Innovative Design: A New Era for Child-Resistant Packaging

Flexible packaging is evolving every day to meet the growing demand for functional, sustainable packaging. According to a recent study by ReportLinker, the flexible packaging market is poised to grow by $52.22 billion between 2020 and 2024.

As more companies adopt flexible packaging and take advantage of its many benefits, it’s important to keep consumer safety at the forefront of packaging strategies. This is especially significant for products that must be kept away from young children.

The team behind the Fresh-Lock^®Child-Guard^® closure is raising the bar again for innovative design in child-resistant packaging to help brands and parents keep kids safe.

A Brief History of Child-Guard^® Child-Resistant Technology

The development of the Child-Guard^® track & slider was sparked by a growing number of poisoning cases involving young children and laundry packs, or soluble unit doses (SUDs). After extensive engineering and rigorous testing, the Child-Guard^® track & slider became the first child-resistant slider available for pouch packaging that met Title 16 CFR 1700 of the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) with ASTM D3475 classification from ASTM International.

To meet child-resistant standards, a minimum of 85% of tested children ages five and under had to be unable to open the closure. Meanwhile, 90% of adults ages 50-70 had to open the closure in under five minutes. This testing proved that the closure is effective at keeping kids out while remaining intuitive and easy to use for adults.

The Fresh-Lock^® experts developed the innovative Press-to-Engage (PTE) feature for the Child-Guard^® closure. With a simple “point, press and pull” motion, users open Child-Guard^® by aligning the slider tongue with the groove, pressing down on the slider’s top side, and then pulling the slider across the track. To close, the slider is pulled back to the notch, where it locks into place.

Watch this video for a demonstration:

Designed with simplicity in mind, Child-Guard^® closures offer converters, product manufacturers, and consumers an effective solution that’s expanded to a variety of markets, including:

• Lawn & Garden
• Detergents & Cleaners
• Pesticides
• Herbicides
• Pool Chemicals
• Pharmaceutical

As the demand for child-resistant flexible packaging continues to grow, the Fresh-Lock^® team has expanded its designs for child-resistant closures to include zippers.

Introducing a Child-Resistant Zipper

Fresh-Lock^® Child-Resistant Zipper (Style 8511)

The Fresh-Lock^® child-resistant zipper style 8511 was specially designed for products that should not be consumed by children or taken without adult supervision. This recyclable, double lock zipper brings convenience to your small pouch packaging while helping to protect children. To open, adults simply open the top of the pouch, lift a hidden flap, pinch the flap and outer edge of the bag, and then pull apart to open.

Other key features of the child-safe zipper include:

• Designed to work with applications requiring oxygen and moisture protection
• FDA approved for food contact
• 100% recyclable PE, can be used as a component in pouches approved for in-store drop off programs
• Features Click ‘N Lock^® technology for a secure seal consumers will hear and feel
• Can be used with bottom gusset pouch configurations designed for automatic fill & seal applications
• As sealed into a package in the configuration shown, 8511 has been successfully tested to meet the packaging requirements for child resistance according to U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, (CFR 16 Part 1700.2), and as referenced by A.S.T.M. D3475

Watch this video for a demonstration of the new child safe zipper:

Child safe and child-resistant terms do not imply that this is a child-proof zipper. In fact, “child-proof” is a term that should not be used in regards to packaging. Learn more in our blog, “What You Need to Know About Child-Resistant Packaging.”

Overcoming Industry Challenges for Child-Resistant Packaging

While Fresh-Lock^® child-resistant closures are applicable to many industries and child-resistant pouches and bags, each application provides its own challenges when it comes to flexible packaging. Regulatory requirements, product variations, and constant developments in film structures have forced packagers to consider every component of their package to ensure that it’s child resistant.

Luckily, Fresh-Lock^® child-resistant closures are compatible with multiple film structures for different performance needs. Pharmaceutical companies can now shift from rigid plastic bottles and corrugated boxes to flexible packaging thanks to these closures, which can be applied to standup pouches and packaging designed to hold blister packs. Flexible pharmaceutical packaging offers convenience and safety for the user and provides protection for e-commerce delivery, which is a growing demand in this market.

Another application for these closures is flexible pool chemical packaging, which requires high-performance film materials that meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and withstand the corrosive chemicals they’re storing. Fresh-Lock^® closures can be applied to these high-performance materials for a complete, child-resistant package.

The flexible design and materials composing the package must also meet necessary requirements and undergo their own research and testing to be considered child-resistant.

Enter the New Era of Child-Resistant Packaging

Packaging has changed a lot since the first child safety caps were implemented on rigid containers for child-resistant packaging. With new flexible packaging technologies flooding the market, it’s often best to go back to the originator, especially when the originator has continued to advance and improve upon its groundbreaking innovations.

Fresh-Lock^® child-resistant closures are available through a large network of licensed pouch converters, and a recyclable child-resistant zipper is on the horizon. If you want to take advantage of child-resistant flexible packaging for your brand, contact the Fresh-Lock^® experts today to learn about the Child-Guard^® track and slider and the Fresh-Lock^® child-resistant zipper.