Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Blister Film for Tablets & Capsules
Wallis supplies pharmaceutical rigid PVC blister film and hard sheet for tablet, capsule, vitamin, nutraceutical, veterinary and selected healthcare packaging. The rigid PVC forming web provides optical clarity, dimensional stability and controlled thermoforming performance for conventional pharmaceutical blister production.
Wallis pharmaceutical PVC is available in approximately 0.15–0.80 mm thickness and widths up to approximately 680 mm, with transparent, tinted, colored, opaque, glossy and matte options available according to project requirements.
Plain rigid PVC is primarily selected where good thermoformability, clarity, mechanical protection and cost efficiency are required and the pharmaceutical formulation does not require an advanced moisture or oxygen barrier. More sensitive products should be evaluated with PVC/PVDC, PVC/PE/PVDC, PCTFE-based or other higher-barrier structures according to stability data.
Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Film Technical Specifications
The following values represent the current typical Wallis product range. Final specifications, tolerances and test methods should be confirmed according to the approved pharmaceutical packaging grade and purchasing specification.
| Parameter | Typical Specification / Notes |
| Product | Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Blister Film / PVC Hard Sheet |
| Material | Rigid PVC formulated for pharmaceutical blister packaging applications |
| Thickness | Approximately 0.15–0.80 mm |
| Width | Up to approximately 680 mm; customized slitting available |
| Color | Transparent, tinted, colored or opaque |
| Surface Finish | Glossy, matte or customized finish |
| Moisture Absorption | Current Wallis specification lists ≤0.1%; confirm test method for ordered grade |
| Tensile Strength | Current Wallis specification lists ≥48 MPa; confirm direction and test method for ordered grade |
| Thermoforming | Designed for compatible pharmaceutical blister thermoforming processes |
| Lidding Compatibility | Compatible systems can use aluminum lidding foil with heat-seal lacquer formulated for PVC |
| Supply Format | Rolls; converted sheet formats subject to project confirmation |
| Applications | Tablet, capsule, nutraceutical, veterinary and selected healthcare blister packaging |
| Customization | Thickness, width, color, finish, roll dimensions, core size and export packaging |
![Pharmaceutical rigid PVC blister film and hard sheet]()
Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Blister Film
![PVC pharmaceutical packaging film for tablet and capsule blisters]()
PVC Pharmaceutical Packaging Film
What Is Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Blister Film?
Pharmaceutical rigid PVC film is a thermoformable plastic forming web used to create cavities in conventional blister packages. The material is heated, formed around the required cavity geometry, filled with the pharmaceutical product and then sealed with a compatible lidding structure.
Rigid PVC Forming Web
PVC provides the structural base of the blister cavity. Its rigidity helps the formed pocket retain its shape during filling, lidding, cutting, cartoning, transportation and consumer handling.
Transparent Product Visibility
Clear PVC allows the tablet or capsule to remain visible through the blister, supporting product identification and visual inspection. Colored or opaque PVC can also be discussed where visual differentiation or light management is required.
Cost-Effective Standard Blister Material
Plain rigid PVC is widely considered where pharmaceutical formulations have relatively moderate barrier requirements and packaging engineers prioritize thermoformability, clarity, machine productivity and cost efficiency.
Moisture Absorption Is Not the Same as Moisture Barrier
This distinction is important when selecting pharmaceutical packaging. A low material moisture-absorption value does not automatically mean that the film provides a high barrier against water vapor passing through the package.
Moisture Absorption
Moisture absorption measures how much water the polymer itself absorbs under a defined test condition. The current Wallis specification lists a value of ≤0.1% for this product.
Water Vapor Transmission Rate – WVTR
WVTR describes how much water vapor passes through a packaging material under defined temperature and humidity conditions. This is a more relevant metric when deciding whether a pharmaceutical blister provides sufficient protection for a moisture-sensitive drug.
When Plain PVC Is Appropriate
Plain PVC can be appropriate for relatively stable formulations where the required moisture barrier can be achieved by the complete packaging design and validated stability program.
When to Upgrade the Barrier
Hygroscopic, highly moisture-sensitive or oxygen-sensitive formulations may require PVC/PVDC, PVC/PE/PVDC, PCTFE-based film, cold-form aluminum or another higher-barrier structure.
Thermoforming Performance for Pharmaceutical Blisters
Thermoforming performance is one of the most important reasons rigid PVC remains widely used for conventional pharmaceutical blisters. Material thickness, formulation, heating behavior, mold design and machine settings work together to determine finished cavity quality.
