Vacuum Sealer Bags - What You Should Know

When it comes to buying vacuum sealer bags, the world is at your fingertips. A wide variety of bags and sealers are available, but purchasing the correct materials and machines will depend on the application.

Vacuum sealer bags are coextruded bags with three enclosed sides that are sealed airtight after oxygen is removed. The open side of the bag is sealed off once a vacuum cycle is complete.

Vacuum sealer bags package food or other household or commercial products. They are designed to pack items safely to extend shelf life or protect the packaged items. They are also used to reduce the size of products for easier shipping and storage. Vacuum packaging can reduce some items to half of their original size.

Knowing where to buy vacuum sealer bags can be tricky. Certain machines and different uses sometimes require specific bags. Sizing can also be an issue if you are unfamiliar with what you need.

Small quantities of bags can be found as close as your local retail store, like Walmart or Target.

Walmart has them in-store in various sizes and options, from six rolls of 11”x16’, one quart, one gallon, and 8x11. They also offer a variety of quantities from 44 quart-size bags to 10-count gallon sizes.

The options are endless if you look online at sites like Amazon.com, which offers hundreds of brands, sizes, and quantities.

If you are in the market for bulk quantities, look at packaging distributors like U.S. Packaging & Wrapping. We offer a range of vacuum sealer bags in different thicknesses, from 3 mils to 5 mils, and higher custom options.

Before you buy, though, make sure you know your product. What are some questions to ask?

• How thick should the bag be?

The most common thickness is 3 mil., which provides ample protection for most products. Larger products with sharp edges and jagged corners commonly use a 5 mil bag or higher thickness.

• What are the different types of vacuum sealer bags?

The type of vacuum sealer used often determines the kind of bag that can be used. There are many co-extruded vacuum bag options, from foil to Kraft paper with oxygen barriers.

Channeled Vacuum – Channeled vacuum bags have embossed sides and are often used with home-use vacuum sealers. These allow air to escape from the bag easier. The channeled bags allow more airflow out of the bag than a smooth vacuum bag.

Zippered Vacuum Bags – These are very consumer-friendly, and vacuum zipper bags are used to package a variety of products. The easy-open bag and re-closable zipper allow the user to swiftly open the bags without scissors and seal them again without hassle.

Notched Vacuum Bags – A consumer-friendly bag, notched vacuum bags offer an easy opening for consumers.

Foil Vacuum Bags – The foil keeps light from compromising the packaged product. This is why they’re used worldwide for things like coffee storage. It offers the best oxygen barrier compared to other co-extruded bags.

• Why vacuum sealer bags and not regular zipper bags?

The oxygen barrier is why vacuum bags or barrier bags must be used. The removal of oxygen changes the atmosphere within the bag. An oxygen barrier is required to maintain the same oxygen levels. This is the reason for the multi-layered bags with various options.

Vacuum sealer bags are designed for long-term food preservation, locking in moisture to prevent freezer burn, restricting bacterial growth by removing air, and extending a product's shelf life up to 3-5 times longer than conventional storage methods.

Freezer bags are designed for short-term storage. They're cheap and versatile for protecting food from freezer burn, but they do not have the oxygen barrier needed to maintain a modified atmosphere within the bag.

• What is the difference between vacuum sealing and shrink wrapping?

Vacuum packing and shrink wrapping are very different. Both remove air from the prackage, but in different ways.

With shrink wrapping, products are enclosed in film, and heat is applied to shrink the film to form and fit it to the products. Unlike vacuum sealing, air escapes the shrink-wrapped package through tiny holes along the film's surface. The holes prevent the shrink-wrapped product from being completely sealed off.

Regardless of the product you are packaging, there’s a vacuum sealer bag to do the job, and the purchase options are endless. Visit our website at uspackagingandwrapping.com or call 1-800-441-5090 with questions about vacuum packaging.