What is Aluminum Barrier Foil?

When it comes to the packaging that you use to protect your products, both during storage and shipping, it is crucial to ensure that you select the packaging that is most appropriate for the job. This means using packaging that will protect the contents from any of the things that might damage them, causing the product to deteriorate in some way. Aluminum barrier foil, which can be purchased in a variety of different forms from roll stock to 3D barrier bags in a wide range of different sizes, is a very popular product in this respect.

How is Aluminum Barrier Foil made?

Aluminum barrier foil is a special type of foil that is made up of 3 or in some case 4 layers of different materials. These materials are bonded together with either extrusion polyethylene or some form of adhesive. It is the strong construction of these layers that provides the properties that make aluminum barrier foil such a good product for packaging.

Typically, the outer layer of barrier foil is made up of polyester. This layer is resistant to higher temperatures. It acts as a protective layer to the aluminum and provides waterproofing.

The middle layer is made up of aluminum. This layer is essential and helps to prevent gasses, oxygen and, of course, water vapor from entering the packaging. It is this layer that holds the key to the high level of performance that is offered by the product. For food products, this layer also helps to retain the quality of the product. It helps by keeping in those flavours and odors that are so important to the product.

The final layer is Polyethylene, and this allows the barrier foil to be molded into any shape required or heat sealed to protect the product inside.

What are the benefits of using Aluminum barrier foil products?

When it comes to shipping products, it is imperative to ensure that you give them as much protection as possible. If your products arrive in a less than perfect condition, then you will lose money. You may also end up with very unhappy customers who may choose to take their business elsewhere, causing you further loss of revenue.

The aluminum layer in barrier bags is crucial when it comes to the protection of products, and ultimately, this is why it is widely used in several different industries. Not only does it offer protection to dried products, but it also helps guard against corrosion as well. Barrier foil is vital in maintaining any products where the deterioration of the product may be caused as a result of:

  • The ingress of oxygen
  • Moisture
  • Extremes in temperature
  • U.V Light
  • Chemicals
  • Stray odours
  • The growth of fungi and mould
  • Oils and grease

To further assist barrier bags in protecting the products that they hold a small amount of desiccant is often added. This needs to have been carefully calculated to the appropriate amount for both packaging and product. While barrier foil can significantly guard against moisture ingress there is still a small chance that a minimal amount of moisture may find its way into the packaging.  The desiccant will help to remove this.

Reduce your costs

Barrier foil packaging can also help when it comes to your shipping costs. Because this lightweight packaging material can significantly improve the overall condition of the product that it is used with, there is less need to use a desiccant as well. This reduced use of desiccant means that your shipping weight will be reduced and thus your shipping costs.

These reduced shipping costs, together with the increased quality of the product when it arrives with your customers, mean that aluminum barrier foil is a very cost-effective form of packaging that can help save your business money.