Vacuum metallizing deposits a layer of aluminium — measured in nanometres, not microns — onto the surface of a base film under high vacuum. The result is a film that blocks moisture, oxygen and light, at a fraction of the thickness and cost of foil, with no meaningful change to the film’s mechanical handling. Metallized film is the same material you were already running, with the barrier problem solved.
OLUNRO metallizes PET, polypropylene, nylon and PE substrates in-house and supplies finished rolls to converters and to brands buying directly. The aluminium layer is deposited, not laminated, so the roll remains a single film — it prints, laminates and seals on the machinery you already have.
The four substrates we metallize
Metallized Polyester (VMPET) — the default choice for high-barrier laminates. Excellent moisture and oxygen barrier, high tensile strength, wide temperature range, and a clean surface for printing. Used where shelf-life is the governing constraint.
Metallized Polypropylene (VMCPP) — usually selected as the inner sealing web of a two-ply laminate. Good moisture barrier, low seal-initiation temperature, and economical.
Metallized Nylon (BOPA) — where puncture resistance and gas barrier both matter. Often specified for vacuum-packed and retort-adjacent applications where the pack must survive handling and abrasion without pinholing.
Metallized PE (VMPE) — the mono-material route to barrier. Metallized PE laminated with plain PE produces an all-polyolefin, recycling-compatible structure that replaces traditional three-layer builds. See our dedicated VMPE guide.
Water Vapour Transmission Rate: what metallizing actually buys you
| Material | Thickness (µm) | WVTR before metallizing g/(m²·24h) @ 40 °C |
WVTR after metallizing g/(m²·24h) @ 40 °C |
|---|---|---|---|
| PET | 12 | 40 – 45 | 0.3 – 0.5 |
| CPP | 25 | 10 – 15 | 1.0 – 1.5 |
| OPP | 20 | 5 – 7 | 0.8 – 1.2 |
| LDPE | 25 | 15 – 25 | 0.6 |
| HDPE | 25 | 10 – 20 | 0.9 |
| BOPA | 15 | 250 – 290 | 0.5 – 0.8 |
Read the BOPA row carefully. A 15 µm nylon film transmits 250–290 g/m²·24h on its own — which is why bare nylon is a terrible moisture barrier and a good oxygen barrier. After metallizing it drops to 0.5–0.8. That is a reduction of roughly two and a half orders of magnitude in a single processing step, on the same film, with no added ply.
That is the whole commercial case for metallizing: you are buying a barrier upgrade, not a new material.
Note on the numbers. WVTR figures are substrate- and process-dependent. Use this table to understand the order-of-magnitude gain, then ask us for measured data on the exact structure you plan to run.
Where metallized films are specified
| Application | Typical structure | Why metallized |
|---|---|---|
| Snacks and savoury | VMPET / PE or VMCPP inner web | Moisture barrier at high speed |
| Coffee and dry powders | VMPET / PE | Aroma retention plus oxygen barrier |
| Confectionery | VMPET / VMCPP | Light and moisture barrier, print quality |
| Labels and surface decoration | VMPET | Metallized appearance without foil cost |
| Vacuum packs | VM-BOPA / PE | Abrasion and puncture resistance |
| Washing-machine and appliance labels | VMPET | Moisture and chemical resistance |
| Mono-material packs | VMPE / PE | Barrier plus recyclability |
Beyond packaging: transfer films
If you are not a flexible-packaging converter but still need a metallic finish, OLUNRO supplies metallic transfer films used in clothing and accessories, and in residential and commercial construction. Different converting route, same metallizing capability.
Why buyers shortlist OLUNRO
- Metallizing is in-house. Coating, lamination, slitting and bag-making are on the same site, so a structure change is a scheduling decision, not a new supplier.
- Four substrates from one source. PET, PP, nylon and PE — you do not have to qualify a different vendor per substrate.
- Trial rolls before commitment. Tell us the structure and the machine; we confirm the roll runs on your line.
Request a metallized film sample
Send the substrate, the target WVTR or shelf-life requirement, and your converting route. We will reply with the recommended substrate and optical density, a specification sheet, and a trial roll for your own line trials.
Contact: info@olunropack.com · +86 532 6776 6956