Packaging films are omnipresent in our daily life: wrapping of food, office supplies, clothing, bags and sacks…
It is estimated that the film and sheet market, the most important sector of plastic packaging consumption, represents approximately 25% of total plastics, and is still growing.
Motivations to use films are diversified:
* Technical: Films have an exceptional performance/weight ratio and offer ease of processing, gas barrier properties, moisture proofing, sealability, light weight, aesthetics…
* Economical: Films can be mass-produced at low cost, particularly for low output packaging and household applications.
* Aesthetics: Films can enhance the aesthetic appeal of packaging, and offer a good range of printing options for the customer's information.
* Environmental: the reduction of weight, the high protective properties compared to paper and cardboard make films environment friendly.
These apparently simple things include very different products ranging from a common monolayer of polyethylene to a high-performance multilayer of specialty plastics or hybrids of plastic/metal.