What Is an Airtight Tin Can?

Customers ask us weekly about airtight cans. Sometimes they aren’t sure exactly what that means or why they do or don’t need it. Here’s the truth behind the label. Let’s look at when you need one and how to spot it.

What Airtight Actually Means

True airtight means that there should be no air getting inside the tin can. A slip lid, which most decorative tins have, allows some air to go through. A tight-fitting lid doesn’t really mean airtight in technical terms. You can actually take a tin and submerge it in water. You will see air bubbles coming out, which is proof that it’s not airtight.

Does Your Product Need an Airtight Tin Can?

Most of the time, this depends on the shelf life and your sales channel. When you are placing the product in a container as packaging and expect it to sit on the shelf for some time, some food items, like coffee, need airtight tin cans to keep fresh. Other products like cookies, candy, or chocolate can tolerate minor air transmission and don’t require airtight packaging. If you don’t need any shelf life and actually place the product inside the box in a patisserie setting, for example, you know your products will be consumed in a very short time frame. You wouldn’t need an airtight package in that case.

Decorative Tins: Beautiful and Functional, Not Airtight

Decorative tins might not be airtight, but they do keep dust out, and they shine when it comes to gift packaging and holiday sets. Most airtight tin cans have that industrial look compared to the premium look of decorative tin cans, and they aren’t reused much, whereas decorative tins are kept for a very long time. Many clients still use them, and if they need to keep the air out, they place their product in an airtight bag, like aluminum foil, and then place it inside the tin. So they get the best of both worlds.

Slip Lid vs Airtight Welded: Quick Truth Table

Feature	Decorative Slip Lid Tin	Welded Airtight Tin Can
Side Seam	Lock seam, full-bleed artwork to edge on the body	Fully welded, blank margin required
Lid	Friction fit, hand open/close	Sealent+seamed-seam needs machine
Airtight	No	Yes
Best for	Dry food, gifts	Long shelf life, single use packaging

How to Choose

When making a decision on this, the product, sales channel, marketing strategy, and the size of the project all play a role. You need to know if your product can tolerate air or not. If so, will it be consumed shortly after packing? Is this a big project where the seaming machine investment makes sense? Do you want the package to market your brand after the product is finished? You have to answer all these questions before making a decision. It isn’t complicated, but you just need to take the time. It is different for everyone. If you aren’t sure, you can always call us and we will be more than happy to help out.

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