Bag Ties

Bag ties

Buy bag ties to seal your polythene bags.

Bag ties provide a fast and simple method of sealing small polythene bags, such as food bags. They are ideal for pack lunches (e.g. to wrap sandwiches) or for storing food in the freezer or refrigerator. To use a bag tie, fill the bag with the required contents then scrunch the top (open) end of the bag together, wrap the bag tie around the bag, fold it over itself and then twist it tight to seal the bag.

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.

Other ways to seal a polythene bag

In addition to bag ties, there are four other main ways to seal a polythene bag. These are presented below, with examples to illustrate the sealing method:

1. Seal with plastic bag clips

Works in much the same way as a sealing a polythene bag with a bag tie, only you use a rigid plastic bag clip. To seal a bag in this manner, place the bag flat and with the two open ends of the bag together, place the jaws of the clip around the flattened bag and close it to seal.

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

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.