Aluminium Foil Laminate: The Technical Guide for Food Brands, Pharma Buyers & Exporters

The Laminate That Cannot Be Replaced

There is a class of packaging requirement where VMPET is not enough. Where a high-barrier film structure performs adequately on a lab barrier tester but fails in a humid container crossing the Arabian Sea. Where pharmaceutical active ingredients degrade on a shelf because the sachet let in 0.3 grams of moisture it should not have. Where ground cardamom arrives in Germany smelling like cardboard instead of cardamom because volatile essential oils migrated through a laminate that seemed adequate on paper.

Aluminium foil laminate is the material specification that eliminates those failure modes. At near-zero oxygen transmission rate (OTR below 0.5 cc/m²/day) and near-zero water vapour transmission rate (WVTR below 0.1 g/m²/day), a properly specified foil laminate delivers complete barrier protection that no metallised film structure can match. It is the only flexible packaging material that also provides a complete light barrier — critical for light-sensitive pharmaceutical formulations, premium coffee, and colour-sensitive spice blends.

This guide covers everything a procurement manager, pharmaceutical buyer, food brand owner, or international importer needs to know before specifying aluminium foil laminate — from structure selection and foil grade to applications, technical specifications, and export documentation.

 

What Is Aluminium Foil Laminate?

Aluminium foil laminate is a multi-layer flexible packaging material in which an aluminium foil layer — typically 6 to 20 microns thick — is bonded between an outer structural layer (PET, BOPP, or paper) and an inner heat-seal layer (PE or CPP) using solvent-based dry lamination. The aluminium foil layer is the functional heart of the structure: it is impermeable to gases, moisture, and light, making it the highest-performance barrier material available in flexible packaging.

Unlike VMPET (vacuum metallised PET), which achieves barrier performance by depositing a thin layer of aluminium vapour on a PET film surface, a foil laminate uses a discrete aluminium foil layer with defined thickness and crystalline integrity. The difference in barrier performance is significant — VMPET achieves OTR values of 2–5 cc/m²/day, while aluminium foil laminates achieve OTR below 0.5 cc/m²/day and WVTR below 0.1 g/m²/day. For applications requiring 12–18 months of shelf life, complete aroma retention, or zero oxygen ingress, foil laminate is the only specification that delivers consistently.

 

Laminate Structures: Every Option G T Pack Manufactures

The choice of laminate structure determines outer surface properties, inner seal layer characteristics, retort compatibility, and application suitability. G T Pack Industries manufactures five aluminium foil laminate structures:

 

Structure	Full specification	OTR / WVTR	Primary application	Shelf life
PET / Alu Foil / PE	PET 12µ / Alu 6–20µ / PE 60–100µ	< 0.5 cc / < 0.1 g	Dry food, spice, pharma, export	12–18 months
BOPP / Alu Foil / PE	BOPP 20µ / Alu 9–12µ / PE 60–80µ	< 1.0 cc / < 0.2 g	Snacks, namkeen, domestic food	9–12 months
Paper / Alu Foil / PE	Paper 40–70 GSM / Alu 9–12µ / PE 60–80µ	< 0.5 cc / < 0.1 g	Tea, ORS, pharma sachets, strips	12–18 months
PET / Alu Foil / CPP	PET 12µ / Alu 9–12µ / CPP 60–80µ	< 0.5 cc / < 0.1 g	Retort-compatible, high-temp processing	Up to 121°C retort
Alu Foil / PE (plain)	Alu 6–20µ / PE 60–100µ	Near zero	Industrial, electrical insulation, lining	Application-specific

 

PET / Alu Foil / PE — The Universal Export Standard

PET 12µ / Alu Foil 6–20µ / PE 60–100µ. The most widely specified aluminium foil laminate for food export, premium food domestic, and pharmaceutical applications. The PET outer layer delivers superior printability, stiffness, and puncture resistance. The aluminium foil middle layer delivers near-zero barrier performance. The PE inner layer provides reliable heat-seal integrity.

This structure is the specification benchmark for dry fruit export to UAE and Germany, premium masala brands requiring 12+ month shelf life, pharmaceutical powder packs, ORS sachets, and high-value food categories where barrier failure has direct commercial consequences. OTR below 0.5 cc/m²/day. WVTR below 0.1 g/m²/day.

BOPP / Alu Foil / PE — Economical Foil Barrier

BOPP 20µ / Alu Foil 9–12µ / PE 60–80µ. The BOPP outer layer reduces cost relative to PET while delivering adequate printability and surface protection. Suitable for domestic food brands requiring full foil barrier performance without the premium associated with PET-outer structures. Shelf life: 9–12 months. Applications: domestic snack and namkeen brands upgrading from VMPET structures, household food products requiring light barrier.

