Vacuum skin package with easy-open/reclosable bottom web

1. An easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package comprising:

a) a bottom web;

b) a product disposed on the bottom web; and

c) a top web in contact with and conformed to a shape of at least a portion of the product,

wherein the bottom web comprises

i) a laminate having a shaped die-cut; the laminate comprises:

a. a substrate film comprising

a single core layer comprising ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer having two respective surfaces;

two tie layers, each tie layer being a single tie layer positioned directly on each of the respective surface of the core layer, comprising a polymeric adhesive;

two bulk layers, each bulk layer positioned directly on a surface of a respective tie layer, comprising polyolefin

an outer laminating layer comprising a thermoplastic material selected from polyamide, polyester, or polyolefin, the outer laminating layer having an outer surface; and

an inner sealant layer comprising an olefinic polymer, the inner sealant layer having a surface sealed to the top web;

b. a support web comprising having an outer surface and an inner surface, comprising a thermoplastic material selected from polyester, polyamide, and polyolefin;

c. an adhesive disposed between the substrate film and the support web, and adhering the outer surface of the outer laminating layer of the substrate film to the inner surface of the support web; and

d. the shaped die-cut disposed in the substrate film and the support web; and

ii) a label overlying the shaped die-cut, and adhered to the laminate, the package configured such that when the label is peeled back, a portion of the laminate is also peeled back, opening the package, and the package can thereafter be reclosed by returning the label to substantially its original position on the laminate.

2. The easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the substrate film and the support web comprises an oxygen barrier having an oxygen permeability less than 50 cm 3 O 2 /m 2 ·day·atmosphere measured at a thickness of 1 mil (ASTM D 3985).

3. The easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package of claim 1 , wherein the support web comprises a material selected from biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate, biaxially oriented polyamide, and biaxially oriented polypropylene.

4. The easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package of claim 1 , wherein the shaped die-cut is a U-shaped die-cut.

5. The easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package of claim 1 , wherein the label comprises:

a) a first layer comprising a material selected from biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate, biaxially oriented polyamide, and biaxially oriented polypropylene; and

b) a second layer adhered to the first layer, and comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive.

6. The easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package of claim 5 , wherein a portion of the first layer comprises a pull tab.

7. The easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package of claim 1 , wherein the label comprises a printed surface.

8. The easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package of claim 1 , wherein the label is 3.3 mils thick.

9. The easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package of claim 1 , wherein the label includes a printed tamper-evident feature.

10. A method of making an easy-open/reclosable vacuum skin package comprising:

a) providing a bottom web;

b) disposing a product on the bottom web;

c) providing a thermoformable top web; and

d) advancing the product through a vacuum skin packaging process to make a package in which the top web is in contact with and conformed to the shape of at least a portion of the product;

wherein the bottom web comprises a laminate having a shaped die-cut, and a label overlies the shaped die-cut, and is adhered to the laminate; the package configured such that when the label is peeled back, a portion of the laminate is also peeled back, opening the package, and the package can thereafter be reclosed by returning the label to substantially its original position on the laminate; wherein the laminate comprises:

a) a substrate film comprising

i) a single core layer comprising ethylene/vinyl alcohol copolymer;

ii) two tie layers, each tie layer being a single tie layer positioned directly on a respective surface of the core layer, comprising a polymeric adhesive;

iii) two bulk layers, each bulk layer positioned directly on a surface of a respective tie layer, comprising polyolefin

iv) an outer laminating layer comprising a thermoplastic material material selected from polyamide, polyester, or polyolefin, the outer laminating layer having an outer surface;

v) an inner sealant layer comprising an olefinic polymer, the inner layer having a surface sealed to the top web;

b) a support web comprising having an outer surface and an inner surface, comprising a thermoplastic material selected from polyester, polyamide, and polyolefin; and

c) an adhesive disposed between the substrate film and the support web, and adhering the outer surface of the outer laminating layer of the substrate film to the inner surface of the support web,

the shaped die-cut disposed in the substrate film and the support web.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the substrate film and the support web comprises an oxygen barrier having an oxygen permeability less than 50 cm 3 O 2 /m 2 ·day·atmosphere measured at a thickness of 1 mil (ASTM D 3985).

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the support web comprises a material selected from biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate, biaxially oriented polyamide, and biaxially oriented polypropylene.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the shaped die-cut is a U-shaped die-cut.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the label comprises:

a) a first layer comprising a material selected from biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate, biaxially oriented polyamide, and biaxially oriented polypropylene; and

b) a second layer adhered to the first layer, and comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein a portion of the first layer comprises a pull tab.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the label comprises a printed surface.