Trash Bag Product Development

Why can't trash bags be judged by thickness alone?

Updated:

Direct answer

Thickness matters, but it is only one variable. A thicker bag can still fail if the film has poor dispersion, weak seals, uneven thickness, or low tear resistance.

Thickness matters, but it is only one variable.

A thicker bag can still fail if the film has poor dispersion, weak seals, uneven thickness, or low tear resistance. A well-engineered thinner film may outperform a poorly manufactured thicker one.

I would evaluate:

  • thickness distribution, not just average thickness;
  • tensile strength in both directions;
  • elongation;
  • puncture resistance;
  • tear propagation;
  • bottom-seal strength;
  • drop and load testing;
  • storage aging;
  • actual consumer use.

The most useful question is not "How many mils?" It is "Where does this bag usually fail, and has the design addressed that failure mode?"

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