Sealing & resealing bags

Buy from an extensive range of sealable and resealable bags, including grip seal bags, zip seal bags and self-seal bags.

Sealing and resealing bags are...

• Reusable polythene bags that can be opened and closed
• Designed for multiple use - open and close as many time as you like!
• Bags that can be sealed by a variety of means, including self-seal bags

Self-seal bags are...

• Manufactured with an integral sealing strip, located along the bag opening, to allow for easy opening and closure
• Also known as minigrip bags, mini-grip bags, gripper bags, grippa bags and resealable bags
• Ideal for securing bag contents and avoiding leakage or contamination
• Available in a variety styles to suit a range of uses, from storage bags to carrier bags
• Available in clear polythene with or without labels - to make a note of bag contents and help retrieval
• Available in variety of coloured opaque polythene - e.g. red, green, blue or black - to help with item storage and colour-coded retrieval
• Also available in more specialist polythene, from heavy duty grip seal bags to anti-static grip seal bags
• Sometimes referred to as zip seal bags. However…

Zip seal bags are…

• Manufactured with a metal zip fastener or zip seal, making them…
• A more premium bag than a grip seal bag
• Used for storing important documents, such as art portfolios or school project work
• Ideal for use as a wallet for conference delegates or for exhibition attendees
• Also known as zip bags, ziplite bags or zipper bags

Sealable, resealable and self-sealable - there's more than one way to seal a bag

Sealable bags

Any plastic bag that can be sealed shut can be described as a sealable bag.

The sealing process can be carried out by any means, including a bag tie or clip (e.g. a sandwich bag with a twist tie), an adhesive strip, either external (e.g. sealing any bag with cellotape) or internal (e.g. as with a mailing bag), an internal self-seal strip (e.g. as with a minigrip bag) or by heat sealing with an external sealer (e.g. as with vacuum bags).

So any plastic bag that is designed with a seal can be called a sealable bag. However, not all sealable bags can be called resealable bags.

Resealable bags

Only bags where the seal can be reused can be classified as resealable bags. Some bags, such as mailing bags, feature a single-use seal that can't be reused without tearing open the bag itself and thus rendering it useless. Mailing bags are a very convenient way of sending post - thanks to their integral adhesive seal - but, because their seal is strong enough to keep the mail contents secude until the bag is cut or ripped open by the recipient, then a mailing bag is not a resealable bag, although it is a sealable bag.

Self-seal bags

Not every sealable bag be called a self-seal bag. This monicker is reserved only for bags that can be sealed closed without using any external sealing accessory - including adhesive tape, clips or bag ties - and without the use of a heat sealer to melt the polythene and seal the bag.

The most popular types of resealable bags are grip seal bags. These bags, which are sometimes known as mini-grip bags, gripper bags or grippa bags, feature an integral seal that runs along the top of the bag.

The seal contains a male (single) and female (double) ridge of plastic on opposite sides of the bag opening. When the seal is squeezed gently between thumb and forefinger, the male ridge fits snuggly into the female ridges to close the bag. This seal protects the contents of the bag from moisture, dirt and other external contaminants.

It can be used over and over again, which means the grip seal bag is a sealable bag, a self-seal bag and a resealable bag.

This handy bag is available in a huge range of sizes, made from clear, coloured or black polythene, with or without labels to make handy notes on the bag and with specialist options including antistatic bags - to keep electrical components safe - and specimen bags with accompanying record cards - perfect for hospitals, doctors' surgeries and police stations.

Methods of sealing plastic bags

The most common ways of sealing a polythene bag are by:

Sealing the bag with ties or clips. Fasten any bag shut with a plastic clip or twist shut with a tie. A popular method of sealing food bags for domestic use (e.g. clip a packet of frozen peas shut before placing in freezer, twist a sandwich bag closed for a packed lunch etc.)

Sealing the bag with a built-in adhesive flap. Some bags such as mailing bags are manufactured with a flap opening, where the flap contains a built-in adhesive strip attached along its length. Simply remove the cover from the adhesive and press the flap down to seal.

Sealing the bag with a built-in grip or zip seal. A range of bags are available with an integral strip that seals shut either by squeezing the seal together (grip seal) or pulling closed (zip seal). Very handy for regular use as they can be used over and over, these bags also provide great protection from moisture, dirt etc.

