Best Way To Choose Your Mylar Bags Thickness

Do you know why mylar bags are so popular?

The layers of the Mylar bag make it an oxygen-tight barrier. And it's because the absence of oxygen is what makes Mylar bags so popular for long-term food storage. For long-term food storage, consider using mylar bags. In addition to oxygen absorbers, a heat sealer, and canning jars, Mylar bags provide crucial protection for food that you want to save for the future. Mylar bags are available in a variety of sizes, shapes and thicknesses. Choosing the right size of Mylar bags is usually not difficult. All you have to do is determine how much food you want to store.
Yet, determining the appropriate bag thickness for your specific needs might be difficult.

What size bag will you need? What is the best type of bag? The majority of these choices will depend on the amount of food you intend to keep. Things become a little trickier when it comes to the bag's thickness.
A mil is a thickness measurement equal to one-thousandth of an inch. Consider that human hair is around 0.0006 to 0.007 inches thick. As a result, Mylar bags begin with a somewhat thicker width than a strand of human hair.
So, how thick should food storage Mylar bags be? Mylar bags come in thicknesses ranging from 2 to 7.5 mils. Mylar bags with a thickness of 5 to 7 mils should be used for maximum protection. Thinner Mylar bags with a thickness of less than 4.5 mils should not be utilized since they will not provide enough protection against moisture, UV rays, and punctures.

There are a few cautions and fascinating features to consider while utilizing Mylar bags. When it comes to finding a proper balance between optimal food storage and cost, choosing the appropriate thickness is critical. Metalized and stretched polyethene terephthalate polyester are used to make mylar bags. Mylar bags are available in various thicknesses, starting at two mils and rising to 7.5 mils.

Mylar bags come in thicknesses ranging from 2 to 7.5 mils. A mil is a thickness measurement equal to one-thousandth of an inch (0.001 inches or 0.0254 mm). Consider the following to put things in perspective. A human hair is between 0.0006 and 0.007 inches thick on average. Hair thickness is estimated to be roughly 0.002 inches on average.

As a result, Mylar bags will be somewhat thicker than a single strand of human hair.

Mil differences may appear unimportant, but they can significantly impact your food storage strategy. . There is a significant difference between the mils. The thickness of a Mylar bag is an essential factor to consider for various reasons.
Light can pass through thin Mylar bags with a thickness of less than four mil. As a result, thin Mylar bags do not provide adequate UV protection. Light entering the bag can hasten the decomposition of the food within. Furthermore, thin Mylar bags do not offer sufficient humidity protection, which is still another aspect that would dramatically shorten the food storage time.
Thin Mylar bags are ideal for preserving small amounts of food for a short time – no more than a couple of months if maintained out of direct sunlight and in a low-humidity environment. They are more elastic and flexible, and they are more prone to breaking and tearing when used to store food with sharper and thinner edges.

Many of our most popular bag sizes are available in both standard and heavy-duty thicknesses to meet a variety of storage and packing requirements. We also have plain-opening and ziplock-opening bags available for your convenience and simplicity of usage. All bags can be simply heat-sealed with a standard household iron, hair straighteners, or any heat-sealing instrument.

All of these sizes are available in any color, material, or finish. You can print your logo or any kind of artwork you believe suits your brand’s image on these mylar bags. Along with this, you can add features like ziplock, zipper, spout, tear notches, etc. to enhance the quality of the bags.

It would be best to use thicker Mylar bags for long-term food storage. The larger thickness will provide superior insulation, ensuring that your food is stored safely and that the outside elements have little or no impact on it.
5 to 7.5 mil is the ideal thickness for long-term storage. Long-term food storage should not be done in mylar bags less than 4.5 mils thick since they provide less protection and insulation and can quickly rip under the weight of the food. Mylar bags with 5 mils or more thickness provide great insulation and protection from sunlight, humidity, and gasses. If you need to store dry food for an extended period of time, thicker Mylar bags are the way to go (typically more than a year).
The 5-mil Mylar bags are thick and flexible, allowing them to wrinkle easily, but a 7-mil bag will be rugged.

If properly preserved, thick Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers can be used to store dry food for decades, not just a few years. Mylar bags that are thicker are more durable and less likely to shatter or rip.
Even though the thicker Mylar bags will be more durable, Mylar is still a delicate material. Watches, bracelets, rings, tools, utensils, and sharp edges can easily rip or poke a hole in the bag. As a result, take extra precautions. The firmer and more expensive Mylar is, the thicker it is.

A 4.5 mil Mylar bag is an excellent place to start in most cases. On the other hand, certain foods may require thicker bags, while others will perform fine in thinner bags. There are no clear and fast figures in this case. In general, some items have sharper edges and can puncture thinner Mylar bags, which is why bigger bags are recommended in some cases.

Besides, the higher the amount of food you'll be storing, the thicker the Mylar bag you'll need to avoid it tearing apart under its own weight. For example, you may be able to store legumes in one or two-gallon 4.5 mils Mylar bags; however, if you go up to a five-gallon Mylar bag, you may need to use 6 or 7 mil bags.

If used to store certain types of food in large quantities, thinner Mylar bags, especially those under 3.5 mils, are more prone to punctures and tears. This is why small amounts of food should be stored in thinner Mylar bags. Furthermore, due to their lack of protection and insulation, these bags are only ideal for short-term food storage, especially if cost is a factor. Short-term storage can be accomplished with Mylar bags of various thicknesses ranging from 3.5 to 7 mils.

Mylar bags are also reusable and can be resealed once opened. The reusable properties of the Mylar bag are unaffected by its thickness. Although Mylar bags offer excellent protection against humidity, sunshine, and fumes, they do not adequately protect against bugs. Rats and mice easily chew through the Mylar, and the thickness of the bag makes little difference. Furthermore, suppose the dry food you're going to put in the Mylar bags has been infested with bugs like weevils, beetles, flour mites, Indian meal moths, or others. In that case, the thickness of the Mylar bag won't assist much. You might not be able to get rid of these pests even with the additional oxygen absorbers.
There are no hard and fast rules for determining which thickness is best for various dishes. Some goods will store better in thicker bags for more extended periods of time. Pasta, such as macaroni, will likely benefit from bags with a thickness of 6+ Mils to avoid puncture from sharp edges. However, flour, grains, beans, and spices will do fine with 5 Mils. The most important thing to remember is that a minimum thickness of 5 Mils is ideal for long-term food preservation.

The sealing mechanism of the Mylar bag is unaffected by the thickness of the pack. Both thick and thin Mylar bags can be sealed using a hair straightener or an iron. The procedure is the same for all Mylar bags: use an iron set to medium to high heat and go across the bag for 2 or 3 seconds.

In other words, the thickness simply gives more protection against punctures and tearing and improves insulation and weather protection. It increases the bag's durability and stiffness without compromising its key qualities.

If you still can't decide what amount of thickness is perfect for your product, don't hesitate to contact the Pkgmakers team.
Our Mylar bags are light-blocking, airtight, and moisture-proof. They come in packages with everything you need to prepare food, keep your emergency food supply stocked, and store dry products safely. Pkgmaker makes it easy to purchase Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and labels all in one spot at a low cost. On our website, you can purchase Mylar bags as well as other high-quality items.