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Feb 05, 2024
Blog
Pillow type bags, named for their pillow-like shape, remain a cornerstone of flexible packaging due to their simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and versatility. In 2024, the global flexible packaging market reached USD 274.6 billion, with pillow bags dominating applications in snacks, coffee, and tea. These bags are formed, filled, and sealed on packaging machines like vertical form fill seal (VFFS) systems, offering high-speed production for diverse industries. As a leading packaging machinery manufacturer, HIJPACK Machine at https://www.hijcoffeepack.com/ delivers advanced packaging machines tailored for pillow bag production. This article explores the creation, benefits, limitations, and applications of pillow type bags, highlighting how HIJPACK Machine optimizes their packaging process.
Pillow type bags are flexible pouches characterized by a top seal, bottom seal, and back seal, formed from a continuous roll of film. Their simple design makes them ideal for products like potato chips, ground coffee, and tea, with capacities ranging from 5g to 1kg. Unlike stand-up pouches, pillow bags lay flat or hang via optional features like Euro slots, prioritizing economy over display aesthetics. HIJPACK Machine’s VFFS Machines produce pillow bags at speeds up to 60 bags per minute, with ±0.5g filling accuracy, ensuring consistency for high-volume markets.
Pillow bags are compatible with various films, including metallized polypropylene for a 12-month shelf life and biodegradable PLA for sustainability. HIJPACK Machine supports these formats, enabling brands to meet consumer demands across Asia, Europe, and North America.
The production of pillow bags on packaging machines involves a streamlined process, typically executed on a VFFS system. HIJPACK Machine’s VFFS Machine follows these steps:
A roll of flexible film (50–400mm wide) is unwound and guided over a forming collar, shaping it into a tube. HIJPACK Machine’s servo-driven film pull ensures ±1mm alignment, critical for consistent bag dimensions. Films like polyethylene or laminates are supported, meeting food-grade standards.
The film’s edges overlap around the forming tube, and a vertical seal bar (150–180°C) creates the back seal. HIJPACK Machine’s packaging machinery uses continuous or intermittent sealing, achieving 99.9% seam integrity for products like tea or snacks.
A horizontal seal bar forms the bottom seal, closing one end of the tube to create a pouch. HIJPACK Machine’s systems apply precise pressure (0.5–1 MPa), ensuring leak-proof seals for liquids like soup mixes.
Product is dispensed through the forming tube’s hollow center. HIJPACK Machine’s VFFS Machines use:
Multi-head weighers for solids (e.g., chips) with ±1g accuracy.
Auger fillers for powders (e.g., coffee) with ±0.5g precision.
Liquid pumps for sauces (10–500ml).
Optional nitrogen flushing extends shelf life by 30%, ideal for coffee bag filling.
After filling, a second horizontal seal forms the top seal, and a knife cuts the bag from the film roll. HIJPACK Machine’s packaging machines achieve clean cuts with ±0.1mm precision, producing 3,600 bags per hour. Optional tear notches or zippers enhance consumer convenience.
Finished bags are discharged onto conveyors for labeling or cartoning. HIJPACK Machine integrates downstream solutions, ensuring seamless production for tea bag packing.
Pillow bags dominate flexible packaging due to their unique advantages:
Cost-Effective: Requiring 20% less film than stand-up pouches, pillow bags reduce material costs by 15%, ideal for startups and high-volume brands.
High-Speed Production: HIJPACK Machine’s VFFS Machines produce up to 60 bags per minute, 50% faster than premade pouch systems, meeting tight deadlines in snack packaging.
Versatility: Suitable for solids, powders, and liquids, from tea bag packing to pet food, with customizable sizes (50–300mm).
Proven Reliability: Used globally for decades, pillow bags offer 99.9% seal reliability, validated by HIJPACK Machine’s ISO 9001-certified processes.
Equipment Compatibility: Formed on standard VFFS systems, eliminating the need for specialized packaging machinery.
Despite their strengths, pillow bags have constraints:
Non-Stand-Up Design: They cannot stand upright, limiting shelf presence compared to Doypacks, though Euro slots enable hanging displays.
Limited Branding Space: Only the front panel is visible when flat, offering 50% less marketing surface than quad-seal bags.
Generic Appearance: Their ubiquity reduces visual differentiation, requiring bold graphics to stand out in competitive markets like snacks.
HIJPACK Machine mitigates these limitations with high-clarity film support and custom printing options, enhancing brand visibility for coffee bag filling.
Pillow bags serve diverse industries, supported by HIJPACK Machine’s packaging machines:
Snacks: Potato chips and nuts in 50–200g bags, with nitrogen flushing for 12-month freshness.
Beverages: Ground coffee and tea in 10–100g pouches, using tea bag packing machines with ±0.5g accuracy.
Household Products: Detergent powders in 500g bags, sealed with robust seams.
Pharmaceuticals: Powdered supplements in 5–20g sachets, compliant with GMP standards.
As a global packaging machinery manufacturer, HIJPACK Machine excels in pillow bag production:
Advanced Technology: Our VFFS Machines feature SS304 construction and PLC controls, achieving 99.9% uptime and 60 bags per minute.
Sustainability: Support for biodegradable films reduces waste by 10%, aligning with EU’s 2030 recyclability goals.
Customization: Adjustable forming collars support bag widths from 50–400mm, ideal for tea bag packing or snack pouches.
Global Support: Serving 20+ countries, we offer 24/7 assistance at helen.machine@gmail.com and spare parts delivery within 48 hours.
