How to Choose the Right Flexible Packaging

When exposed to humidity or liquid water, moisture-sensitive products experience quality degradation, reduced efficacy, or spoilage. This category includes various goods, from pharmaceuticals and electronics to certain foods and collectables.

Each product reacts differently to moisture: pharmaceuticals might lose potency, electronic components can corrode, and food items can develop mould or lose texture. Given these effects, these products require specialised packaging solutions to maintain a controlled environment that mitigates moisture ingress and retention.

Importance of Flexible Packaging

Flexible packaging offers several distinct advantages for protecting moisture-sensitive products. Firstly, it can be tailored to provide barrier properties specific to the needs of different items, effectively blocking moisture and other environmental contaminants. Materials such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and aluminum foils are commonly used, each contributing varying degrees of moisture barrier depending on the product requirements.

Secondly, flexible packaging is lightweight and reduces the volume of material required compared to rigid packaging options, leading to lower transportation and storage costs. This packaging flexibility is beneficial in terms of logistics and allows for innovative designs such as resealable zippers or modified atmosphere packaging, which can further extend product shelf life.

Lastly, the adaptability of flexible packaging supports the inclusion of desiccants—materials that actively absorb moisture from within the package. This is particularly crucial for ultra-sensitive products, ensuring that any moisture that does penetrate the packaging is quickly captured, thereby maintaining the product’s integrity and longevity.

How to Choose the Right Flexible Packaging

Choosing the right flexible packaging for moisture-sensitive products involves a series of crucial steps designed to ensure the packaging solution’s protection, compliance, and sustainability. Below is a guide on how to make these decisions:

Assessing Product Needs

The first step in selecting the proper flexible packaging is to thoroughly understand the product’s specific needs, particularly its sensitivity to moisture. This involves analyzing how exposure to moisture can affect the product’s quality, stability, and usability.

Factors such as the expected shelf life, the conditions under which the product will be stored and transported, and its end-use must also be considered. This assessment will guide all subsequent choices about packaging materials and features.

Material Selection

Choosing the appropriate packaging material is critical and depends largely on the barrier properties required to protect the product. For instance, if the product is susceptible to moisture and oxygen, materials with superior barrier properties like aluminum foil or high-barrier plastics should be considered.

For products with lower sensitivity, options like polyethylene or polypropylene might be sufficient. The choice of material also needs to reflect the product’s physical characteristics and any potential chemical interactions between the product and the packaging material.

Sustainability Considerations

Evaluating the environmental impact of packaging materials and processes is increasingly important. This involves selecting recyclable, biodegradable, or made from renewable resources, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the packaging.

Additionally, considering the entire packaging lifecycle, including the production, usage, and disposal stages, is essential. Opting for materials and processes that minimize environmental impact without compromising the protective qualities required by the product is a balancing act that modern manufacturers must manage.

Design Considerations for Moisture-sensitive Products

Several critical design considerations must be addressed when packaging moisture-sensitive products to ensure product stability and longevity. Here are three key areas to focus on:

Barrier Properties

The selection of materials with appropriate barrier properties is essential in protecting moisture-sensitive products. The primary function of these materials is to provide a defense against the ingress of moisture, oxygen, and other environmental contaminants that could degrade the product.

Materials such as aluminum foil offer superior moisture and light barrier properties, making them ideal for highly sensitive products. For less sensitive items, combinations of polyethylene or polypropylene might suffice, which offer good moisture barriers with more flexibility and cost-effectiveness. The specific barrier requirements will depend on the product’s sensitivity to moisture and the expected environmental conditions during storage and transport.

Packaging Integrity

To maintain the effectiveness of the barrier properties, the overall integrity of the package must be ensured. This involves carefully designing and testing seals and closures to prevent any possible moisture ingress. Heat sealing is commonly used to secure flexible packaging, providing a strong, tamper-evident seal that prevents moisture entry.

Additionally, the physical durability of the packaging must be considered to prevent tears or punctures that could compromise the barrier. Attention should also be given to closure mechanisms on resealable packages, such as zippers or tuck flaps, which must maintain functionality over multiple uses to ensure ongoing protection from moisture.

Size and Shape Optimization

Optimizing the size and shape of the packaging is crucial not only for aesthetic and practical reasons but also for enhancing protective qualities. Customizing the packaging to fit the product closely can reduce the amount of air inside the package, which minimizes the potential moisture content and the load on desiccants used within.

Moreover, reducing excess packaging material not only cuts down on waste and costs but also improves the sustainability profile of the packaging solution. Manufacturers must balance the need for minimal headspace with adequate cushioning and protection during handling and shipping, ensuring that the product arrives in perfect condition without overuse of materials.

Role of Desiccants in Flexible Packaging

Desiccants play a critical role in flexible packaging by actively absorbing moisture from the air within the package. This function is vital for maintaining the quality and longevity of moisture-sensitive products.

By controlling the humidity level inside the packaging, desiccants help prevent the degradation processes that can be triggered by moisture, such as corrosion in electronics, spoilage in foods, and the breakdown of pharmaceuticals.

Common Types of Desiccants

• Silica Gel: Silica gel gel is known for its high absorption capacity at room temperatures. It is non-reactive and non-toxic, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, and food packaging. Silica gel can also be engineered to change color when saturated, providing a visual indicator of its effectiveness.
• Clay: A cost-effective and natural desiccant option, clay is effective within a moderate humidity range and offers adequate moisture absorption properties. It is commonly used in storing and transporting industrial goods and is particularly favored where cost is a significant concern and the highest absorption capacity is not required.
• Molecular Sieves: These synthetic desiccants effectively remove moisture at very low humidity levels, making them ideal for highly sensitive applications such as pharmaceuticals and diagnostic kits. Molecular sieves can also selectively absorb water molecules from other gases and liquids, even at high temperatures, greatly enhancing their utility in specialized settings.

Integration Techniques

Integrating desiccants into flexible packaging can be done through several methods, depending on the packaging design and the product requirements:

• Sachets and Packets: Small pouches containing desiccant material can be placed directly into the packaging. This versatile method allows easy removal and replacement, making it ideal for a wide variety of products.
• Desiccant Films and Inserts: Incorporating desiccant materials directly into the films used in packaging or creating inserts that are part of the package design itself can save space and streamline packaging processes by eliminating the need for separate desiccant components.
• Laminates with Desiccant Layers: Some flexible packaging materials can be engineered with a desiccant layer integrated within the laminate structure. This method ensures that the desiccant is uniformly distributed across the packaging, providing consistent moisture control without the risk of desiccant material contact with the product.

Conclusion

The packaging industry, particularly the segment dealing with moisture-sensitive products, continues to evolve rapidly, driven by technological advances, regulatory changes, and growing environmental concerns. As companies strive to balance functionality with sustainability, the future of flexible packaging looks challenging and promising.

Stream Peak International is a leading global supplier of desiccants, committed to high quality and environmental management standards. Our desiccant bag factories are ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, reflecting our dedication to quality control and environmental stewardship. Our in-house Quality Assurance (QA) lab supports rigorous testing and innovation, enabling us to meet the evolving needs of industries efficiently.