Food and beverage, pet foods, healthcare products, cosmetics, farm products, and kitchen stuff.  All these products depend on plastic pouches to store, package, and transport them.

The global flexible pouch market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.5% in the forecast period (2020–2028). The market was valued at almost $37 billion.

In this article, we will explore why this market is growing so fast, besides the following:

1. Why have plastic pouches become the first choice for consumers & manufacturers?
2. Which plastic materials are the best for pouch manufacturing?
3. What are the industries that depend on plastic pouches?
4. How to choose the perfect pouch for your packaging needs?
5. What are the different types of plastic pouches?
6. How to get the best quality plastic pouches?

 1- Why have flexible pouches become the first choice for consumers & manufacturers?

Flexible pouches are a flexible packaging solution with many advantages. They are commonly used nowadays for many reasons, such as the busy lifestyle and the increasing number of working individuals. This pushes people to depend more on Ready to Eat (RTE) meals that use pouches.

When it comes to end-use companies, they are now focusing on sustainable packaging solutions. There is also a rising awareness among consumers about sustainability.

The second main driver for companies is that pouches material production consumes less material, less energy, and less water.

Plastic pouches are also more attractive to consumers. Pouches have become a marketing tool that attracts more customers. They can be easily printed to be the first choice on supermarket shelves.

  2- Which Plastic materials are the best for pouches manufacturing?

Plastic materials are the winners regarding pouch manufacturing. They are alone serving 64% of the revenue share in 2020. Here are the main causes:

1. Plastic pouches extend shelf life of products as it keep freshness in food for a long time. 

2. They have strong resistance to dust, oxygen, UV light, and moisture.  

3. Durability is also a main factor that makes plastic the perfect material.

4. Plastic materials are low-cost materials.

The question now is: Which plastic raw material is best for pouches manufacturing?

Here are the main materials that are commonly used for pouches:

1. LDPE:  

Low Density Polyethylene has a low melting point and produces clear pouches. So, they are perfect for fresh vegetables and fruits.

2. LLDPE: 

Low-density polyethylene is like LDPE, but it has less thickness. So, it is ideal for freezing food pouches. It is recommended technically, since it is FDA-approved. Moreover, this material makes it easy to heat-seal the spout pouch and subsequently give the product a tamper-evident seal."
  

3. HDPE:  

High-density polyethylene is lightweight and waterproof. It has perfect tensile strength.
  

4. PP: 

Polypropylene is more transparent than LLDPE. It also has a higher melting point than LLDPE. PP Pouches are mostly produced for candy and snack packages.

PS: Manufacturers may combine two or even three materials to get the best structure for pouches.

  3- What are the industries that depend on plastic pouches?

There are a wide variety of  products that depend on plastic pouches for packaging, such as:

• Farm products such as seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers
• Household products, detergents, and kitchen stuff
• foods such as spices, fruits, vegetables, and meat
• Cosmetics such as creams, lotions, and shampoo
• Candies & snacks.
• Beverages such as coffee, Nescafe, and tea.
• Pet food

Let’s explore why:

• For cosmetics, pouches are perfect for packaging and retailing
• For pet foods, they use pouches to package pet biscuits, bird seeds, and horse chews. They have longevity when stored.
• Food industries use pouches for many types of foods, such as cereals, nuts, meat, and fish.
• Pharmaceuticals depend on pouches to produce medical drugs.

 4- How do you choose the perfect pouch for your packaging needs?

First, you need to discover which types of flexible pouches fit your packaging needs.

Second, you've got to consider some variables to choose the perfect option:

1. The product weighs

2. The size of the product

3. The width and the height

Finally, you can collaborate with packaging vendors to help you choose the perfect pouches for your budget.

  5- What are the different types of flexible pouches?

Plastic pouches are very competitive; they can be customized in size, shape, and material. That’s why you can find many types of plastic pouches on the packaging market.

Here are the most used types of flexible pouches:

  1- Stand Up Pouches:

Flexible stand-up pouches is the most used one. It is easily opened and usually has a tap that allows you to use the products.

Their name "Stand Up" refers to the oval-shaped pocket that you can find under the bottom of the pouch.

This type is perfect for many foods, such as chips, cookies, powders, and crackers.

If you are searching for affordable pouches for your products, these pouches will be your first choice.

 2- Center spout pouches

It is a flat pouch used to package sauces, personal care products, seasonings, and oils.

 3- Liquid pouches 

Three side seals pouches are made to contain liquids.

They offer a lower carbon footprint and lower cost than rigid plastic containers.

They are environmentally friendly and can be printed in catchy designs.

  4- Gusset pouches 

Gusset pouches come in two types: bottom gusset pouches and side gusset pouches.

The side gusset pouch has a semi-oval shape with indents on both sides. The result is a rectangular or squared base.

They will be ideal for food packaging products that need to keep their freshness for a long time.

Coffee, for instance, is one of the products that needs to emit a pleasant scent.

Whereas bottom gusset pouches are often bigger and can hold more product.

  6- How to get the best quality plastic pouches? 

There are 3 main variables to consider when choosing plastic pouches:

1. The barrier properties against moisture & oxygen

2. sealing characteristics as you have to subject them to pressure flow.

3. You must choose the perfect raw material for your needs.

    

    

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