What are PE bags and plastic paper pouches?

PE bags and plastic paper pouches are the main medical packaging solutions for medical devices such as infusion sets and syringes. Due to the different materials, the two packaging methods differ significantly in sterilization mechanisms, sterility periods, and costs.

Plastic paper pouches have excellent air permeability and antibacterial properties, making them more suitable for high-risk sterile medical devices that direct contact the human body; while PE bags are generally not air permeable and have a shorter antibacterial lifespan, making them more suitable for ordinary protective consumables.

Plastic paper pouches

Material: The front of the plastic paper pouch, the transparent side, is made of plastic composite film, while the back, the side with product information, is made of medical-grade paper.

Sterilization mechanism: Plastic paper pouches are sterilized by EO. EO gas enters and exits the pouch through the medical paper layer to complete gas replacement and sterilization, while the transparent PE film layer provides an absolute physical barrier.

Sterility period: Plastic paper pouches have a longer sterility period and can last for more than three years if they are packaged in high-quality packaging such as Tyvek.

Cost: Higher than PE bags

Application: Plastic paper pouches are widely used to pack the medical devices, such as infusion set, transfusion set, syringe and iv extension line, etc.

Advantages: Easy to open, high sterility period, easy to observe through transparent side.

PE bags

Material: It’s made of polyethylene (such as LDPE, LLDPE, etc.) processed in a cleanroom.

Sterilization mechanism: Polyethylene (PE) has excellent physical barriers and waterproof/moisture-proof properties to prevent microbial invasion, and its excellent chemical resistance makes it compatible with medical sterilization procedures such as ethylene oxide (EO) or gamma rays.

Sterility period: Most in 2 years.

Cost: Low cost, high MOQ.

Advantages: High cost-effective, 100% waterproof, good flexibility and transparency.