The ease of opening plastic soft packaging bags is a focal point for consumers. This concern stems from several reasons. First, soft packaging bags are made from plastic films, which possess significant elasticity and tensile properties, making them difficult to tear open without considerable force. Second, these bags are widely used in the food industry, where products often contain oil, condiments, and other substances. Excessive force when opening such bags can cause spills, contaminating hands, clothes, tables, and floors. Hence, the ease of opening plastic soft packaging bags has become a value-added point in product sales.

Several factors determine whether a plastic soft packaging bag is easy to open:

1. Material Formulation: 
   Materials such as nylon (PA) and polyethylene (PE) are known for their excellent extensibility and tensile strength, making them harder to tear. The industry has been actively researching easy-to-tear materials, and numerous successful applications have emerged. For example, Maxwell House was the first coffee producer in China to adopt easy-tear film composite bag packaging technology in 2004, replacing the traditional square plastic packaging with easy-tear strip packaging. Nestlé and other companies later adopted this technology. Today, many enterprises use easy-tear materials in film composite bag packaging, with materials evolving from PET to PE and PP. This technology continues to improve and develop, showing promising prospects.

2. Thickness:
The thickness of the film is directly proportional to the force required to tear it. Thicker films naturally demand greater tearing force.

3。 Tear Guidance Quality and Method: 
For non-easy-tear materials, guided tear methods are typically used. The effectiveness of these methods directly impacts the ease of opening.

Some companies employ laser-guided tear lines to ensure a neat, straight tear, which allows for the secondary use of the packaging bag. These lines, manufactured using laser technology, are highly precise, with depths measured in microns. They ensure a straight tear while maintaining the protective properties of the composite bag. Below are some reference images demonstrating this technique.

4。 Orientation of the Packaging Film During Bag Making: 
Plastic films are typically produced using extrusion blowing, either through stretching or casting methods, imparting a directional quality to the film. The force required to tear the film differs based on whether the tear is along or against the extrusion direction. Therefore, when manufacturing packaging bags, the tear direction should align with the film's extrusion direction rather than against it.

These insights offer a brief overview of factors affecting the ease of opening plastic packaging bags. I welcome feedback and further insights from industry professionals to enhance and refine these observations.

By understanding and addressing these factors, manufacturers can improve the consumer experience and add value to their products. Whether you are a packaging expert or a general consumer, the ease of opening plastic packaging bags is a critical aspect that influences satisfaction and convenience.

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Technical Team
Lanker Pack Group Ltd
sales@lankerpack.com