Sealing the bag with a heat sealer. If you really want to seal your bag shut tight this is the method for you. A heat sealer will bond two pieces of plastic when placed together in the sealer and the sealer is closed shut. A one-time seal, this method of sealing bags is popular for vacuum packing food.

Where to buy sealing and resealing bags

Resealable bag manufacturers and suppliers include:

Ziplock Bags
The home of ziplock bags online, this website features everything you need on ziplock, zipper, ziplite, grip seal and all self-seal bags. With a huge range of products at great prices and free delivery within the UK, this is the number one ziplock website out there.
www.ziplockbags.co.uk

Self Seal Bags
Specialists in self-seal bags, this website stocks a huge range of resealable bags from grip seal to mini grip and ziplock to ziplite. Packed with loads of useful information to help you choose the right bag for you, with free delivery to UK addresses.
www.self-seal-bags.co.uk

Plastic Self Seal Bags
Discount Self Seal Bags is the place to go to get resealable plastic bags at discount prices. Also features loads of useful information on self-seal bags, including a handy buying guide to make sure you pick the right sort of resealable bag for you.
www.discountselfsealbags.co.uk

Minigrip Bags
A website loaded with information on minigrip bags - aka grippa bags - and all types of self-sealing bags, with list of the best places to buy them online. Features a useful guide to anti-static self-seal bags, what they are used for and how they work.
www.minigrip-bags.co.uk

Zip Seal Bags
Zip Seal Bags contains loads of great information on zip seal bags and other types of self-seal polythene bags and eco-friendly alternatives. It also features a handy list of online zip seal bag retailers.
www.zipsealbags.co.uk

Antistatic Bags
Antistatic bags is the number one website dedicated to antistatic bags. Containing a wealth of information on antistatic packaging and how it works, along with details of where to buy it at the best possible prices.
www.antistatic-bags.co.uk

Resealable Bags
Resealable-Bags is a division of Polybags Ltd, the UK's number one polythene manufacturer, that specialises in resealable bags. Offering an unrivalled range of resealable bags and other polythene packaging at the best prices online.
www.resealable-bags.co.uk

Research & Resources

For plenty more information on sealing and resealing bags, including the manufacturing process, types of self-seal bags available and their many uses, please visit:

PlasticBags.uk.com: Browse through a huge range of self seal bags websites or, if you are a manufacturer, list your products for free on this online directory specialising in self seal bags and other plastic packaging.

PackagingKnowledge: The UK packaging industry's number one website contains huge amounts of information and in-depth articles on self seal bags.

Goldstork: This free online directory features specially selected information and hand-picked features on a range of self seal bags and resealable bags.

What is static electricity?

Every object in the world - ourselves included - is made of atoms, which are in turn made of protons, neutrons and electrons. While neutrons have no charge, protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively charged.

In normal circumstances, the number of protons and electrons in an atom balance each other out, meaning that atoms have no charge. However, when two items rub together or separate, the electrons contained within these items can move from atom to atom or even from item to item, thus giving the atoms a positive or negative charge.

If the items involved in this situation are made from a material that does not conduct electricity - an insulator - then this charge can not move. The result is static electricity.

How do antistatic self-seal bags work?

If any static electricity comes into contact with an antistatic self-seal bag, rather than pass through the bag and risk damaging the electrical components inside the bag, the electricity passes around the bag and dissipates before it can make contact with the components, thus removing the possibility of damage.

Why people are talking about sealable bags

Small Zip Bags

Small zip bags work optimal when the seal is proper and the gauge suits the job, because a flimsy bag can split, leak, or lose its grip on the closure after a bit of handling. For loose items like small fruit, fasteners, samples, or shopping bits and parts, a transparent ziplock format retains contents visible while still giving a tidy, packaging supplierble pack. Putting baggies on cards also assists hanging display and speeds up picking and packing on the shop floor, nevertheless only if the carding method does not stress the seal or distort the film. A superb balance between clarity, strength, and easy opening makes the pack easier to sell and safer to handle.

A heavier self seal bag gives much better control above product protection than a thin substitute because the additional gauge assists the film retain its shape and resist rough handling. Clear polythene suppliers lets contents be checked fast, which saves time at select-face and amid stock checks, while the firmer body of the bag stops packs slumping in cartons or collapsing on shelving. A decent grip seal also closes more reliably after repeat opening, so it suits samples, small parts and paperwork that pass through several hands. That combination of visibility, strength and easy reclosure retains the pack tidy and reduces avoidable handling damage.

