Published November 8, 2025

How to Choose the Right Film Structure for Your Packaging

Film structure is the single biggest lever on both performance and unit cost. A two-ply PET/PE laminate is the workhorse for dry snacks and coffee: PET carries the print and gives puncture resistance, PE provides the seal layer and moisture barrier. Move to three plies and you add either aluminium foil for a near-total oxygen and light barrier, or metallised PET for a lighter, cheaper version of the same idea.

Start from the product, not the price. Does it contain fat that oxidises? Does it need to survive a boil or a freezer? Is it sharp-edged, like frozen seafood or hardware? Each of these pushes you towards a different answer: NY (nylon) for puncture and drop resistance, CPP or retort-grade PE for heat, EVOH or foil for oxygen sensitivity.

The trap most buyers fall into is over-specifying. A 12-micron PET layer is rarely necessary when 8 microns performs identically in a retail environment. Ask your supplier for a structure proposal that states the failure mode of each cheaper alternative — a good converter will tell you exactly what you lose when you drop a ply, and where the savings stop being worth it.