If you enter any of the big and genuine food storage companies or any cannabis dispensary or any supplement company of any kind today, you will see something that they all have in common: Mylar bags. Silver foil-laminated pouches are the benchmark of protective packaging in dozens of industries, and there’s no shortage of reasons for that.
From business owners who may want to upgrade their product packaging, to preppers who may be stocking emergency food supplies, or simply anyone who wants to see their pantry staples last longer, nothing can offer the level of protection that Mylar bags can. In this guide, we explain each major benefit, debunk some misconceptions and explain exactly why so many people are converting to Mylar.
What Exactly Is a Mylar Bag?
First a little clarification: “Mylar” is actually a trademarked brand name, owned by the company DuPont Teijin Films. It is the term used for biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate — BoPET. On the decades, the name was so commonly used that a person could now use the term mylar bags for any multi-layer metalized foil pouch, no matter what manufacturer it was.
These bags are unique because they are multi-layered, unlike plastic bags. A typical Mylar bag is constructed like a sandwich, with three separate layers, each with a specific function:
The outermost layer is made of polyester, which provides tensile strength and puncture resistance, preventing the bag from getting torn apart when handling sharp-edged objects or harsh shipping environments.
• Middle aluminum foil core: This is the workhorse. This layer acts as a near barrier to three main enemies of freshness of the products: oxygen, moisture and UV light.
1. Dramatically Extended Shelf Life
This is the advantage to get their attention first… for good reason. Dry foods can be stored for 20-30 years in Mylar bags when stored with oxygen absorbers. This isn’t a marketing hyperbole, it’s a chemistry fact.
The aluminum foil layer on the Mylar bag offers an oxygen transmission rate of < 0.01 cc/100 square inches/24 hours. This is compared to a standard plastic zip-lock bag that lets 150 to 500 cc of oxygen in over the same area in the same time. It isn’t just the difference between hereto and heretofore, it’s hereto and heretoFORE.
2. Superior Moisture and Humidity Protection
The greatest enemy of stored goods is moisture. It leads to caking of powders, moulding in grains, rust in the electronic components, and degradation of labels in pharmaceutical products. Mylar bags eliminate this by providing a totally impermeable moisture barrier.
The aluminum in a Mylar bag is not porous like regular polyethylene bags, which, over time, allow some moisture to pass through. This is especially beneficial in warm climates or for companies that deal in shipping goods overseas to different climates.
3. Complete Protection from Light and UV Rays
UV light not only dims colors in packaging, it can also inactivate nutrients, promote the formation of rancid oils and fats, and even destroy sensitive nutrients, pharmaceuticals or supplements. Normal, clear plastic bags do not provide any protection from this. Amber glass bottles only block half of the UV wavelengths.
4. Odor-Proof and Smell-Containment Properties
This benefit is a two-way street. Outside smells can’t get into your product, and your product can’t contaminate the surrounding area when you use mylar bags.
Consider storing coffee close to onions, and flour close to garlic. Flavors and aromas move from the container in regular plastic containers over time. That doesn’t occur if the bag is properly sealed with Mylar. The multi-layered design is designed to keep volatile aromatic compounds in place and to prevent them from escaping to the outside, while also preventing the entry of external odor compounds.
5. Child-Resistant Options for Regulated Industries
In the cannabis, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries, safety compliance is required. There are child-resistant, third-party tested, and certified zipper closures on mylar bags.
These zippers are not only hard to open, but they are designed to be pressed and pulled in just the right way that most under-fives won’t be able to do, but that adults can. Strict packaging regulations states use these almost exclusively at their cannabis dispensaries.
6. Exceptional Durability and Puncture Resistance
Standard plastic packaging doesn’t stand up to the same challenges as Mylar. Over time, regular polyethylene bags will form “pinholes” (minute holes which occur due to handling stress or friction on the bags) that affect their barrier characteristics, and which will not show any damage. The outer layer of Mylar is a BoPET film with a much greater tensile strength, and is not prone to this type of micro-perforation.
7. Versatile Across Virtually Every Industry
One of the things that is not given enough emphasis with the use of Mylar bags is that their uses are very broad. Most packaging solutions are geared towards one or two industries. Mylar bags are actually truly across-the-board. When you think about the different types of products that are packaged in them, what do you see?
8. Fully Customizable for Brand Identity
Protective Packaging is not a dull and monotonous task. The most significant benefits Mylar bags have over traditional cases are the printing, finishing, and formatting options that truly make a mark in the eyes of consumers.
9. Lightweight, Space-Efficient, and Cost-Effective
Glass jars, tin cans, and hard plastic containers are rigid packages that are heavy and bulky for every shipment. That weight isn’t free. Empty mylar bags compress to virtually nothing, and are lighter than the rigid container, making shipping and storage costs before filling much more economical.
For an e-commerce company, especially one in which dimensional weight pricing by carriers such as UPS and FedEx can be a deciding factor between profit and loss, using Mylar pouches can make a significant difference in their per-unit shipping costs.
10. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Options Available
Sustainability is becoming a purchasing criterion for many more consumers, and is no longer a nice-to-have for packaging. The packaging industry has jumped in, and Mylar bags are a part of that transformation.
The Mylar film can be made for reusability, and the film structure for modern Mylar bags is recyclable, whereas single-use plastics are not. There are a number of packaging manufacturers that are now providing ISO certified, environmentally friendly film.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Mylar Bags
It’s not enough to understand the benefits. There are a couple of known “traps” to be aware of to maximize the benefits of a Mylar bag:
- Sealing before food becomes dry: If there is still moisture in it when it is sealed, it will lead to mould. Any food that has more than 10% moisture content needs to be dehydrated prior to being placed in a Mylar bag for long-term storage.
Incorrect sizing of oxygen absorbers: The absorber should be sized to the size of the air in the bag and not the capacity of the bag. The air space in a 5-gallon bag that is filled with dense wheat berries is significantly less than in a 5-gallon bag filled with pasta. Oversizing will cost you more money, and undersizing will leave some oxygen behind.
Final Thoughts
Mylar bags have been named for their ability to better provide barrier protection, durability and versatility the old-fashioned way. From the food brand seeking to maximize shelf life and minimize returns to the cannabis company dealing with compliance demands and the supplement brand concerned about the integrity of their product, the benefits of Mylar packaging make it a no-brainer.
They are not suitable for all products – fresh foods, liquids not in special pouches, or products that need rigid support have better alternatives. For the e-commerce, retail marketplace and so many other sensitive products, powders, specialty consumables, and dry goods that occupy the landscape today, Mylar bags are one of the smartest investments in packaging you can make.
