Skin pack, or skin packaging, is a type of carded

packaging Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing, evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a co ...

where a product (or products) is placed on a piece of

paperboard Paperboard is a thick paper-based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker (usually over 0.30 mm, 0.012 in, or 12 points) than paper and has certain superior attribute ...

or in trays, and a thin sheet of transparent plastic is placed over the product and paperboard or trays. The printed paperboard/tray usually has a heat-seal coating. The plastic film (LDPE, ionomer, etc.) is softened by heat and draped over the product on the card/tray. Vacuum is used to assist a firm fit. The film bonds to the heat-seal coating on the paperboard. The substrate can be either made specifically for skin packaging, or converted from other paper stock such as corrugated board. The specially made sheets Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS) are porous, and allow the vacuum to flow directly through the paper. Most other stocks need to have the sheet perforated with pinholes to allow airflow. The skin-packed piece then may need to be cut into individual units. Cuts such as keyslots, round corners and internal die cuts may be added during the cutting process once the skin pack is secured tightly. Self-adhesive film with uncoated card is also sometimes used. Skin packaging somewhat resembles a

blister pack A blister pack is any of several types of pre-formed plastic packaging used for small consumer goods, foods, and for pharmaceuticals. The primary component of a blister pack is a cavity or pocket made from a formable web, usually a thermoform ...

, with the major difference being that the plastic surrounding the product is formed ''over'' the product, instead of being pre-formed. Types of plastic film: *Polyethylene *Ionomer *PET

Meat

Fresh meat can be vacuum-packed and skin-packed. Specialized packaging operations are needed to maintain product appearance and safety. Temperature control during the cold chain is needed for proper

shelf life Shelf life is the length of time that a commodity may be stored without becoming unfit for use, consumption, or sale. In other words, it might refer to whether a commodity should no longer be on a pantry shelf (unfit for use), or no longer on a ...

References

* Yam, K.L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009, * Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, 2002, Packaging {{industry-stub