Minigrip bags
What are minigrip bags?
Minigrip bags are also known as mini grip bags, self-seal bags, grip seal bags or grippa bags. They are polythene bags that ranging in size from 1.5" x 2.5" up to 15" x 20", which means they are perfect for storing a variety of products of all shapes and sizes. Whatever they are used for, minigrip bags keep their contents dry and free from dust and dirt, courtesy of a simple grip seal running along the top of the bag. Minigrip bags can be plain or labelled, with heavy duty, coloured or black minigrip bags, specimen bags, antistatic bags and many other types available.
Sealing & re-sealing bags
Resealable polythene bags open and close with a plastic seal that can be repeatedly sealed and opened, allowing the bag to be used more than once.
Self-seal bags are polythene bags featuring an integral seal that allows the bag to be closed without the use of any external object, such as an adhesive, tape or a bag tie, and without the plastic having to be sealed on bonded together using a heat sealer.
All resealable bags, such as minigrip bags, can be described as self-seal bags, as they do not require anything else to close them. However, not all self-seal bags can be described as resealable bags as some of them, such as the popular mailing bags, feature a seal that can only be used once. Once a mailing bag’s seal is opened, the bag cannot be used again.
Ways to seal a polythene bag
There are four main ways to seal a polythene bag. These are presented below, with examples to illustrate the sealing method:
1. Seal with bag clips or ties
You can seal a polythene bag by pulling together the two sides of the bag’s open end and then fastening with a plastic bag clip or tie. This is a particularly popular method for sealing food bags, either to store food in the fridge or freezer, or to tie up sandwiches etc. for packed lunches.
To seal bags with a plastic clip, place the two sides of the bag flat together, place them in the jaws of the clip and close it around them. To seal with a bag tie, scrunch the open end of the bag into a tight bunch, wrap the bag tie around it and tie up tight.
2. Seal with an adhesive strip
Another method for sealing plastic bags is with an adhesive strip. This method of sealing is used most widely in the manufacturing of mailing bags, as the bag can only be sealed once using this method, in the same way as standard paper envelopes, which means that any tampering with the bag’s seal would be obvious to the recipient of the mail.
To seal a mailing bag, place your items inside the bag, peel off the thin cover from the integral adhesive strip located on the mailing bag’s ‘tongue’, fold this flap over and press down to seal.
3. Seal with an integral reusable seal
Probably the easiest method of sealing a polythene bag is via an integral sealing device, such as a grip seal or a ziplock. Designed for ease of use, these sorts of bags - including grip seal, minigrip, slidergrip ziplock, ziplite and zipper bags - provide a simple method of opening and closing and can be used time and time again.
To close a grip seal bag, place one end of the seal between your forefinger and thumb and gently squeeze the bag from one end of the seal to the other. To open, simply give the two sides of the bag a gentle tug. To open or close a ziplock bag, just slide the zip all the way across to the correct end of the bag.
4. Bond/fuse polythene together with a heat sealer
The final and arguably the most professional way of sealing a plastic bag is to bond the polythene together by melting it. The best way to carry out this method of sealing is through a professional heat sealer. Just take the open sides of the bag, lay them together flat in the jaws of the heat sealer and press it down for a few seconds. Open the sealer and the bag will be sealed shut.
When used with layflat tubing - a long thin roll of polythene tubing - heat sealing is great for creating your own bespoke bags. Just place the item inside the layflat tubing and then seal one or both ends of the bag for your own made-to-measure polythene bag.
Antistatic self-seal bags
Antistatic self-seal bags are a specialist bag designed to store electrical components that require protection from the potential damage caused by static electricity.
They are also known as conductive bags, as the bag itself is a conductor. This does not mean that it collects tickets on buses or leads a miniature plastic bag orchestra, but that it conducts electricity, thus keeping it away from the contents of the bag.
Where can I buy sealing and re-sealing bags?
Manufacturers and suppliers of sealing and re-sealing bags include:
Self-Seal-Bags
Self-seal-bags.co.uk is a division of Polybags specialising in self-seal bags.Polybags Ltd has been providing customers with quality self-sealing packaging at competitive prices for over half a century.
www.self-seal-bags.co.uk
Discount Self Seal Bags
Free website helping you find everything you need from self sealing bags. Information, compare products, prices and online-stores stocking self-seal bags, clip-close bags, MiniGrip bags (aka Grippa bags) and all other types of resealable bags.
www.discountselfsealbags.co.uk
Heat Sealers Direct
Website providing you with the best suppliers of discount manual, impulse and foot operated heat sealers.
www.heatsealersdirect.co.uk
Resealable-Bags
Resealable-bags.co.uk markets a full line of reclosable packaging solutions preferred and used by many retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers alike due to their high quality and reliability. Our innovative products offer great solutions for storage, protection and advertising.
www.resealable-bags.co.uk
Antistatic-Bags
Ever wondered what antistatic bags are, how it is made, what it is used used for and where to buy antistatic bags at low prices? Find answers to all these questions about antistatic bags and static shielding bags at Antistatic-Bags.co.uk
www.antistatic-bags.co.uk
Self Seal Bags
SelfSealBags.org.uk offers custom self-sealing bags manufactured from high quality polythene film to accommodate your specific sizes or even anti-static needs. You may also or printed self-seal bags.
