In the field of dried fruit packaging, stand-up bags have become a popular choice for many brands due to their unique advantages, such as excellent shelf display effects, convenient portability and good sealing and preservation performance. With the evolution of market demand and the continuous innovation of technology, stand-up bags for dried fruit packaging are showing a series of eye-catching development trends.
I. Wide application of environmentally friendly materials
(I) The rise of biodegradable materials
With the improvement of global environmental awareness, the environmental problems of traditional plastic packaging have become more and more concerned. Biodegradable plastics, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), are gradually becoming the mainstream materials for dried fruit stand-up bags. These materials can be decomposed into water and carbon dioxide by microorganisms in the natural environment, greatly reducing the pollution of packaging waste to the environment. Take PLA as an example. It is made of renewable plant resources (such as corn starch), has a wide range of sources and is green and environmentally friendly. In the application of dried fruit packaging, PLA stand-up bags not only have the same flexibility and barrier properties as traditional plastics, can effectively protect the quality of dried fruits, but also can achieve natural degradation after being discarded, which is in line with the current concept of sustainable development and is favored by more and more brands.
(II) Innovative development of recyclable materials
In addition to biodegradable materials, the application of recyclable materials in stand-up bags is also constantly innovating. Some companies are committed to developing new composite recyclable materials to improve the feasibility of recycling while ensuring packaging performance. For example, by improving the production process, the film of different materials is optimized to make the stand-up bag easier to separate and reprocess during the recycling process. In addition, single-material stand-up bags are gradually emerging, such as all-paper stand-up bags or all-plastic (meeting recyclable standards) stand-up bags. All-paper stand-up bags use specially treated paper, which has good moisture and oil resistance, and is easy to recycle and reuse, showing unique environmental advantages in dried fruit packaging; and all-plastic stand-up bags that meet EU recyclable standards can be efficiently circulated in the recycling system, reducing resource waste, and providing a new path for the sustainable development of dried fruit packaging.
(III) Exploration of the transformation of food waste into packaging materials
Inspired by the concept of “there is no waste in nature”, the use of food waste to produce packaging materials has become a new research hotspot. Some designers have tried to cultivate bacterial cellulose from food waste such as apple peels as a packaging material for dried fruits. Bacterial cellulose is purer than cellulose extracted from trees and is completely compostable and degradable. Its strong water absorption and relatively water-resistant properties make it suitable for packaging products such as flour and dried fruits. Although there are still challenges in mass production, with the development of technology, such as the research and development of InnoCell bioreactors, the output of bacterial cellulose has been increased, providing potential for the conversion of food waste into packaging materials and their application in dried fruit self-supporting bags, which is expected to achieve a green cycle from “food to packaging”.
II. Personalized and customized design upgrades
(I) Fitting the aesthetics of diverse consumer groups
The increasing segmentation of the consumer market has led to significant differences in the aesthetic needs of different consumer groups for dried fruit self-supporting bag packaging. For young consumer groups, packaging design tends to incorporate fashion elements, interesting cartoon images, and bright and lively color combinations to attract their attention and stimulate their desire to buy. For example, some brands print popular anime characters or popular graffiti-style patterns on self-supporting bags to establish emotional resonance with young consumers. For consumers who pay attention to health and wellness, packaging design emphasizes natural, pure and organic images, and often adopts simple design, natural tones (such as beige, light brown, etc.) and fresh patterns (such as pastoral scenery, plant textures) to convey the high quality and health concept of the product. In the gift market, the packaging of dried fruit self-supporting bags pays more attention to exquisiteness and cultural connotations, and incorporates traditional festival elements (such as the festive red of the Spring Festival and the moon elements of the Mid-Autumn Festival) or regional cultural characteristics (such as the packaging of Xinjiang dried fruits incorporating traditional Uyghur patterns) to enhance the gift value of the product and meet the gift needs of consumers on specific occasions.
