.

10. Aluminum foil

Aluminum foil is foil paper made from aluminum by rolling. Aluminum foil has a metallic luster, good light shielding properties, and high reflectivity to heat and light. The metallic luster and reflectivity can enhance the brightness of the printed colors; good barrier properties, strong protection, impermeable to gases and water vapor, preventing the contents from absorbing moisture and vaporizing, and not easily affected by bacteria and insects; good shape stability, not affected by humidity changes. Easy to process, aluminum foil can be printed, embossed, and surface coated. However, aluminum foil cannot withstand force, has no sealing properties, has pinholes and is prone to wrinkles, so it is generally not used alone, and is usually processed into composite materials with paper and plastic films to overcome the disadvantages of no sealing properties, and its barrier properties and other advantages are also fully utilized.

Aluminum foil has strong barrier properties and poor absorbency. Pressure causes the printing plate and the surface of the aluminum foil to contact with the largest area and forces the ink to adhere. The ink must have strong adhesion and fast drying speed. Before the selected ink is put on the machine, a small sample must be made to check whether its hue and drying properties meet the requirements.

Among the current packaging substrates, aluminum foil has the best barrier properties, and in addition to being used for pharmaceutical packaging, it is also used for trademarks and some high-end food packaging such as beer top labels and chocolate packaging. Compared with paper and plastic, aluminum foil has the characteristics of being thin, brittle, and easily wrinkled, and has higher requirements for printing equipment. During the printing process, it should be passed through the guide rollers as little as possible.

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