Brand Owners: Why Your Packaging Needs Heat Seal  

Heat seal adhesive technology is an adhesive bonding process that uses heat to seal a variety of substrates together. These substrates include PET, PE, PP, PVC, PS, foil and paper. It can be customized for peelable or lock seals for lidding (tray and cup) as well as for labels, making it usable for a range of food, medical and industrial applications. Some key benefits of heat seal technology include: 

• Processing versatility: Heat seal adhesives can be coated or extruded, which expands the converting options and simplifies the steps to creating your end-use package. For example, a converter can purchase a film with heat seal coating extruded by the film suppliers or custom formulate with a heat seal coating to better control the peel force via coat weight and application pattern. Having multiple sourcing options helps ensure supply security to you with the end-use package structure.  

• Wide application use: Because heat seals are compatible with many substrates, you can use this packaging format for different end-use applications. Some applications already utilizing heat seal technology include dairy, produce, dual ovenable, shrink sleeve, microwave, condiment, blister and sterilization applications. Along with being able to expand the types of products you’re able to package with just one format, rest assured that your package will have been made in an energy efficient way, and your converter can reduce SKU complexity by relying on one heat seal technology for multiple package structures.

Sustainability Goal #1: Decrease Food and Package Waste  

Heat seal technology’s performance features help contribute to decreasing food waste and package waste by preserving food and being an alternative technology to rigid packaging. 

To decrease food waste, heal seal offers: 

• Chemical resistance in a heat seal helps protect the package from a product that has high acidity or chemical content. This will prevent the food from deteriorating the package seal and getting out before it is used by the end user.   

• Anti-fog abilities prevent water droplets from forming on the lid of the package so consumers have direct visibility to the product. This helps increase the likelihood that a consumer will purchase the product because they can determine if the product is fresh or free of defects. 

To reduce package waste, it offers: 

• Lightweighting: Heat seal technology allows brand owners to transition from rigid top packaging to flexible film lidding to reduce plastic usage. This weight reduction can lower shipping and transportation environmental impact. 

• Reduced excess packaging: Heat seal technology provides the ability to package custom product shapes, reducing the use of excess materials needed to fit around it. The seal protection also reduces the need for secondary packaging that would result in additional waste. 

• Minimal product loss: By preventing leakage, heat seal technology reduces any product loss during storage, transportation, and consumer use. This decreases the likelihood of products being returned or disposed of due to damage, and therefore additional package waste.  

By using packaging made with heat seal technology, you help reduce plastic usage and reach sustainable packaging goals; this in turn can help you directly address concerns from non-governmental organizations (NGO).   

Sustainability Goal #3: Recyclable Compatibilities  

Heat seal technology enables the end user to cleanly peel the lidding away from a tray or cup, allowing the tray or cup to be recycled without adhesive contamination. Heat seals are capable of this by adhering better to the film than the rigid plastic to prevent cohesive failure when peeling off the lid. This is why it’s also encouraged for converters to consider using heat seal technology with paper or CPET trays and single-ply lidding to enhance recyclability.