(II) Expansion and deepening of customized services
In order to meet the growing personalized needs of brand owners and consumers, customized self-supporting bag packaging services are constantly expanding and deepening. Enterprises can achieve full customization from packaging shape, size to material, pattern and text based on brand positioning, product characteristics and specific requirements of consumers. In addition to conventional square and rectangular self-supporting bags, some brands have launched special-shaped self-supporting bags, such as bags with waist design, bottom deformation design or handle design, which not only increase the uniqueness of the packaging, but also improve the portability and convenience of the product to a certain extent. In terms of pattern and text customization, brands can print their own logos, unique brand stories or personalized blessings on self-supporting bags to strengthen their brand image and create a unique product experience for consumers. Some brands have also launched limited edition dried fruit self-supporting bag gift boxes, co-branded with well-known artists, designers or IPs, and incorporated unique art design elements to meet consumers’ pursuit of unique products and further enhance brand loyalty and product added value.
III. Continuous breakthroughs in functional innovation
(I) Strengthening freshness preservation and moisture-proof performance
Dried fruits are rich in nutrients such as oils and fats, and are easily affected by oxygen, moisture and light and deteriorate. Therefore, freshness preservation and moisture-proof are the key functions of dried fruit packaging. In terms of self-supporting bags, the application of high barrier performance materials is constantly upgraded. Aluminum-coated films, aluminum foil composite films and other materials can effectively block the intrusion of oxygen and moisture with their excellent barrier properties, delay the oxidation and rancidity of dried fruits and the deterioration process due to moisture, and significantly extend the shelf life of the product. For example, the high-barrier stand-up pouch produced by multi-layer co-extrusion technology contains a special barrier layer inside, which can greatly reduce the oxygen permeability and moisture permeability, so that the dried fruit can maintain good quality for a long time at room temperature. At the same time, some innovative preservation and moisture-proof technologies are also applied to stand-up pouches, such as adding functional small packets such as oxygen absorbers and desiccants in the packaging to actively absorb excess oxygen and moisture in the packaging to create a dry, oxygen-free storage environment; modified atmosphere packaging technology adjusts the gas composition in the packaging, increases the nitrogen content, reduces the oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations, inhibits the growth of microorganisms and the respiration of fruits, and further improves the preservation effect of dried fruits, ensuring the quality stability of the product during long-term storage and transportation.
(II) Improving the convenience and ease of use of packaging
In order to bring consumers a better user experience, stand-up pouches for dried fruits continue to innovate in terms of convenience and ease of use. The stand-up pouch with zipper further optimizes the zipper design, improves the closure strength and durability of the zipper, and enables consumers to more easily repeatedly open and seal the package, conveniently taking dried fruits at any time, while effectively preventing dried fruits from getting damp and oxidized. Stand-up bags with nozzles are also gradually being used for some dried fruit products with small particles or easy to stick together. Consumers can pour out the dried fruit directly through the nozzle, avoiding the problem of dried fruit spilling due to the large opening of traditional packaging. They are especially suitable for outdoor activities or travel. In addition, some stand-up bags have added easy-tear or easy-opening structures in the bag body design, so that consumers can easily open the package without the help of additional tools, which improves the convenience of use. Some stand-up bags also use a special anti-slip design at the bottom, making it more stable when placed and not easy to tip over, providing more convenience for consumers.
(III) Increase product display and information transmission functions
In a highly competitive market environment, stand-up bags for dried fruits should not only protect the products, but also have good product display and information transmission functions. On the one hand, some stand-up bags use transparent or translucent materials, allowing consumers to intuitively see the quality and quantity of dried fruits in the bag, enhancing the attractiveness and credibility of the product. At the same time, by printing exquisite product pictures, detailed product introductions (such as origin, variety, nutritional ingredients, eating methods, etc.) and brand stories on the bag body, consumers can better understand the product and improve brand awareness. On the other hand, some stand-up pouches also use a window design to expose some dried fruits without affecting the overall sealing of the package, attracting consumers’ attention and stimulating their purchasing interest. In addition, as consumers pay more and more attention to health and food safety, some stand-up pouches have begun to mark product traceability codes, certification marks and other information to facilitate consumers to inquire about the production process and quality inspection of the product and enhance their trust in the product.