Uniform Heating
Consistent film thickness helps the web heat more uniformly across its width, reducing variation between blister cavities and supporting stable commercial production.
Cavity Definition
Appropriate forming conditions help produce well-defined cavities without excessive thinning, distortion or unwanted stress marks.
Cavity Depth
Deeper cavities place greater demand on the PVC film because the material stretches more at sidewalls and corners. Buyers should provide the tablet or capsule dimensions and cavity depth when evaluating a new PVC specification.
Rotary & Flat-Bed Forming
Suitable pharmaceutical PVC films can be evaluated on rotary and flat-bed blister equipment. Because heating profiles, forming cycles and web handling differ between machines, the final grade should be qualified on the actual production line.
Aluminum Foil Lidding & Heat-Seal Compatibility
Conventional Alu-PVC blister packaging normally uses an aluminum lidding foil carrying a heat-seal lacquer formulated to bond to the PVC forming web. The complete PVC-and-lidding combination should therefore be evaluated as one packaging system.
Heat-Seal Lacquer Compatibility
Not every aluminum foil uses the same heat-seal coating. Buyers should provide the actual lidding-foil specification when qualifying a new PVC blister film.
Sealing Temperature
Seal temperature should be optimized together with pressure, dwell time and production speed. A practical operating window is more useful than assuming one sealing temperature works on every line.
Finished-Pack Integrity
Seal strength, channels, leakage and overall blister integrity should be checked using the customer's actual forming web, lidding material and commercial packaging conditions.
![Advantages of pharmaceutical rigid PVC blister film]()
Key Advantages of Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Film
Excellent Thermoformability
Rigid PVC can provide controlled thermoforming behavior for conventional tablet and capsule blister cavities when thickness, material grade and processing conditions are correctly matched.
High Optical Clarity
Transparent PVC allows clear product visibility and can help support manual or automated visual inspection of tablets and capsules.
Dimensional Stability
The rigid structure supports stable cavity dimensions during downstream filling, sealing, cutting and cartoning operations.
Chemical Resistance
PVC provides useful resistance to many common chemicals encountered during normal packaging handling. Compatibility with the specific pharmaceutical formulation, cleaning chemistry or other contacting material should nevertheless be evaluated where relevant.
Cost-Efficient Blister Forming
For formulations that do not require an advanced barrier structure, plain rigid PVC offers a practical balance of formability, visibility, mechanical protection and material cost.
Custom Colors & Dimensions
Thickness, roll width, color, surface finish, core size and roll configuration can be discussed according to the blister machine and finished pack.
Applications of Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Blister Film
Tablet Blister Packaging
Plain rigid PVC is commonly considered for stable oral solid dosage products where a conventional transparent thermoformed blister provides sufficient protection.
Capsule Packaging
PVC can also be formed into capsule cavities. Larger capsules may require careful selection of film thickness and forming conditions because cavity depth increases material stretch.
Vitamins & Nutraceuticals
Vitamins and supplements with suitable stability profiles can use transparent or colored PVC blisters where the required moisture and oxygen protection is achieved by the complete packaging system.
Veterinary Pharmaceutical Packaging
Selected veterinary tablets, capsules and other solid dosage products can also use rigid PVC blister packaging after product-specific qualification.
Selected Healthcare Packaging
Rigid PVC can also be evaluated for selected non-sterile healthcare and consumer packaging applications. Sterile medical-device packaging requires separate validation of material, lidding, seal integrity and sterilization compatibility.
![Tablet blister packaging using pharmaceutical rigid PVC film]()
Tablet Blister Packaging
![Capsule blister packaging using pharmaceutical PVC hard sheet]()
Capsule Blister Packaging
How to Choose PVC Film Thickness for Blister Packaging
The appropriate PVC thickness depends on cavity geometry, product dimensions, required pocket rigidity and blister-machine conditions. Wallis offers a broad 0.15–0.80 mm range, but pharmaceutical blister applications normally use only the portion appropriate to the specific package.
Product Size
Larger tablets and capsules generally require larger cavities and may require a different PVC gauge from small tablets.
Cavity Depth
Greater forming depth creates more thinning at the cavity wall. Finished cavity strength should therefore be evaluated rather than selecting film solely from nominal flat-film thickness.
Machine Heating System
Different blister machines use different heating and forming cycles. Provide your current material thickness and machine model when replacing another supplier.
Finished Blister Rigidity
The final cavity should provide enough structural protection during filling, sealing, secondary packaging and transportation without using unnecessary material.
