An Overview of Materials and Bag Types for Pet Food Packaging Bags

Pet Food Materials

Plastic materials used for pet food packaging bags have barrier properties, heat resistance, and sealability. They can prevent food spoilage, that is, prevent the oxidation of vitamins in food. Generally, multi-layer plastic composites are chosen, and common ones include PET/AL/PE, PET/NY/PE, PET/MPET/PE, PET/AL/PET/PE, PET/NY/AL/PE, PET/NY/AL/RCPP, high-temperature dry distillation bags for wet food, flexible can packaging, etc. In plastic composite co-extruded films, aluminum foil is always laminated because aluminum foil packaging bags have excellent barrier properties. They block air, sunlight, grease, and moisture—almost no substances can penetrate them. Aluminum foil packaging bags also have good airtightness, outstanding light-shielding properties, as well as excellent oil resistance and flexibility. Those who have kept pets know that both cat food and dog food should be kept away from direct sunlight as much as possible, as prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause them to deteriorate. Additionally, if stored in a cool place for a period of time, they may go bad and mold. Therefore, most pet snack packaging uses aluminum foil.

Pet Food Bag Types

Three-side sealed bags

In terms of bag types, three-side sealed bags are the simplest and most common. They have good airtightness, excellent moisture retention and sealing performance, high barrier properties with extremely low oxygen and moisture permeability, and strong resistance to moisture and mold. They are easy to produce and cost-effective, often used for small-sized cat food and dog food packaging.

Four-side sealed bags

Four-side sealed bags have high adaptability and stability. After packaging products, they form a cube with good packaging effect, suitable for food preservation and multiple recycling. Using new printing technology, they can better highlight packaging patterns and trademarks, with a striking visual effect. They are boil-resistant, moisture-proof, and have excellent vacuum-sealing performance. Moreover, compared with eight-side sealed bags, four-side sealed bags are cheaper and more cost-effective.

Eight-side sealed bags

Eight-side sealed bags are the most common type in pet snacks. They can stand stably, which is beneficial for shelf display. With eight printing panels, they can display product information more completely, allowing customers to understand the product at a glance. Their unique appearance helps prevent counterfeiting, making them easy for consumers to identify and conducive to brand building. Flat-bottom eight-side sealed bags have a large capacity and strong load-bearing capacity, suitable for packaging products with large weight and volume. Large-volume pet snacks usually use eight-side sealed packaging bags.

Stand-up pouches

Stand-up packaging bags have excellent sealing performance and the strength of composite materials, being less prone to rupture and leakage. They are lightweight, consume less material, and are convenient for transportation. Using stand-up pouches for pet snack packaging makes it easier to display on shelves.

Special-shaped bags

Pet snacks are mostly for cute animals like cats and dogs, so food packaging bags can be designed into cartoon shapes of pets to increase interest, remind consumers of their own pets, and establish an emotional connection with them.Pet Food SpecificationsCommon specifications of pet food packaging include 500g, 1.5kg, 2.5kg, 5kg, 10kg, etc. Small-sized packaging is ready-to-eat upon opening, safer and healthier, but with a higher unit price. Therefore, large-sized pet food is currently more popular in the market. However, large bags of cat food are hard to finish quickly after opening, which involves the issue of cat food storage. Improper storage of cat food can easily lead to nutrient loss, deterioration, and moisture absorption. Therefore, packaging bags are usually equipped with zippers for re-sealing, making them more convenient and hygienic.