Grip Seal Bags

Grip seal bags earn their place when stock requirements fast identification and a tidy, repeatable close without moving to a heavier format. The transparent polythene suppliers lets pickers see the contents at a glance, which cuts rummaging at the select-face and reduces the chance of the gross SKU being issued. A decent seal track matters as much as the film itself, because weak lips split after a few open-and-close cycles and then the bag becomes waste rather than a reusable pack. The better gauges also retain dust and light moisture off parts without adding much tare weight, so cases stay light and pallet loads remain easy to handle. That balance makes them a practical selection for routine warehouse work.

Details about   Gripper Bags 100 X 140Mm - Pl06

Gripper bags in the 100 x 140 mm size work well for small components because they retain parts together without eating into carton space or crowding the packing bench. The key is the film specification, not the shape alone. A consistent polythene suppliers with an even micron gauge and controlled melt flow gives a bag that opens cleanly, grips properly and closes again without the lip tearing away. That matters when mixed product is being packed as a secondary load, where all gramme of tare weight and all bit of wasted null affects how much fits in a case and how stable the finished pallet sits in transit.

Grippa bags only perform properly when the film profile is consistent and the rib-and-channel closure is formed with care. A small change in gauge, melt flow or cooling can leave the tracks uneven, and that is the sort of fault that may not display up until the bag is being used on a line or in storage. Dust, grease and moisture can all interfere with a weak seal, so a bag that seems fine at first may beginning to slip after a few openings. Good production control retains the closure proper and avoids the false economy of a pack that sees proper nevertheless cannot grasp up in use.

Minigrip bags retain small parts below control when cut parts, samples or offcuts need to transport between processes without getting mixed up or damaged. A transparent bag makes it easy to see what is inside, which saves time at the bench and reduces the chance of opening the gross pack amid a busy dash. The packaging supplierble strip matters as much as the film itself, because staged work often means repeated opening and closing before the next operation. If the gauge is also light, sharp edges can split the polythene suppliers and loose items soon proceed missing, so the better selection is a bag that suits the content rather than the nearest spare on the shelf.

Mini grip bags need the proper film gauge and closure profile if they are going to stand up to repeated handling of small parts. Clear polythene suppliers gives a fast view of the contents, which assists when loose items are counted, picked, or checked against a kit list, nevertheless visibility means small if the bag fails on the line. A film that is also light can twist at the neck or split amid filling and dispatch, while an above-heavy grade adds material use without much additional protection. A proper converting process retains the film even and the closure aligned, and that is what makes the bag dash cleanly through packing and leave less waste behind.

BagCo MGZ2P0203 Zippit packaging supplierble Bags

A 3 x 5 packaging supplierble bag with a 4 mil wall earns its place because it balances handling strength with sensible pack weight. The heavier film stands up better to repeated opening, closing and sorting at the bench, so it does not flop around like a thin sleeve when operatours are working at speed. That assists retain select-face work tidy and reduces the chance of small parts spilling or being sent out in mixed condition. The clearer film also makes contents easy to check at a glance, which saves time amid stock control and limits unnecessary opening. In daily packing, that kind of control is normally worth above saving a fraction of a gramme.

Sealable bags need a proper closure if repeated opening and closing is part of the job, because a weak seal fast turns into leaks, pollution or product loss. Manual sealing can be awkward at speed, particularly when operatours are handling small parts, powders or food items and need a bag that closes neatly all time. Changing the closure design or supplying a purpose-manufactured bag can reduce the guesswork and improve seal quality without slowing the line. That normally means less waste, less rejected packs and better control in storage, which is why the closure selection often matters above the bag itself.

Specimen bags need to keep safe the contents from pollution while still giving staff a fast, tidy method to collect and transport samples. A plain bag may see simple, nevertheless the proper issue is whether it grasps its seal, resists puncture, and retains the sample identifiable through storage and transport. In labs, pathology units, and clinical waste streams, a weak closure or flimsy film can lead to leakage, cross-pollution, or a ruined sample. Clear film, a proper seal, and the proper gauge all matter because the bag has to travel through several hands without failing.