ProAmpac Logo

Sustainable Pet Food Packaging

Ensuring the freshness, safety, and protection of our pet’s kibble can be achieved through a variety of packaging formats and sustainable options.

Pets are a special part of the family. What they eat is important to their owners, and how their food is packaged is important to ProAmpac. Packaging kibble presents specific demands to maintain its freshness and nutritional value, such as resisting grease, punctures, tears, and moisture.

ProAmpac’s Ben Davis, Product Manager, was recently asked about pet food packaging, sustainability and how ProAmpac’s broad product offering meets the needs of pet food manufacturers.

A: There are four main types of dry pet food packaging: woven polypropylene bags, laminated quad-seal bags, multiwall paper bags, and stand-up pouches.

  • Woven polypropylene bags are puncture-resistant and offer maximum performance for large formats, typically up to 50 lbs. ProAmpac’s PRO-DURA® woven polypropylene bags are manufactured in the US and available in sewn and thermoseal formats.
  • Laminated quad-seal bags are perfect for premium brand presentation for medium and large fill weights. Medium bags often have a flat bottom for excellent shelf presence, and larger bags typically have a pinch bottom that is sometimes glued down. Exceptional graphics are available via high-definition flexography. ProAmpac’s QUADFLEX® bags deliver ideal shape and strength while boosting store shelf presence and maximum branding space. Our convenient, easy open and re-close options improve product accessibility while our custom barriers further ensure pet product protection to the very last kibble.
  • Multiwall paper bags are made up of several layers of paper to provide durability and are often paired with a film liner to create a barrier against grease and moisture. The bag’s outer layer is printed and features a specialized coating that safeguards the ink and regulates the level of slipperiness on the bag's surface. Pinch bottom open mouth bags best serve large sizes, and smaller bags are typically SOS, which stand nicely on store shelves due to their flat bottom. ProAmpac’s PRO-EVO® line of multiwall paper packaging offers excellent grease and edge-wicking resistance without intentionally adding per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
  • Stand-up pouches are another format that can be useful in packaging kibble, typically for smaller quantities of product than the larger formats described above. ProAmpac’s PRO-POUCH® offerings are applicable for ambient, refrigerated, or frozen distribution and have endless options for customization, including size, fitments, closure and materials.

A: Each format that we produce has a unique set of options for enhanced sustainability. Across the board, flexible packaging uses less packaging per unit of product packaged than rigid packaging. The challenge with flexible packaging has historically been end-of-life: multi-layer laminates cannot be easily recycled. However, recent material advancements in film and paper enable recyclable mono-material packages to achieve similar performance properties to their multi-material counterparts. This progress enables a new wave of sustainable options in pet food packaging.

  • Woven polypropylene bags are already mono-material and a good candidate for recycling. The obstacle is the lack of a collection network and facilities for advanced recycling. While successful pilots and some grassroots collection organizations have been popping up, recycling a significant portion of these bags will take scale. In the meantime, one option is to add post-consumer recycled content (PCR). While there are some limitations in the use of mechanically recycled PCR in food-grade applications, advanced recycled PCR offers some exciting opportunities. As more capacity comes on board in the coming years, advanced recycled PCR will help to make woven bags more circular by relying less on virgin resin.
  • Quad bags are traditionally multi-layer laminates of mixed materials optimized to enhance durability and barrier. Advancements in polyethylene technology are enabling PET replacement and a transition to mono-material pouches. ProAmpac QUADFLEX Recyclable packaging is prequalified for in-store drop-off recycling. This platform can also accommodate the addition of PCR or renewable resins to enhance its sustainability benefits further.
  • Multiwall paper bags for pet food applications typically consist of layers of paper and film to meet performance requirements. ProAmpac’s newly launched PRO-EVO Recyclable SOS bags combine the latest material technology and years of manufacturing experience to create a curbside recyclable package that meets performance requirements.
  • ProAmpac has several robust options to add sustainable benefits to stand-up pouches. One is transitioning from multi-material pouches to mono-material solutions that are pre-approved for recycling through the in-store drop-off program. The workhorse product for ProAmpac’s PRO-POUCH is R-2000, which has variations that can accommodate specific applications and support zippers and surface modifications for a heightened aesthetic or tactile experience. PRO-POUCH can also include PCR to reduce the reliance on virgin resin. Finally, there are also options for compostable and renewable stand-up pouches.

In summary, since kibble is a staple in most pets’ diets, it is critical that the packaging meets the needs of the product and the consumers. ProAmpac offers customizable solutions that meet sustainability goals and consumer conveniences. Check us out online or contact us to discuss your next project!

Latest News

Smarter Snacking
May 9, 2025 What's New
Smarter Snacking
RadTech 2025 Sustainability Awards
May 6, 2025 What's New
RadTech 2025 Sustainability Awards
Visit us at Zoomark 2025
May 2, 2025 What's New
Visit us at Zoomark 2025
ALL NEWS 

CONTACT US TODAY

Contact us to discuss your packaging needs.

Contact us now

Do you have a packaging need?

We would love to connect with you to discuss how we can solve it together. If you’d like a member of our team to contact you, just fill out the contact form, or give us a call to reach us.

Corporate Headquarters

12025 Tricon Road
Cincinnati, OH 45246
513-671-1777
800-543-7030

Corporate Headquarters

Product inquires – speak with a sales representative: info@proampac.com
Employment opportunities: careers@proampac.com
Media: media@proampac.com
Suppliers: procurement@proampac.com

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.