Excellent Poly | Custom Plastic Bags

If you frequent our blog, you’ve probably heard us mention poly bags once or twice…or 500 times. We can’t help it! We love plastic bags and want to share the convenience of poly bags with the world. But unless you’re as obsessed with poly bags as we are, you probably are a little unsure as to what the “poly” in bags means. It actually refers to polyethylene and polypropylene.

Polyethylene
The sturdier of the two “polys”, polyethylene is a type of polymer that is classified as a thermoplastic. This means that it can be melted into a liquid as it returns to a solid state. It is a found in many household items such as food wrap, shampoo bottles, milk jugs, toys, and our favorite—plastic bags!  In addition to these handy household items, polyethylene is used in products that contain plastic components like artificial knee and hip replacement parts, bulletproof vests, and even the flooring for ice skating rinks.

Polypropylene
The melting point for polypropylene is much higher than other plastics, so it is often used in products that are dishwasher or microwave safe. Polypropylene is the more durable of the two plastics and is used in heavy-duty industrial plastic bags, as well as plastic hinges, or tops for travel mugs. It is very easy to add dyes to and is often used as fiber in carpeting.