PP*STAR®
The fully automatically produced PP*STAR® pinch-bottom bag combines the benefits of polypropylene woven fabric and printed BOPP film in a recyclable mono-material packaging solution for dry bulk materials. PP*STAR® bags are a well-established type of packaging in the retail and consumer goods sector, particularly for dry pet food and rice, and are also suitable for other products such as sugar, flour, cereals, seeds, fertilisers and much more.
PP*STAR® - the resource-efficient and environmentally friendly bag concept
An advanced packaging material is characterized by its extremely low weight and, as a result, low raw material consumption, as well as its extremely low breakage rates and suitability for recycling.
The challenge is therefore to continue to meet or even improve important requirements for tensile strength and tear resistance with significantly reduced material usage. For large quantities of bulk materials that need to be protected from environmental influences or breakage, there used to be no alternative to multi-layer paper bags or bags made of thick plastic film.
Nowadays, however, a composite of BOPP-laminated polypropylene woven fabric has sufficient strength for bigger filling volumes, making multi-layer packaging obsolete. A single-layer PP*STAR® bag for a volume of 25 kg weighs only 118 g/m2 on average – this is a weight reduction of more than 55% compared to a 4-layer paper bag of the same size.
Our PP*STAR® bags therefore fully meet all the aforementioned criteria for an advanced packaging material. This not only helps to protect the environment, but also makes them extremely economical to produce.
Smart combination of materials
The Starlinger PP*STAR® bag is a pinch-bottom bag made of polypropylene tape fabric, laminated with reverse-printed BOPP film (BOPP: biaxially orientated polypropylene). It owes its unique strength and stability to the special properties of the woven fabric. During the extrusion process, the polypropylene tapes are stretched and aligned so as to increase their tensile strength. In the next step, a fabric tube is produced from the tapes, which is then cut open and wound up as flat fabric. The BOPP film – reverse-printed to protect the printed motif from abrasion – is then laminated onto the flat fabric using an adhesive layer of thin extruded polypropylene.
This results in an attractive, lightweight and break-resistant packaging solution that is unrivalled in terms of tear and puncture resistance and therefore makes a significant contribution to reducing the breakage rate in logistical processes.
Product safety for sensitive bulk materials
In addition to the material properties already mentioned, PP*STAR® bags also have excellent barrier properties that provide reliable protection for the packaged goods. They prevent the contents from becoming soiled, infested by insects or damaged by mechanical influences. They also keep harmful environmental influences such as light, oxygen or moisture from penetrating the product, thereby blocking water from entering or grease from leaking out.
This is why PP*STAR® bags have established themselves in many regions as the first choice for packaging sensitive goods such as animal feed, food and fertilisers. The excellent water vapour barrier properties of PP*STAR® bags ensure that moisture is kept out and that fertiliser, for example, does not form lumps. This significantly extends the storage time and shelf life.
Animal lovers always want the best for their pets. They choose high-quality products where they can be sure that the contents of the pack are not spoilt or infested with insects. Also in these cases, PP*STAR® bags can be relied upon to protect dry feed, vitamins, nutritional supplements and litter during transport, storage and on supermarket shelves: Spoilage caused by microorganisms, or aroma and vitamin loss and foreign odours are reduced. The aim is to ensure that the feed has the longest possible shelf life and is safe to consume.
There is more to packaging than just protecting products
While the primary function of packaging is to protect the product during transport, storage and presentation on the shelves, it is also a very effective information and advertising medium that brand owners like to make use of.
Attractive and distinctive packaging ensures high brand recognition, has a strong allure and therefore a considerable sales-promoting effect.
In the growing packaging market for animal feed and other dry bulk materials in the foodstuffs sector, the PP*STAR® bag is thus very popular, and not only due to its material properties. Producers value it because of the large advertising space that the bag concept offers, and end-consumers choose it because of its extremely attractive appearance with a matte or glossy all-over print.
Versatile range of packaging
The pp*starKON X bag conversion line is equipped with a unique, patented laser perforation system that enables a wide range of different formats to be produced. This offers packaging manufacturers the greatest possible product flexibility when producing customised PP*STAR® bags, allowing them to give their products an individual touch.
For example, in addition to the perforation of various laser lines for the design of the individual bag segments, it is also possible to laser cut ventilation holes or handles into the material.
The patented laser system enables packaging producers to adapt quickly to changing market conditions at any time and accommodate customer needs and requirements. This flexibility not only increases customer satisfaction, but also gives packaging companies an important competitive advantage.
In short: PP*STAR® is a packaging solution for dry bulk goods destined for the end consumer market that meets all the requirements of innovative, flexible, safe and environmentally friendly packaging.