Plain PVC vs High-Barrier Pharmaceutical Blister Materials
| Material | Primary Advantage | Typical Selection Logic |
| Rigid PVC | Clarity, thermoformability and cost efficiency | Stable formulations with relatively low barrier requirements |
| PVC/PVDC | Improved moisture and oxygen barrier | Moisture- or oxygen-sensitive products requiring a transparent blister |
| PVC/PE/PVDC | Barrier combined with additional multilayer forming or sealing functionality | More demanding forming and barrier requirements |
| PCTFE-Based Film | Very high moisture barrier while maintaining transparency | Highly moisture-sensitive formulations |
| Cold-Form Aluminum | Very high moisture, gas and light protection | Highly sensitive formulations where transparency is not required |
The highest-barrier structure is not automatically the best packaging choice. The correct structure should satisfy the product's stability requirement while balancing forming efficiency, blister size, line productivity and total packaging cost.
Transparent, Colored & Opaque Pharmaceutical PVC
Clear Transparent PVC
Transparent PVC provides maximum product visibility and is appropriate where tablets or capsules need to remain visible through the finished blister.
Tinted PVC
Amber, blue, green or other tinted formulations can be discussed for visual differentiation. Where the product is light sensitive, actual wavelength-specific light transmission should be validated instead of relying on color appearance alone.
Opaque PVC
Opaque colors can be developed where product visibility is unnecessary or where packaging design requires stronger visual concealment.
Quality Factors Pharmaceutical Buyers Should Check
Thickness Uniformity
Consistent gauge supports predictable heating, forming and cavity rigidity across the production web.
Roll Flatness & Winding
Stable roll winding and web flatness support reliable feeding, tension control and continuous blister-machine operation.
Optical Clarity
Clear pharmaceutical PVC should be checked for contamination, haze, black spots, gels, scratches and other defects that could affect visual inspection or finished packaging appearance.
Mechanical Properties
Tensile, impact and other mechanical requirements should be specified with the applicable test method where they are critical to the customer's blister conversion process.
Residual Vinyl Chloride & Migration Requirements
Pharmaceutical buyers should identify the pharmacopoeial, residual monomer, migration and destination-market requirements applicable to the exact PVC grade rather than relying only on a generic “pharmaceutical grade” description.
Pharmaceutical Documentation & COA
Supplier qualification should be based on documentation applicable to the exact product grade and production batch. Buyers should define the required technical and regulatory documents before approving commercial supply.
PVC Certificate of Analysis
The current Wallis page provides the following PVC reference document. Buyers should confirm that the certificate applies to the exact PVC grade and batch being purchased.
Download COA-PVC.pdf
Related PVDC Reference Document
The current page also contains a PVDC reference certificate. Because the product on this page is plain rigid PVC, this PVDC document should be treated as a related reference only and not as the COA for the plain PVC product.
Download COA-PVDC.pdf
Sample Testing Before Bulk Production
Thermoforming Trial
Run the material using the actual forming mold and packaging machine to evaluate cavity shape, wall thinning, web behavior and visual defects.
Aluminum Foil Seal Test
Use the production lidding foil to determine the practical sealing-temperature, pressure and dwell-time window.
Machine Running Trial
Check unwinding, web tracking, feeding, forming, sealing and cutting at representative commercial production speed.
Finished Blister Stability Evaluation
Plain PVC should only be approved where the finished package satisfies the pharmaceutical product's validated stability requirements under the required storage conditions.
Custom Pharmaceutical PVC Blister Film
Custom Thickness
Thickness can be discussed within the available manufacturing range according to cavity geometry, rigidity and blister-machine requirements.
Custom Roll Width
Roll width can be slit according to the blister layout and equipment configuration within the available production width.
Custom Color
Transparent, tinted, colored and opaque PVC can be discussed according to product visibility and branding requirements.
Custom Surface Finish
Glossy, matte and project-specific surface requirements can be evaluated according to optical appearance and downstream processing.
Custom Roll Configuration
Core diameter, roll length, maximum roll diameter, roll weight, winding direction and packaging can be specified according to the customer's line.
What Information Should Buyers Provide for a Quotation?
Pharmaceutical Product
Identify whether the blister contains tablets, capsules, nutraceuticals, veterinary products or another dosage form and indicate any known moisture, oxygen or light sensitivity.
PVC Thickness
Provide the required film thickness or the specification currently used on your blister line.
Roll Width & Core
Specify roll width, width tolerance, core diameter, maximum roll diameter and winding direction.
Blister Machine
Provide the manufacturer, model, forming type and normal production speed to support material evaluation.
