What Is Modified PVOH? A Buyer's Guide to Water-Soluble Film and Resin

What PVOH is

PVOH, polyvinyl alcohol, is a synthetic polymer that dissolves in water. It has been used for decades in laundry and dishwasher pods, pre-dosed chemical and additive packs, embroidery backing and hospital laundry bags. As a film it is clear, it prints well and it blocks oxygen far better than PE (TURN GREEN PVOH guide).

How well a PVOH grade dissolves depends on its chemistry. Published research on detergent pod films notes that the water solubility of PVA depends on its degree of hydrolysis and its degree of polymerisation, and that film grades often use a modified backbone with additives to improve their properties (Chemistry & Chemical Technology, 2023).

What "modified" means for a buyer

Standard PVOH is hard to process on ordinary plastic lines. A modified PVOH is formulated so that it can be melted and blown into film, used for extrusion coating, or supplied as a ready-to-use liquid coating, and so that it dissolves at the water temperature your process needs. For a buyer, "modified" is what turns a chemical into a packaging material you can actually order in rolls and bags.

AquaFlex is PVA PRO's modified PVOH material technology, and it was Vietnam's first modified PVOH resin. Only a few companies, in a few countries in the world, can develop modified PVOH material technology. Based in Vietnam, PVA PRO offers international businesses a unique alternative: a reliable partner with good quality and competitive prices.

Grades: cold, warm and hot water

The most important choice is the water temperature at which the film should dissolve. A garment bag must survive humid storage, a detergent dose must dissolve in a cold wash, and a hospital laundry bag must hold until the hot cycle. AquaFlex resins cover these cases:

Dissolution also depends on thickness, so we match the grade and thickness to the job and send the data sheet for that grade. See the AquaFlex resins and coatings page.

Dissolving is not the same as biodegrading

Dissolving and biodegrading in fresh and salt water. When PVOH film meets water, it softens and breaks into a solution. That solution is then consumed by microorganisms that turn the polymer into carbon dioxide, water and biomass. The second step is the one that matters for the environment, and it is the one a lab test has to measure.

For AquaFlex film, the independent lab ARCHA S.r.l. in Pisa, Italy, ran ISO and ASTM tests: passed ISO 14852 in 32 days in fresh water, passed ASTM D6691 in 43 days in natural seawater, and passed ISO 14855-1 in 125 days in industrial composting, with every EN 13432 item compliant. These are lab test reports, valid references that most competitors on this material technology do not reach. We explain each test in Does PVOH film really biodegrade?.

Forms you can buy

• Resin for your own blown film or extrusion coating line (B-HWS, B-WWS, B-CWS, EX-CWS).
• Liquid coatings for paper and board (L-HSP, L-BAR, L-OPV, L-MOL).
• Film: single web roll or tube on roll, width 200 to 2200 mm, thickness 15 to 150 µm, print up to 4 colours, transparent, colouring possible.
• Finished bags: flat bags, bags with gussets, seal tape closure, hanger bags and perforated laundry bags.
• AquaFlex paper: barrier paper with an AquaFlex layer, 50 to 120 gsm.

Functional options include anti-static, mold resistant, UV resistant and anti-corrosion (VCI) versions. The applications guide shows where each one is used, and the AquaFlex film page lists the full film properties.

Strengths and limits

Modified PVOH behaves like plastic while it is in use and disappears properly once it reaches water. Humidity and high heat are not an issue for AquaFlex. Our retained samples, kept in normal storage conditions, have stayed stable for more than five years, an observation from our sample library rather than a formal aging study.

The trade-off is also its main advantage: it is water-soluble, so goods must not touch liquid water. We advise carton liners when water contact is a risk. If your product has to stay wet or touch water, a compostable material such as CompoFlex from our sister factory GPS PLAS may fit better; see PVOH vs PLA vs PBAT.

Storage and handling

Because PVOH is water-soluble, the one storage rule is simple: keep goods away from liquid water. Humidity and high heat are not an issue for AquaFlex, and carton liners protect against accidental water contact during shipping. AquaFlex retained samples, kept in normal storage conditions, have stayed stable for more than five years. In our experience, standard compostable plastics typically have a shelf life of about 12 months from manufacture, so storage stability is one of the practical reasons brands choose PVOH for dry goods.

When you plan a first order, start with one product line, confirm the grade and thickness on a sample run, and agree storage instructions with your warehouse. The sourcing checklist walks through each step, and PVOH vs PLA vs PBAT explains when another material fits better.

Resin data by grade

For converters who run their own lines, the melt flow index (MFI) is the first number to check. It measures how many grams of melt flow through a standard die in ten minutes at a set temperature and load, so a higher value means an easier-flowing melt. Blown film grades sit at the low end, and the extrusion coating grade is far more fluid. Values below come from the 2023 AquaFlex technical data sheets and the factory deck.

Resin is delivered in 30 kg sealed bags in cartons, or in custom bulk packing. Before processing, the data sheet asks for storage below 30°C and below 50% humidity, away from sun and water, because pellets that pick up moisture process less evenly. Finished film is different: once converted, humidity and high heat are not an issue for AquaFlex. Ask us for the data sheet of each grade, with the MSDS and COA on request.

Three examples: matching the grade to the job

In each case the final choice of grade and thickness is confirmed on samples, on your own line, before any volume quote.

Five questions to ask any PVOH supplier

• Which grade dissolves at my water temperature, and can I have its data sheet?
• Which standard did the film pass, in how many days, and which lab ran the test?
• Do the tests cover the film itself, or only the base resin?
• How long can the film be stored before use?
• What is the minimum order, and can I run a sample on my own line first?

Our answers are in the sourcing checklist: minimum order 500 kg, 200 tons per month of production capacity, and a sample run on your line before you quote volume. Request a sample.