This post answers the most popular questions on Google about mylar bags. Let’s jump right to it, shall we?
Mylar bags are available in different shapes and sizes, and while they are great at preserving food for a longer-term, learning how to seal your Mylar bags is just as important as the preservation itself.
There are two methods most used for sealing Mylar bags, and this includes:
Flat iron hair strengthener
Clothes Iron
Irrespective of the option used, the temperature of the Iron must be hot enough to give you the best results and ensure the Iron is not steaming, for your foods to achieve the goal of long-term preservation, the Mylar pouches must be sealed properly to keep oxygen out.
Where to buy Mylar bags will depend largely on your shopping preference, if you prefer to shop online, there are popular places to get your Mylar pouches online, and these include Driploc Baggies, eBay, Alibaba, Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Aliexpress.
If you prefer shopping offline, you can easily get your Mylar bags at your local stores and grocery outlets. There is a wide inventory to choose from, for your online and offline shopping options, attention should be placed on the quality of the Mylar bag, as it is easy to find fakes with the proliferation of Mylar pouches in stores, online and offline.
Mylar bags are the gold standard in the DIY food storage category, a patent registered by the DU Pont chemical company in the 1950’s the polyester film is made from stretched polyethylene and is known for its durability, flexibility, and its long term storage capacity.
The following are a few advantages of the use of Mylar pouches: a. protection from light, moisture, and insects. b. creation of oxygen barrier, c. bacteria-free preservation of food. Using a Mylar bag guarantees the preservation of your food away from the insect’s infiltration, and this preservation is bacteria-free with the absence of oxygen.
There are two ways to go about your printing on Mylar pouches, and this is pretty easy to do, the first option is to pay for a custom printed bag on websites such as Driploc Baggies here in the US, Alibaba or Aliexpress in China, here you can discuss with the merchant to have the bags customized and printed for you, this is then made a part of the production.
The second way to do this is to print the Mylar pouches yourself. You can achieve this with the use of a Mylar bag printing machine, or one that can print on Mylar bags. With the machine in place, you can print your preferred images and photo designs on your Mylar bags.
You can print your favorite designs and photos on your Mylar bags, for personal business needs, commercial large quantity printing, or even for friends and family. The first step is to get a flexible packaging printer that can print on Mylar bags which are very expensive. Laser printers are not advised for many reasons, and one of these reasons is the ability to melt Mylar pouches, with the printer in place, you just need to set your favorite designs and get the printing done all by yourself.
A hair strengthening iron or a household iron are two sealing options you can use for your mylar pouches, and this process is easy and fast to do. The process of sealing your Mylar bags is pretty much easier and faster than the time you spend ironing.
You will require a high temperature to achieve the best results when you opt for sealing your Mylar pouches with an iron, as any mistake in this process can render your entire preservation goal a waste of time. Getting a table or a counter to provide the back support for your bags while you seal them with an iron, will be just fine.
No, Mylar bags can’t be X-Rayed
An important feature of the Mylar pouches that made it so popular during the Cuban missile war was the impenetrable nature of the bags, no smell gets out of it, and they served as a bar of gold for storage. This is still the case with Mylar bags today, a large portion of them can’t be X-Rayed.
However, with the proliferation of Mylar pouches in the markets today, it is rare to see the ones that can’t be X-Rayed, if this is an essential feature for you, then look out for it before placing an order.
No, you don’t have to.
It is not important for Mylar pouches to be vacuum-sealed, the bags have enough preservation abilities and vacuum sealing them will add another layer of protection for your bags, however, this feature is not compulsory.
Another disadvantage of this process is the fact that vacuum sealers that can seal Mylar pouches are often expensive and you don’t only save cost when you don’t vacuum seal your Mylar bags, you also ensure the protection of the bags, as the bags are super equipped on its own, even without a vacuum seal. If you must vacuum seal, then go for it and provide the best storage options for your foods.
Yes,
Walmart offers a rich inventory of Mylar bags you can choose from, you are not limited by size, or the price offered, as there must always be a Mylar bag that fits your budget just as it is and this is what you get when you go shopping for your Mylar bags on Walmart. However, Wal-Mart does not make or sell custom mylar pouches as we do here at Driploc Baggies.
In addition to having Mylar pouches, you can also pick from the wide collection of Mylar bag accessories such as oxygen absorbers and Mylar bag printers all available on Walmart for you to easily shop and pay for.
