How to tell the difference between PP, OPP and BOPP bags
How to tell the difference between PP, OPP and BOPP bags
The BOPP bags and films are the most popular plastic packaging used by the food industry. BOPP bags can be coated, printed, laminated, and printed easily, making them ideal for packaging snacks, fresh produce, and confectioneries. OPP and PP bags, which can also be used for packaging, are also available on the market. Polypropylene, which is the main polymer used in the manufacture of all three bags, is the most common. PP stands to stand for Polypropylene. OPP stands out for Oriented Polypropylene and BOPP stands up for Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene. The style of fabrication is what makes them different.
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Pictured: Polypropylene bag
Polypropylene is also known as polypropene, a semi-crystalline thermoplastic plastic polymer. It is tough and strong, and has a high impact resistance. Polypropylene is used in popular packaging items like standup pouches and ziplock pouches. It is hard to tell the difference between PP, OPP and BOPP plastics at first glance. Touching the OPP plastic feels more brittle than the PP plastic.
Understanding their usage in real-world objects is the best way to tell the difference between PP, OPP, and BOPP bags. Non-woven bags are made from Polypropylene bags, also known as PP bags. These bags are treated to make them more water- or moisture-absorbing. Some of the most common PP products include diapers, air filters and sanitary napkins. Thermal clothing is made from the same material. They provide a temperature barrier.
Pictured: OPP bag
OPP bags are transparent in color and have a high tensile force. They can withstand high temperatures, but they will wrinkle if they are used too often. The same formula is used to make transparent adhesive tapes. These bags are tough to tear and are used for packaging leather products, clothing, and other items.
Pictured: BOPP bags
BOPP bags are clear polyethylene bags. The art of manufacturing is i.e. They are bi-axially oriented, which gives them a transparent appearance. This makes them ideal for branding with printing on their surfaces. The majority of BOPP bags are used for retail packaging. They are stronger and can carry more loads because of their biaxial orientation. BOPP bags are waterproof. They can protect your products from moisture for longer periods of time. These are the best cloth packaging options.
The Polypropylene derivatives i.e. The PP, OPP and BOPP are resistant against organic solvents, acids and alkalies. These are used widely in packaging industries where transport and storage under changing conditions is inevitable. They protect the product from dust and moisture, much like cling film. They can be recycled and have a lower carbon footprint. The PP, OPP and BOPP bags are a sustainable option from an environmental perspective.
Fast Direct Packaging also sells non-woven bags, vegetable and fruit crates.
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Additional reading:A Comprehensive Guide To Laminating - Factory Express
How to distinguish between PP, OPP, and BOPP bags –
How to distinguish between PP, OPP, and BOPP bags
When it comes to plastic packaging, the food industry predominantly uses the BOPP bags or films. BOPP bags are easy to coat, print and laminate, hence making them most suitable for packaging products like snacks, fresh produces and confectioneries. Parallel to BOPP, PP and OPP bags are also available in the market which are used in packaging. In all the three, Polypropylene is common which is the basic polymer for the manufacturing of these bags. PP stands for Polypropylene, OPP stands for Oriented Polypropylene, and BOPP stands for Biaxially Oriented Polypropylene. They differ in the style of their fabrication.
Polypropylene, also called are polypropene is a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer. It has high impact resistance and is strong and tough. Popular packaging packets like ziplock pouches, standup pouches, and spout pouches are made from Polypropylene. At first sight, it is difficult to distinguish between the PP, OPP, and BOPP plastics. However, one can feel the difference by touching as OPP feels brittle whereas PP is softer.
The best way to distinguish between PP, OPP and BOPP bags is by understanding their use in the real world objects. The Polypropylene bags or PP bags are used as non-woven bags. These are treated to make them water or moisture absorbent. Sanitary napkins, diapers, air filters, etc are some of the common PP products. The same material is also used in the manufacture of thermal clothing as they provide a temperature barrier.
The OPP bags have high tensile strength, and are transparent in colour. These can withstand high temperatures but get wrinkled if used roughly. Transparent adhesive tapes are also made using the same formulation. These are hard to tear and OPP bags are used in the packaging of leather products, clothing, etc.
The BOPP bags are crystal clear polyethylene bags. Their art of manufacture i.e. bi-axially orientation gives them a transparent appearance and this makes them suitable for branding via printing on their surfaces. BOPP bags are largely used for retail packaging. The biaxial orientation increases their strength and hence they are preferable to carry greater loads. The BOPP bags are waterproof. The products inside them can be safeguarded against moisture for a much longer span of time. And that is why these are the most desirable choice in the cloth packaging industry.
The Polypropylene derivatives i.e. the PP, OPP, and BOPP are resistant to organic solvents, acids, and alkalies. That is why these are widely used in the packaging industry where transportation and storage under changing atmospheric is unavoidable. Like cling films, they protect the product from moisture and dust. These are recyclable and their manufacture involves lesser carbon footprint. So from the environment perspective as well, the PP, OPP, and BOPP bags are sustainable choice.
For more information, please visit Custom OPP bag for food packaging.