Paper / Alu Foil / PE — The Pharma and Sachet Standard

Paper 40–70 GSM / Alu Foil 9–12µ / PE 60–80µ. The paper outer layer is the defining structural choice for pharmaceutical strip packaging, ORS sachets, single-dose pharmaceutical powder pouches, and any application where batch number overprinting and tear-open functionality are required. The paper surface accepts thermal transfer or laser coding for batch and MRP marking — a regulatory requirement in Indian pharmaceutical packaging.

This structure is also used in premium food sachet applications — individual spice sachets, flavour sachets, and condiment packets — where the paper exterior communicates natural ingredient quality while the inner foil layer protects content integrity. Shelf life: 12–18 months depending on product formulation.

PET / Alu Foil / CPP — Retort-Compatible Structure

PET 12µ / Alu Foil 9–12µ / CPP 60–80µ. The only structure in this range that can withstand retort sterilisation at 121°C for 30–50 minutes without delamination, seal failure, or barrier degradation. The cast polypropylene (CPP) inner layer — replacing the standard PE layer — is the critical difference: CPP has a higher melting point and maintains seal integrity under retort processing conditions that would cause PE-sealed pouches to fail.

Applications: ready-to-eat curry and gravy products, processed meat, retort dal and pulse packs, baby food, pet food wet retort products. This structure enables 18–24 month ambient shelf life for fully cooked products — eliminating cold chain requirements and enabling export to markets where cold chain infrastructure is limited.

Plain Alu Foil / PE — Industrial and Lining Applications

Alu Foil 6–20µ / PE 60–100µ. No outer structural layer. Used for industrial insulation rolls, electrical cable wrapping, construction vapour barriers, and any application where the foil surface itself is the exterior face. Also used as an inner lining material in multi-wall packaging where an external structural layer is provided separately. The most cost-effective foil laminate structure for non-print applications.

 

Foil Grade Selection: What Micron Specification Means in Practice

Aluminium foil thickness is specified in microns. G T Pack Industries works with foil grades starting from 6 µm, with no upper limit on thickness for custom specifications. The micron selection affects barrier performance, flexibility, pinhole frequency, and cost. Here is the practical guide:

 

Foil grade	Typical use	Barrier performance	Notes
6 µm	Ultra-thin lidding, blister inner layer	Very high — pinhole-free critical	Minimum grade G T Pack supplies
9 µm	Standard pharma strip, food sachets	Excellent — industry benchmark	Most common pharma specification
12 µm	Premium food pouches, export-grade	Excellent — robust handling	Preferred for pouch conversion
20 µm	Heavy-duty industrial, thick barrier	Superior — maximum integrity	Industrial laminates, foil rolls
Custom	As per customer specification	Confirmed per spec	Available with minimum lead time

 

A critical technical note for procurement teams: the barrier performance of aluminium foil does not improve linearly with thickness above 9 µm. The primary benefit of thicker foil above 12 µm is mechanical integrity — resistance to flexcracking during handling, filling, and transit. For most food and pharma applications, 9 µm delivers complete barrier performance at optimum cost. 12 µm is specified where the finished pouch or sachet experiences significant mechanical stress. 20 µm and above is industrial or heavy-duty specification.

 

Applications by Industry and Product

Spice and Masala Packaging

Ground spices are among the most demanding flexible packaging applications in the food industry. Volatile essential oils — the compounds that carry spice aroma and flavour — are small enough to migrate through any barrier material with measurable oxygen transmission. At OTR values above 2 cc/m²/day, a VMPET-laminated spice pouch loses meaningful aroma within 3–4 months. Foil laminate at OTR below 0.5 cc/m²/day effectively eliminates aroma migration for the full 12–18 month shelf life.

For export markets — specifically UAE, UK, and Germany, where Indian spice exports total over USD 4 billion annually — PET/Alu/PE is the buyer-specified structure in almost all premium and mid-premium spice categories. Domestic premium spice brands that specify foil laminate can charge a 20–40% retail premium over brands using VMPET structures, on the back of a demonstrably better product freshness experience.

Tea and Coffee Packaging

Ground coffee is one of the most technically demanding food packaging applications. Freshly roasted coffee degasses carbon dioxide for days after roasting, while simultaneously being highly susceptible to oxygen-induced staleness. The PET/Alu/PE structure at 9–12 µm foil grade, combined with a degassing valve, is the industry standard for ground coffee pouch packaging globally. Shelf life: 12–18 months from roast date.

