Food packaging plays an important role and it is an indispensable presence in our life. Nowadays, more and more consumers go for green products.
Besides, if you commercialize food products, you know how important the packaging is. From production standards to use standards, manufacturers now focus on the development direction of eco-friendly protection and on the recycling technological innovation.
Many times, these 2 types of containers are confused, or they are called by the same name. The truth is that there are differences between doypack packaging and flowpack packaging, and we are here to reveal them to you.
Doypack and Flowpack: Leading Formats of Food Packaging
The doypack and the flowpack are two highly recognized flexible packaging formats in the food packaging industry. Each of them offers both brands and consumers multiple economic, logistical and functional advantages.
Both are flexible but they have a totally different format.
The doypack is a bag made with three welds and a base that allows it to stand upright when full. On the other hand, the flowpack has a pillow-like shape with two parallel welds at the beginning and end of the pack and also a longitudinal vertical rear that in some cases is hidden.
Doypack
This type of package was made in order to reduce the consumption of rigid containers such as cans, bottles, etc. It is a perfect packaging for solid, powder, gel or liquid products as it allows a high conservation of the product’s properties.
Besides, it has an attractive presentation and a unique design.
Since the doypack appeared it has eliminated many logistical problems, because it allows the transport of more containers and this way it reduces the carbon footprint.
There are two ways to get this packaging, from the automatic machines and through preformed bags, which are manufactured with an unsealed end, both anonymous and personalized. The latter one can be made from very small quantities depending on the needs of the producer.
Benefits of Doypack
Here are the most important advantages of using this type of packaging:
- They improve logistics, because more containers can be transported in less space.
- They have better presence at points of sale because the product can be self-sustaining.
- It is a dynamic packaging as it can contain different types of products.
- It has great conservation properties because once it is opened it can be closed again (in the versions with zipper and stopper).
- It has a great customization because you can get different shapes and closures.
Disadvantages of Doypack
Among the disadvantages of this type of packaging may be the fact that it can be difficult to recycle because it is usually a multilayer material and sometimes it contains elements that are difficult to recycle, as the zipper or the caps.
Despite this, nowadays we can find 100% recyclable Doypack packaging on the market.
Another important fact is that the preformed bags may have a higher cost per unit than the doypack bags that are made from foil.
Flowpack
This type of packaging, which is also called a pillow bag, can contain different types of products, mainly powder, granules or solids. It is mostly used for the food sector, such as bars, cookies, powdered cereals, dry fruits, etc.
It has many benefits in common with the Doypack bag, but it may not have such an attractive aesthetic, mainly because it cannot be kept in a vertical position. In order to achieve this, there are versions of pillow-type bags to which a more stable bottom is attached by means of folding mechanisms.
The most common of the flowpacks is called the English fold bag.
Benefits of Flowpack
Between the most important advantages of the flowpack packaging there are:
- It has a greater use of the interior volume than the Doypack format.
- The packages have a reduced weight, so it allows a more efficient transport.
- Less material is used for the same amount of product that is packed in Doypack.
- It is less expensive because it allows easier handling, easier manufacturing and a better use of the material.
- It is easy to recycle, as it is usually made from materials that are easy to separate.
Disadvantages of Flowpack
The most important disadvantage of this type of packaging is that it must be broken to consume the product, which means that once opened there is no guarantee of the original properties of the product until it is consumed.
Choose the Best Packaging for Your Store
If you are thinking about selling products in your supermarket (like the ones that need this types of packaging) and give the best quality, let us tell you that there are some other elements you should consider when choosing the best packaging.
First, that the doypack bags stand up with or without a resealable zipper. Besides, the doypacks are the perfect packaging for items that need to be packed safely and stylishly (like snacks, dry fruits, etc) as they give your products safety while looking classy and high quality.
On the other hand, the flowpack packaging (also known as pillow bags) is the most commonly used option for the vegetable segment. By choosing the right materials, your product will stay fresh and maintain its shape and taste.
At El Nogal we use both doypack and flowpack flexible containers, with the aim of satisfying the packaging needs of our customers, among others. Are you interested in our services? Please, contact us or order your samples here.
