What Are Mylar Bags and What Are They Used For?

Mylar bags are a type of flexible packaging that is made from a polyester film called BoPET, which stands for biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate. To put it simply, these bags are lightweight but tough, and they create a barrier against outside elements like air, moisture, light, and odors. This barrier protection is the "magic" of mylar bags; unlike an ordinary plastic bag, mylar bags are constructed to keep the contents fresh, stable, and safe for an extended duration of time.

Because of these characteristics mylar bags can be found in many places. They can be found in foods, supplements, pet food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and even for industrial uses. They often come with heat seals or resealable zippers, so they are both secure and easy to use. They come in both shiny and metallic finishes, as well as in matte and printed finishes, but they all perform the same function, to protect the product contained inside from outside influences.

What Are Mylar Bags Made Of?

Mylar bagging mainly consists of layers of material. The core component is a polyester film, which has good strength and durability, and additional layers of material such as aluminum foil and/or polyethylene add barrier protection and sealing capabilities to the Mylar bagging material. This layered construction allows for the manufacture of very thin Mylar bags, but at the same time, they are very strong.

One of the main functions of the various layers of Mylar bagging materials is to prevent the transfer of oxygen, as well as to block out ultraviolet light and provide a strong resistance to punctures. The combination of these two characteristics makes Mylar bags a very good option for the protection of sensitive products that are harmed by prolonged exposure to either air or light. Therefore, Mylar bags are used widely for both long-term food storage and for commercial packing applications.

Common Uses for Mylar Bags

Mylar bags are common in many industries because of their versatility and performance. The most popular applications include:

- Food storage, including items such as coffee, grains, snacks, dry goods, and freeze-dried meals, as well as

- Flower, herbs, and many other odor sensitive products

- Foods that are sold or packaged in a format that is sensitive to air, including supplements, vitamins, and powders

- Pet food and treats, where longevity is a factor

Nevertheless, Mylar bags are not only effective for long-term storage use, but also for emergency food storage with oxygen absorbers.

Mylar bags are also very noticeable on retail shelves, due to their smooth, polished surface, and the ability to be printed on with high-quality printing, making them great for branding and marketing, as well as protection.

Custom Printed Mylar Bags and Why Brands Use Them

Printed Mylar bags offer you all the protective features of traditional Mylar bags plus the ability to personalize your Mylar bags by adding your own logos and other forms of branding, as well as by changing the size (to better fit your product), and/or adding functional improvements (like resealable tops) to your bags. When you use customized Mylar in this way, your packages will become marketing tools rather than simply containers to hold your products.

Many brands use custom printed Mylar bags to differentiate themselves from competitors, establish brand recognition and create a more cohesive look, while making their products more attractive when placed next to similar products. In addition, many brands use additional features such as resealable zippers, tear-off notches, hang holes, clear windows and other child-resistant features that can be easily added to the design and/or printing of their bags, giving you the ability to print required compliance information (ingredients, nutritional facts, usage instructions, etc.) directly onto the Mylar bags.

This is especially important for small businesses that want their products to look professional but also want to ensure that the product remains as fresh and consistent as possible during storage and distribution. The good news is that you'll achieve both goals with custom printed Mylar bags regardless of whether you're selling small quantities or distributing products nationally.

View custom printed mylar bags.

Are Mylar Bags Reusable or Recyclable?

Several kinds of mylar bags can still be reused after they have been used once when stored properly and treated gently. You can still reuse some mylar bags after being recycled; however, the process will not be so easy because of the number of layers and types of materials used, however, depending on your state, some sites do allow recycling of them. Most companies are now looking into sustainability through developing more various recycling options as well as developing new ways to protect products while still meeting the requirements for a single material or recyclable looking material.

Final Thoughts on Mylar Bags

The qualities of Mylar bags have made them the go-to packaging solution in today’s world. Their longevity, protection, and versatility allow them to be used for a range of purposes. They are effective in providing both shelf life extension and quality preservation of everyday snacks and specialty items. The addition of custom designed and printed Mylar bags further contributes to the branding benefits of Mylar bag use.

For either food storage at home or as a product launch packaging solution, Mylar bags provide a dependable, time-tested method of packaging used in virtually every industry or application.