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Understanding the criteria for cleanliness within a bulk bag is important to help ensure there’s no contamination within a bag or the final products. Previously, we had a “case” (which is our internal way of investigating complaints and problems) come to us from our customer, who received a complaint from one of their customers. The issue: a piece of fuzzy material was found in their product, which came out of the bulk bag the product was shipped in. Upon investigation, we determined that it was a piece of stray sift proofing material that came from the bag. We reviewed the specifications and found there were no cleanliness standards specified on the bag, which means it was a standard production bag. Standard production bags are not cleaned, as most are used in applications where cleanliness is not a factor.

As part of our in-house capabilities, we installed a bag cleaning machine at our Lisbon headquarters, so we used this as an opportunity to test it out and help our customer. We brought the bags back, cleaned and repalletized them for our customer to use without worry of contamination. In the process of cleaning the bags, we did not find a lot of contamination but did find some stray sift proofing, threads and frayed pieces of fabric. 

When reviewing your bag requirements, take a moment to consider what contaminations levels are acceptable for your application and finished product. This chart should help determine what grade of cleanliness you require:

Cleanliness LevelExpectationStandard BagNo extra cleaning.Industrial CleanMade in standard production & vacuumed out.Industrial Clean with Metal DetectionAn additional option which could find potential machine parts from a crash, needles, scissors, or other items used on the sewing floor.Food Grade or Clean Room ProductionBags manufactured in special clean room facilities with specific procedures in place. Vacuuming and metal detection are standard in most cases. Pharma CleanBags manufactured in a special clean room with filtered air and specific procedures in place. Vacuuming and metal detection standard in most cases.

It’s important to remember these cleanliness levels are subject to human error, so good facilities and processes are key to minimizing all risk. Start by addressing your tolerance and risk of contamination and specify these needs when purchasing bags. Make sure you’re partnering with a company who understands the various cleanliness requirements and has the abilities to help minimize contaminations risks. Our team is equipped with the knowledge and ability to offer alternate solutions when higher grade of cleanliness is required. Reach out to your sales rep to learn more about multifilament tape for sift proofing, reverse seams, or lined bags.