Premium loose-leaf tea — particularly single-origin, whole-leaf, and specialty varieties — requires complete moisture exclusion to prevent flavour degradation and mould risk. Foil laminate sachets and pouches extend premium tea shelf life to 12–18 months while maintaining the full flavour profile that justifies the premium pricing. The Paper/Alu/PE structure allows premium tea brands to maintain a natural aesthetic while achieving foil-grade barrier performance.

Pharmaceutical — ORS Sachets and Powder Packs

Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) sachets are a high-volume pharmaceutical packaging application with critical barrier requirements. ORS formulations are hygroscopic — they absorb moisture rapidly, causing caking, colour change, and potency loss. Paper/Alu/PE at 9 µm foil is the standard structure for ORS sachet packaging across the Indian pharmaceutical industry. The paper outer layer accepts batch number, manufacturing date, and MRP thermal transfer printing — a legal requirement for all Indian pharmaceutical packaging.

Single-dose pharmaceutical powder pouches for antibiotic sachets, nutritional supplement sachets, and flavoured powder medications follow the same specification logic — complete barrier, paper outer for printing, heat-seal inner for automated sachet filling on continuous sachet-forming machines.

Pharmaceutical Strip Packaging

Aluminium foil strip packaging for tablets and capsules uses a different technical specification from sachet packaging. Strip lidding foil is typically Paper/Alu/PE at 6–9 µm foil, die-cut and heat-sealed around individual dosage units. The thin foil grade is specified to allow easy push-through opening by patients, while the paper layer carries regulatory printing. Barrier performance — OTR and WVTR — is identical to thicker foil grades at the specified foil thickness.

Industrial and Electrical Insulation

Plain Alu/PE laminate at 12–20 µm foil is used extensively in electrical cable wrapping, HVAC duct insulation facing, building vapour barrier membranes, and packaging for moisture-sensitive electronic components and mechanical parts. In these applications, the barrier is the product — printability and food safety compliance are not relevant. The foil/PE plain structure provides the highest foil barrier per unit cost for industrial applications.

 

Application Decision Guide

 

Your product / requirement	Recommended structure
Food export to UAE, Germany, UK	PET 12µ / Alu 9–12µ / PE 80µ
Spice pouches — premium, 12+ month shelf life	PET 12µ / Alu 9µ / PE 80µ
Tea and coffee — domestic premium	PET 12µ / Alu 9µ / PE 60µ
ORS sachets / pharma powder packs	Paper 60 GSM / Alu 9µ / PE 60µ
Pharmaceutical strip packaging	Paper 40 GSM / Alu 9µ / PE 40µ
Retort pouches (curry, gravy, RTE)	PET 12µ / Alu 9–12µ / CPP 80µ
Snacks — domestic, 9–12 month shelf life	BOPP 20µ / Alu 9µ / PE 60µ
Industrial / electrical insulation rolls	Alu 12–20µ / PE 80–100µ (plain)
High-value masala / nutraceutical	PET 12µ / Alu 12µ / PE 80µ

 

 

Technical Specifications

 

Parameter	Value
Printing technology	8-colour rotogravure (on outer PET / BOPP / Paper layer)
Lamination process	Solvent-based dry lamination
Foil grades available	6 µm, 9 µm, 12 µm, 20 µm, custom micron on request
OTR — foil-based laminate	< 0.5 cc / m² / day
WVTR — foil-based laminate	< 0.1 g / m² / day
Light transmission	Near zero — complete light barrier
Heat seal range (PE inner)	140°C – 180°C
Retort suitability (CPP inner)	Up to 121°C for 30–50 minutes (PET/Alu/CPP structure)
Available in	Roll form and converted pouches
Roll widths	80 mm to 1,200 mm (custom slit widths available)
Food contact compliance	IS 9845 compliant — food-grade inner layer
Certifications	ISO 9001:2015 | ISO 22000:2018 | ISO 14001:2015 | ISO 45001:2018
MOQ (printed laminate roll)	500 kg per structure per SKU
MOQ (plain / unprinted roll)	300 kg minimum
Lead time (printed)	15–20 working days after artwork approval
Lead time (plain)	10–15 working days
HS Code (export)	7607.20 (aluminium foil laminate)

 

 

Aluminium Foil Laminate vs. Alternative Barrier Materials

 

Parameter	Alu Foil Laminate	VMPET Laminate	Plain PE Film	BOPP Film
Oxygen barrier (OTR)	Near zero < 0.5	Low–medium 2–5	None / very high	None / high
Moisture barrier (WVTR)	Near zero < 0.1	Medium 1–2	Poor	Poor
Light barrier	100% complete	~95% metallised	None	None
Aroma retention	Excellent	Good	Poor	Poor
Retort compatibility	Yes (with CPP inner)	No	No	No
Pharma suitability	Excellent	Limited	Not suitable	Not suitable
Shelf life potential	12–18+ months	6–12 months	1–3 months	1–3 months
Cost relative	Medium–high	Medium	Low	Low
Print surface quality	Excellent (PET outer)	Good	Limited	Good

