It is the counterpart to rigid packaging - the Doypack. Together with flat bags, the now legendary stand-up pouch forms the heart of flexible packaging. These are becoming increasingly popular. What are the advantages of flexible packaging? Are they an ecologically and economically convincing alternative to other forms of packaging? We have investigated these questions for you.

What is flexible packaging?

Flexible packaging nestles smoothly against the contents. We now encounter them in many areas, especially food. Whether it's coffee, oatmeal or frozen products - doypack and Flat pouch are on the advance.

In comparison with hard packaging, this soft packaging often attracts more attention because it is usually printed on a large area and impressively conveys the advertising message of the contents.

Flexible packaging includes:

• Packaging made of certain films (plastic and cellulose)
• Aluminum foil soft packs
• Paper packaging materials

The above materials can be used individually or in combination.

Flexible packaging forms the basis for:

• Pallet wrapping
• Bags of pet food and other pet products like cat litter
• Detergent
• Craftsman accessories
• Food
• pharmaceutical products
• Shrink films for secondary packaging
• Transport packaging in the industry
• Carry bag.

They are already widely used in the food sector. 40 percent of all food is protected by flexible packaging. Overall, however, flexible types of packaging only account for 10 percent of all packaging to date.

Those who have not yet taken a closer look at packaging may not find anything special about flexible packaging at first glance.

However, apart from the contents, these have it all. They offer various advantages that hard packaging does not have.

Economic advantages of flexible packaging

From a business point of view, flexible packaging such as Doypacks shine with convincing advantages:

• Material is saved during reproduction, which reduces costs. The cost reduction is made possible by the exact adaptation of the soft packaging to the contents.
• Flexible packaging saves storage space and transport areas
• Doypacks and Flat pouch allow precise positioning of the contents. In this way, less content is wasted, for example in the food sector.
• The soft packaging weighs less, which reduces transportation costs.
• Sealing techniques save on closures and keep the contents fresh and safe for a long time.

Flexible packaging is more durable and better protects the contents against external stresses.

Ecological advantages of flexible packaging

Flexible packaging can also score points in terms of the environment and sustainability.

Often, only the recycling rate is considered when looking at ecology. Rigid packaging is now around 80 percent recyclable. However, in addition to the recycling rate, it also plays a role how much material was originally used and what of it is lost in the entire process, including recycling.

In the case of rigid packaging, around 10 percent is lost when the packaging is recycled again. However, the material input is considerable. In the case of flexible packaging, the material input is only one-tenth of that of hard packaging. Flexible packaging can be transferred to the circular economy without any loss of material.

Calculations show that soft packaging has massive ecological advantages even if it is not recycled. If flexible packaging were used as a matter of principle in the food sector alone, the ecological footprint in the entire European Union could be reduced by 40 percent. The bottom line is that around 26 million tons of packaging waste could be saved.

Are there ecological and economic disadvantages with flexible packaging?

Ecologically and economically, the advantages of soft packaging outweigh the disadvantages.

This is especially true when compared to many rigid packaging materials. Composite materials in films may have certain challenges in recycling and a closed loop recovery.

The materials here cannot necessarily be separated from one another and often cannot be clearly assigned in waste management either. Further improvements are possible here, but these are not a particular characteristic of soft packaging. The need for optimization lies in the entire waste management and recycling of composite materials.

Whether individual materials have disadvantages in themselves always depends on their intended use. For example, soft packaging made of paper is not suitable for every content. They can also prove disadvantageous for the permanent storage of foodstuffs if they are not transferred to other containers in the consumer's household. Certain food pests, such as food moths, can penetrate paper packaging.

What are the alternatives to pouch packaging?

The large area of rigid packaging mainly consists of cans, PET containers and glass. The above materials are the basis of rigid packaging alternatives. They cannot be called a real alternative to soft packs, as they do not combine the advantages of flexible packaging.

Currently, there is no real alternative to flexible packaging that has the same benefits and can be used on a large scale. Materials such as glass or metal cans have to be integrated into a circular economy in a very complex way. This is far from being fully successful.

The disadvantage of rigid packaging is that it weighs more. They do not flexibly adapt to the contents and promote waste, especially in the food sector. In terms of shelf life and product safety, they do not always offer the advantages of soft packaging. They often require a closure, and simple seals are not always possible.

The flexible packaging in the warehouse and logistics

Often underestimated are the advantages that soft packaging like the Doypack offers for storage and logistics. The reduced weight and space requirements make storage easier. This also simplifies the movement of goods in the warehouse.

In logistics, soft packaging also takes up less space. This means that more goods can be moved on a given transport area. Transport costs are a weighty cost aspect, not least in view of rising energy prices. Lighter goods that also take up less space significantly reduce transport costs.

Soft packaging is also ahead in terms of labeling and product identification. They can be printed and labeled over a large area. This makes them immediately recognizable in a warehouse.

Additional labels are not necessary because the packaging itself is printed. This is also an important effectiveness and efficiency factor, which can be particularly noticeable in transport and storage. After all, labels also cost resources.

The doypack and its history

The stand-up pouch or doypack is considered the classic soft packaging. It goes back to the Frenchman Louis Doyen. In 1962, the packaging entrepreneur was interested in optimally preserving olives and fruit juices.

In the process, he came up with the idea that the packaging should stand as upright as possible during transport. In addition, the soft packaging should be as light as possible. It was also important to him that the containers could be resealed. The result was the Doypack with its many product advantages.

Over the decades, the production of Doypacks has been further developed. Today, special machines produce the much sought-after stand-up pouches, which have become indispensable, especially in the food industry. As flexible packaging, Doypacks also have advantages during the packaging production process.

The respective machines can be adapted in proportions to contents and individual mass at any time. Here, no standard dimensions are necessary as with certain hard packaging, which further increases the flexibility of this form of packaging.

Conclusion - added value for ecology and economy?

At present, the economic and ecological potential of soft packaging such as flat bags and Doypacks is not yet being exploited to 100 percent. In the food industry in particular, it could be desirable to replace all rigid packaging with soft packaging. The savings in packaging waste would be groundbreaking.

Flexible packaging is superior to rigid packaging in many areas. They cost less to produce, store and transport. They offer longer shelf life and more reliable protection even for sensitive products.

Flexible packaging can be precisely marked because the packaging itself can be printed. Their adaptability to the contents cannot be achieved with hard packaging.

This can prevent product waste in many areas such as food. The ecological footprint of soft packaging is convincing.

FAQ

1. Is soft packaging already widespread today?
   That depends on the production areas. In the food industry, 50 percent of all food could be protected with soft packaging in a shorter time. Nevertheless, flexible packaging still leads almost a niche existence in the overall packaging industry today, with only 10 percent.

2. What could be the reasons why flexible packaging has not yet been able to conquer all suitable product areas?
   The packaging industry has traditionally focused on specific packaging. Individual companies are still concentrated on certain rigid packaging. It is not to be expected that all industry players will immediately switch their production to flexible packaging. The advantages, also in the production process, have yet to crystallize further for this packaging. With rising energy prices, the trend towards flexible packaging could intensify further.

3. Is flexible packaging the packaging of the future?
   You could say it is packaging of the future. Certainly, product developers for packaging do not rest and will introduce even more packaging solutions from an ecological/economic point of view. Until then, flexible packaging is an excellent choice for packaging that is environmentally friendly, cost-effective, optimally labeled and safe.