Food can last for decades in your Mylar pouches, but this depends largely on 3 very important factors namely:
Storage condition
Type of food
If the food was properly sealed.
These 3 key factors will determine the period and lifespan of your food when preserved with a Mylar bag. For most foods such as canned goods, their validity period is projected to be 10 years, while well-dried foods such as beans and grains can last for 20-30 years.
When the food is well sealed, you are in a better position to have extended duration and even more.
Sealing is an important part of your presentation, and the temperature matters most when you are using Iron for your sealing function. A mistake in this process can compromise your results and make you lose out on your gains.
To have an effective heating session, a temperature of 310-425 degrees is proven to be best, and this is also the usual temperature for hair straighteners and flat irons alike. Be sure your Iron is well heated, to achieve your sealing goal and once perfectly sealed. Your food is expected to reach its maximum period of preservation.
Just like buying Mylar bags, your shopping preference will determine where you can buy your oxygen absorbers and Mylar pouches. If you have a preference for online shopping, then you have a long list of websites you can buy from, with industry leaders: Driploc Baggies for pre-made and custom bags, Uline, Alibaba, Aliexpress, Amazon and Walmart taking the lead.
If on the other hand, you have a preference for offline shopping, you won’t be out of options either with your local stores and grocery stores. Most of these stores provide a wide array of oxygen absorbers and Mylar pouches to choose from.
For long term food storage, this is the number one reason we all want a Mylar bag, for effective and efficient food storage. With so much to do, saving food for the future is just an amazing investment, and this is where Mylar pouches come in: strong, efficient, and effective preservation.
The absence of oxygen in the preservation method which makes it easier for foods to stay fresh and without decay is another essential reason for the use of Mylar bags in food storage, and then the protection from insects, moisture and light which would make preservation impossible is another major boost for the Mylar pouches.
Yes,
Vacuum sealers can seal Mylar bags and provide that extra protection for your foods much more than only Mylar bags can do, however, the kind of vacuum sealers that can seal Mylar pouches are pretty expensive, and this takes much away from the people’s demand for this extra layer of protection.
While getting a vacuum sealer for your Mylar pouches is just important, you can also go to bed on the belief that your Mylar pouches can do a perfect job, without a vacuum sealer and yes they can, which is a reason Mylar pouches are in top demand.
Yes, Mylar bags are reusable.
An added advantage that comes with Mylar pouches is the reusable feature of the bags, which makes it just fine, for the cost-effective gains and also for the options of long-term usage this will guarantee.
Besides being reusable, you can easily cut your Mylar pouches into smaller sizes and make more out of the bags. However, to get the best out of your mylar pouches, ensure they are properly washed after the first use, and then always seal near the top, so you don’t have to cut more away when you are ready for your next usage.
Yes, a vacuum sealer can be used on Mylar bags.
You will get an extra layer of protection for your Mylar pouches, and one of the reasons for this is the fact that the bags are not too strong and they are not rodent-free, a vacuum sealer can be that safe landing for you.
However, vacuum sealers that can seal Mylar pouches are sometimes expensive, which makes sticking to Mylar pouches as the safest option. Regardless of your bags being vacuum sealed or not, Mylar bags when preserved in the right conditions will always last for the period you want your foods too.
Made from metalized polyester, Mylar pouches are a name for durability and complete protection for foods, just maybe you are wondering how these long-lasting bags are made, below are 4 processes involved in the manufacturing of Mylar pouches.
Extraction of molten polyethylene terephthalate in the form of a thin film onto a chilled surface.
The extracted film is then drawn in a biaxial form, and achieving this result may require the use of special machinery.
The extracted film is heat set at a 200 degree
Inorganic particles are then embedded into the surface of the film to achieve the best results.
Mylar bags are easy to use and very flexible, for a first time user who may be battling with how to go about getting your foods in the bag. Here are 5 simple ways to use Mylar pouches:
Get a Mylar bag and bucket: you will need more than one Mylar pouch if you have the need to store food in large quantities and this is where a bucket will come in.
Fill the bag with the quantity of food you want to save: you can decide to measure this or just eye-gauge the quantity.
Put in your oxygen absorber
Seal the bags and you are done.
