Oxygen and Water Vapour Permeability
Over the past 40 years Smithers has been a leading provider of independent permeation testing, OTR tests and WVTR testing in the UK. We are UKAS accredited for relevant test standards.
Q&A Packaging Permeability and Barrier Performance
Your questions answered: packaging permeability, barrier performance, and testing strategies
As brands move towards mono-material structures, paper-based formats and reduced plastic use, permeability has become a key factor in whether packaging performs as intended. Oxygen and water vapour transmission directly influence product quality, shelf life and waste, making barrier performance a critical consideration in both sustainable design and commercial success.Permeability is often invisible until problems arise. Material datasheets and flat-film values provide a valuable starting point, but real-world handling, conversion processes and finished-pack design can also influence how gases and vapours move through a pack. Understanding these effects is essential when developing new materials, reformulating existing packaging or validating supplier claims.
This expert Q&A from Smithers’ permeability and packaging specialists brings together practical insight, testing expertise and real-world application to help packaging teams make informed decisions with confidence.
What you’ll learn
- Why permeability matters for product protection and shelf life
- How oxygen and water vapour transmission are measured and interpreted
- The impact of coatings, mono-materials and barrier layers on performance
- How conversion, handling and pack design affect real-world barrier behaviour
- When film-level, pack-level and elevated environmental conditions testing add value
- How accredited testing supports sustainability, regulatory and marketing claims
Smithers combines decades of barrier performance expertise with ISO 17025-accredited permeability testing to support material selection, troubleshooting and validation. From early development through to finished-pack assessment, we provide clear, evidence-based insight to help you optimise performance and reduce risk.