 

 

Export Suitability

G T Pack Industries currently exports aluminium foil laminates and foil-laminate converted pouches to UAE, Saudi Arabia, Germany, United Kingdom, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. For export buyers, the following documentation is available on request:

•      Food contact compliance declaration — EU Regulation 10/2011 for European markets

•      Migration test reports for food-contact inner PE layer (IS 9845 compliant)

•      Material Safety Data Sheets for all laminate layers

•      HS Code 7607.20 — aluminium foil of a thickness exceeding 0.2 mm, backed

•      ISO 22000:2018 certificate — recognised by GCC and EU food safety authorities

•      Country of origin documentation for Made in India goods

•      FOB pricing from Greater Noida for all export structures

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the difference between aluminium foil laminate and VMPET laminate?

VMPET (vacuum metallised PET) has a thin layer of aluminium vapour deposited on a PET film, achieving OTR of 2–5 cc/m²/day. Aluminium foil laminate uses a discrete foil layer of defined thickness, achieving OTR below 0.5 cc/m²/day. For 12+ month shelf life, complete light barrier, pharmaceutical applications, and export specifications where barrier performance is contractual, foil laminate is the only structure that meets requirements reliably.

Q2. What is the minimum foil grade you supply?

G T Pack Industries works with foil grades starting from 6 µm. This ultra-thin grade is used for pharmaceutical strip lidding and blister packaging where push-through opening is required. We have no minimum foil thickness constraint for customer specifications — we work to the customer's required specification from 6 µm upward.

Q3. Can you supply foil laminate suitable for retort processing at 121°C?

Yes. The PET 12µ / Alu Foil 9–12µ / CPP 60–80µ structure is retort-compatible at 121°C for 30–50 minutes. The CPP inner layer — cast polypropylene — provides the heat resistance that standard PE inner layers cannot. We can produce retort laminate rolls for pouch conversion, or supply converted retort pouches.

Q4. What structures are suitable for ORS sachet and pharmaceutical powder pack manufacturing?

Paper/Alu Foil/PE is the standard structure for ORS sachets and pharmaceutical powder packs. The paper outer layer accepts thermal transfer overprinting for batch number, manufacturing date, expiry date, and MRP — all mandatory per Indian pharmaceutical labelling regulations. We supply this in roll form compatible with continuous sachet-forming machines. Foil grade: 9 µm standard, 6 µm for lighter sachet applications.

Q5. What roll widths are available?

We supply slit rolls from 80 mm to 1,200 mm width. Custom slit widths are available with no additional lead time for plain structures. Printed structures require the width to be confirmed at the cylinder-making stage. Core sizes: 3-inch and 6-inch. Winding direction: inside or outside as specified.

Q6. What is the MOQ for printed and plain foil laminate rolls?

MOQ for printed foil laminate rolls is 50 kg per structure per SKU. MOQ for plain (unprinted) foil laminate rolls is 25 kg. For export orders, we work with buyers to consolidate multiple structures into a single shipment to achieve economical freight.

Q7. Is your foil laminate suitable for direct food contact?

All G T Pack foil laminate structures use food-grade inner layers (PE or CPP) compliant with IS 9845 standards. Our facility is ISO 22000:2018 certified, covering the food safety management system across the full production process. Migration test reports and food contact compliance declarations are available for export orders.

Q8. What print capabilities are available on foil laminate?

Up to 8 colours on the outer layer (PET or BOPP) using rotogravure printing. Pantone solid colour matching available. Matte and gloss varnish finishes available. The paper outer layer in Paper/Alu/PE structures is compatible with thermal transfer overprinting for pharmaceutical batch coding.

 

Why G T Pack Industries for Aluminium Foil Laminate

We are a direct manufacturer — not a trading company or converter buying laminate from another supplier. Our solvent lamination lines in Greater Noida bond the foil, outer film, and inner seal layer in-house, which means we control every variable in barrier performance: adhesive coat weight, foil grade selection, lamination tension, and cure parameters.

Our ISO 22000:2018 certification is not a certificate on a wall — it is a working quality management system that governs raw material receipt, in-process barrier testing, and finished goods dispatch. Every foil laminate roll we produce is tested before dispatch.

For pharmaceutical buyers: our Paper/Alu/PE structures are built to Indian pharma packaging standards with overprint-compatible outer surfaces. For export buyers: we provide complete documentation packages — food contact declarations, migration reports, and HS Code 7607.20 documentation — that prevent customs clearance delays in GCC and EU markets.