Yes, you can, however, this should be for a short period as Mylar bags are best fitted for dry foods. Mylar pouches are specifically produced for dry and low-fat foods without moisture, this is so because the presence of oxygen in these foods will make them rancid within a short period.
However, if you wish to freeze your foods for a short period, you can use Mylar pouches as they will provide the perfect protection for you, unlike with dry foods, the shelf life of the food cannot be preserved for a long period as Mylar bags are best fitted for dry and oil-free foods.
Yes, you can.
Mylar pouches are not built for single usage, which is a major advantage that comes with the use of these durable bags. You can similarly, cut them into similar sizes and have more use for them if you so desire to.
To get the best use of your Mylar pouches, ensure to wash and seal them after the first use, this way you get it adequately cleaned up for subsequent use. Also ensure to seal the bags at the near top, to have enough room when you need to cut it into smaller sizes.
Mylar bags can be used with a vacuum sealer and this is just fantastic, giving you an extra layer of protection for your foods and keeping the rodents off for a longer period, here is just how to go about it.
Insert the filled Mylar pouch into the vacuum sealer bag
Vacuum seal
With these two easy steps you get the needed double protection for your food, and this will keep your storage conditions in perfect shape for a much longer period than when you use only the Mylar pouch alone.
How you seal your Mylar bag will determine just how long your foods will be preserved, when you make mistakes with your sealing process, your results are affected. Heat sealing is one way to perfectly seal your Mylar pouches and to achieve this, you will need to have the right temperature.
Before arriving at the best temperature you will need to decide the form of heat sealing you want, a hair straightener flat Iron, and a household iron can do a perfect job for this process, both must be used at the best temperature to achieve the best results.
Food can last for 10-20 years and even more in a Mylar bag, this depending on certain factors which include; the storage conditions, sealing, and the type of food. Foods must be stored in a cool, dry place, away from the sun, this is a perfect storage condition, and exposure to a continuous cold atmosphere will affect the shelf life of the food.
Similarly, properly sealed foods will last a much longer period than foods not well sealed, and the type of food will also determine the shelf life, as canned foods last less than dry foods such as beans.
While you can easily get dealers on such sites as Driploc Baggies, Uline, and Aliexpress to provide you with customized Mylar pouches, you can also take on the DIY option and produce your own Mylar pouches and even distribute, here is a list of machinery you will need:
A flexible packaging machine for the extraction of polyethylene terephthalate
A machine for the making of biaxial drawings
Get a machine for heating
A list of inorganic particles needed to complete the process.
With this machinery in place, in addition to having the necessary raw materials, making your own Mylar pouches will be as easy as taking a walk in the park.
You may wonder just how to go around your new task of packing your food in your Mylar pouches, this is as easy as just pressing the power on button on your phone screen, so here is how to do it.
Pour your food into the Mylar pouches: you may need a bucket or buckets if you are set to preserve just more than ordinary.
Shake the bag to ensure the food settles in
Add your oxygen extractor, this is vital for long term preservation
Seal with your Iron
As simple as this list looks, this is all you need to pack food in Mylar pouches.
Now that your food is packed, how do you seal your Mylar bag for the all-important reason you bought it, which is long term storage. This can be done in some very easy steps:
Get a flat hair strengthening Iron
Get a household iron in the absence of a hair straightening iron
Get a table or counter
With these tools you are all but set for the important task, begin by heating the Iron to the right temperature, ensure it is every hot and pass it on the top of the bags, it will do a perfect job.
Mylar bags are great for long-term storage of food and here are 5 simple steps to follow, for the long-term storage of your foods.
Get the right Mylar pouch: Mylar pouches come in different sizes and getting the right size depending on the quantity of your food is the first right step, you may need buckets as well if you are storing just enough quantity.
Put the food into the Mylar pouch
Shake the bag, to allow the food to settle, and also to create more space.
Add your oxygen absorber
Seal properly.
You are all set, now you can out the bag or bucket away in a cool, dry place for long term storage.
Yes, food saver will seal Mylar bags.
You can use a food saver for sealing Mylar type bags, however, using a Vacuum may cause damage to the content of the bags. For long term preservation, a food saver can be used for sealing Mylar pouches, and this provides a smoother and faster way to seal Mylar pouches than using Iron on it.
While using this process, ensure you adequately pack the bags and seal at the top of the bags, to allow for reuse and easy recycling of the bags when not needed again for future use.