www.selfsealbags.org.uk
Zip Lock Bags
Great prices and discounts on mini-grip bags, self-seal bags and ziplock bags. Everything you need to know to help you choose the best type of polythene self-sealing bags to suit your packaging needs.
www.ziplockbags.co.uk
Things you may not know about Minigrip bags
Ambassadour Minigrip Bag 255 (Pack of 1000)
A minigrip bag gives fast protection where loose items need to be kept tidy, visible and easy to reopen. The interlocking seal suits small parts, samples and shopping units because it closes fast on the line and opens cleanly when stock is picked or checked. Good seal quality matters here: if the tracks are poorly formed or the film gauge is also light, bags can split, leak or lose their grip after a few uses. In packing areas, that means slower output, more handling damage and a poor impression at dispatch. A well-manufactured bag saves time and retains contents below control.
A mini grip bag does far above grasp a small item together, because it protects the packed products from rubbing, spilling, and drifting loose as cartons transport through the line and out into the warehouse. Low-gauge polythene suppliers works well when the film is manufactured consistently, since the rib closes with a firm snap rather than cracking at the fold, and that assists retain the pack proper amid sealing and later handling. When the gauge stays proper and the surface does not cling also much, the bags feed more cleanly, the select-face stays tidy, and less half-open packs stop up being sorted out. That makes the pack easier to handle from beginning to stop.
A grippa bag performs properly only when the film, seal and closure suit the task, because the bag has to open cleanly on the line and shut securely afterwards. A lighter gauge can make select-face work quicker and less awkward, provided the converting process gives a consistent seal and the closure sits correctly. If the film is also heavy, puncture resistance improves, nevertheless the trade-off shows up in higher pallet weight and less efficient storage. That balance matters in kitting and secondary packing, where false beginnings, split bags and handling snags slow the job and increase waste.
GL-A4 Minigrip Bag 230 Pk1000 | Code GP01151
A minigrip bag works well because it gives small items a simple, visible and tidy pack without adding much weight or waste. Clear film lets pickers and stop users see the contents at a glance, which cuts down on label checking and opens up quicker stock handling on the shop floor or in dispatch. The interlocking seal is easy to close and reopen, so the bag suits loose stationery, ingredients or small components that need sorting rather than rigid display. When the gauge is chosen properly, the bag gives enough protection against dirt and spillages without feeling overbuilt. That makes it a sensible secondary pack for mixed, small-scale products.
The mini grip bag is often chosen for control rather than display, particularly where low-count medical or laboratory items need clean, repeatable handling at the select-face. A superb bag in this format relies on proper polythene suppliers quality, because gauge tolerance and uneven melt flow fast display up in the seal and in how the closure behaves after repeated opening. If the film is also heavy, it adds needless tare across big numbers of packs; if it is also light, corners split and the bag loses shape amid kitting or secondary bagging. The proper material gives enough stiffness for fast packing without becoming awkward. That balance normally makes the contrast between tidy stock movement and avoidable line trouble.
A grippa bag works well when small items need to stay together while still being easy to open and close on a busy packing line. The bag has to balance film gauge, seal quality and enough flexibility in the closure so repeated use does not weaken the lip or split the corners. That matters with fasteners, samples and service kits, where loose parts can create sorting delays and additional handling. Good grip without excess slip also assists the packs sit neatly in trays and cartons, so stock stays tidy and the line retains moving without constant checks.
Research & Resources
For further detailed information about sealing and re-sealing bags, right through their life-cycle from production to recycling, including details of the variety of re-sealable bags available, please visit:
Plastic Bags
Plastic packaging directory where businesses can add their own packaging product listings for free. Find a whole host of useful websites on sealing and re-sealing bags.
www.plasticbags.uk.com
Packaging Knowledge
This excellent online resource contains in-depth news and information on the plastic packaging industry. Read facts, stats and articles about packaging, including re-sealable bags.
www.packagingknowledge.com
Goldstork
Interesting online directory containing useful "best of the web" links to interesting and unusual websites, categorised to help your search. Goldstork also offers selected hand-picked websites specialising in sealing and re-sealing bags.
www.goldstork.com
What is static electricity?
Every object in the world - ourselves included - is made of atoms, which are in turn made of protons, neutrons and electrons. While neutrons have no charge, protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively charged.
In normal circumstances, the number of protons and electrons in an atom balance each other out, meaning that atoms have no charge. However, when two items rub together or separate, the electrons contained within these items can move from atom to atom or even from item to item, thus giving the atoms a positive or negative charge.
If the items involved in this situation are made from a material that does not conduct electricity - an insulator - then this charge can not move. The result is static electricity.
How do antistatic self-seal bags work?
If any static electricity comes into contact with an antistatic self-seal bag, rather than pass through the bag and risk damaging the electrical components inside the bag, the electricity passes around the bag and dissipates before it can make contact with the components, thus removing the possibility of damage.
