Bottom seal bags are ideal for their versatility, durability and flexibility. If you have heavy materials you need to contain, such as hardware, a bottom seal bag is the best way to go. They are tubular in shape, with the seal located across the bottom width of the plastic, featuring a small so-called skirt after the seal.
Basically, if you have an object that adds a lot of stress to the seals or sides of a bag, you will need a bottom seal bag to adequately contain it with no fear of breakage.
Bottom seal bags are similar in function to standard flat bags but they are manufactured differently. Your standard flat bag contains side seals or welds, but a bottom seal bag is comprised of a section of tube that’s sealed and cut at the bottom. This makes it leak-proof, which is a significant advantage over standard bags. Use bottom seal bags for medical fluid samples, or foods that contain juices, such as sausage.
You can also make bottom seal bags with side gussets, an ideal packaging choice for bakery items such as Italian bread.
What Can You Use Bottom Seal Bags For?
Bottom seal bags can be used for:
- Box liners
- Box covers
- Leak-resistant bag seals (water-tight bags)
- Drum liners
- Garbage and trash bags
- Mulch bags
- Hardware bags
- Pharmaceutical bags
- Parts bags
- Automotive applications
- Nuts, bolts, and fastener poly bags
- Poly bags on rolls
Side Seal vs. Bottom Seal
While similar, there are a couple of key differences between the two.
Side seal bags use center fold film, whereby the machine cuts and seals the bag’s sides at the same time. You can form handles or air holes before the cutting and sealing process, too. These bags are best for:
- Press seal bags
- Trade show bags
- General purpose bags (small and medium)
- Bottom gusset bags
While side seal bags are not as strong as their bottom seal counterparts, they cost less to produce. And while they are quite durable, you wouldn’t want to use them for heavy duty items such as potatoes or potting mix.
Bottom seal bags are much more durable, and are made using a flat tube. The machine seals and cuts the bag just below the seal. They are best used for materials that tend to flow, such as grain, flour, pebbles, sand, asphalt, potting mix, and foods like onions, potatoes and carrots.
Bottom seal bags are customized to the client’s specifications, produced with their choice of top-quality material and printing options. These bags can be constructed of Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), a blend of LDPE and LLDPE, Linear Low Density Materials (LLDPE), FDA-approved materials, and re-processed poly materials.
Contact Rutan Poly
Interested to hear how bottom seal bags may be ideal for your application? No matter what your product is, we can manufacture custom bottom-seal poly bags to meet your needs. Just call us at 800-872-1474.