Difference between cellophane and polyproplene

If you've been looking around at Cello Bags you'll notice that the majority of Cello Bags for Greeting Cards on the market today are made from Polypropylene (BOPP) material, ours included!

Here we will go into detail on what these materials are, why we use Polypropylene vs Cellophane.

True Cellophane is made from organic cellulose (wood or plant fibres) and is a more natural material, environmentally friendly and can be decomposed into the ground (biodegradable).

However, due to this it is very expensive to produce and has a limited shelf life (if not used within a certain time frame it starts to turn a yellowish colour).

Polypropylene is a man-made thermoplastic material (plastic) most noted for its strength, low cost production, long shelf life and flexible nature.  It was first discovered in 1951 and has since become a very popular and widely used synthetic plastic.

 

Cellophane is a thin, transparent sheet made of regenerated cellulose. Its low permeability to air, oils, greases, bacteria, and water makes it useful for food packaging.

Cellophane sales have dwindled since the 1960s, due to alternative packaging options. The polluting effects of carbon disulfide and other by-products of the process used to make viscose may have also contributed to this; however, cellophane itself is 100% biodegradable, and that has increased its popularity as a food wrapping.

So, Cellophane is a breathable, biodegradable product.  It is good for food packaging but it is not recommended for long term food storage as the breathability can shorten the shelf life of food products.

Cellophane is a better option for the environment as it will breakdown fully in landfill unlike plastic or polypropylene bags

Polypropylene is a non-breathable, non-biodegradable plastic.  

Polypropylene bags are clearer and will keep food products fresher for longer.

Some people call Polypropylene bags, “cellophane” bags, but be careful as they may not be genuine cellophane.

Polypropylene is cheaper

Polypropylene is not bio-degradable