Cavity Dimensions
Include tablet or capsule size and the finished cavity length, width and depth where available.
Aluminum Lidding Foil
Identify the lidding foil and heat-seal lacquer currently used so sealing compatibility can be evaluated.
Color & Surface
Specify transparent, tinted or opaque color together with glossy, matte or other surface requirements.
Regulatory Documentation
Provide the destination market and required pharmacopoeial, migration, residual monomer, DMF or customer-specific documentation requirements.
Estimated Purchasing Quantity
Current Wallis product information lists a typical MOQ of approximately 500 kg. Trial-order availability, free-sample policy and final MOQ should be confirmed according to thickness, width, color and production scheduling.
Wallis Pharmaceutical PVC Production & Quality Control
Consistent pharmaceutical blister production requires controlled material thickness, surface quality, roll winding and forming behavior. Buyers replacing an existing supplier should compare the new PVC film using the same cavity design, lidding foil and production conditions before approval.
![Wallis pharmaceutical rigid PVC blister film production line]()
Pharmaceutical PVC Production Line
![Wallis pharmaceutical PVC blister film testing laboratory]()
Pharmaceutical Packaging Testing Laboratory
International B2B Cooperation
Wallis supports pharmaceutical packaging converters and industrial buyers with customized PVC dimensions, roll specifications, color development, samples and export packaging according to project requirements.
![Wallis pharmaceutical packaging customer and team cooperation]()
Customer Feedback
![Customer feedback for Wallis pharmaceutical packaging materials]()
FAQ About Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Blister Film
What is pharmaceutical rigid PVC blister film?
Pharmaceutical rigid PVC is a thermoformable forming web used to create cavities for tablets, capsules and other suitable products in conventional blister packaging.
What thickness of PVC is used for pharmaceutical blisters?
The correct thickness depends on the product size, cavity depth, machine and required blister rigidity. Wallis currently offers approximately 0.15–0.80 mm, while the exact packaging gauge should be selected by production testing.
What width can Wallis supply?
The current Wallis specification lists widths up to approximately 680 mm. Customized slitting can be discussed according to blister-machine and web-layout requirements.
Is plain PVC a high-moisture-barrier blister material?
Plain PVC provides relatively limited moisture barrier compared with dedicated high-barrier pharmaceutical structures. It is typically selected where the formulation's stability requirements can be met with a conventional PVC blister.
Does moisture absorption ≤0.1% mean PVC has a high moisture barrier?
No. Moisture absorption describes water absorbed by the material itself. Moisture barrier for pharmaceutical packaging is better evaluated using WVTR and finished-package stability under defined temperature and humidity conditions.
What is the difference between PVC and PVC/PVDC blister film?
Plain PVC provides clarity, rigidity and thermoformability. PVC/PVDC adds a PVDC barrier coating that substantially improves moisture and oxygen protection for more sensitive pharmaceutical formulations.
When should I choose PCTFE or cold-form aluminum instead of PVC?
Highly moisture-sensitive or otherwise demanding formulations may require a stronger barrier structure such as PCTFE-based film or cold-form aluminum. The choice should be based on pharmaceutical stability data and package design.
Can PVC blister film seal with aluminum foil?
Conventional pharmaceutical aluminum lidding can use a heat-seal lacquer designed to bond to PVC. The exact foil, lacquer and PVC combination should be tested together to establish the commercial sealing window.
Can Wallis PVC run on high-speed blister machines?
Suitable grades can be evaluated for high-speed blister production, but compatibility depends on the exact machine, film thickness, heating profile, cavity geometry, roll configuration and sealing conditions.
Can the PVC film run on rotary and flat-bed machines?
Suitable rigid PVC can be evaluated with both forming technologies. Because their heating and forming cycles differ, qualification should be completed on the intended commercial equipment.
Can Wallis customize transparent and colored PVC film?
Yes. Transparent, tinted, colored and opaque options can be discussed together with glossy, matte and other surface requirements.
Is colored PVC suitable for light-sensitive drugs?
Color alone does not prove pharmaceutical light protection. Photosensitive products should specify the relevant wavelength range and maximum transmission, and the finished package should be validated accordingly.
Is pharmaceutical PVC suitable for sterile medical devices?
Sterile medical-device packaging requires separate validation of the material, lidding system, seal integrity, sterilization process and applicable medical-device packaging requirements. Suitability should not be assumed from the term pharmaceutical PVC alone.
What quality documents should I request?
Depending on your qualification system, request the technical data sheet, batch COA and applicable pharmacopoeial, migration, residual monomer, regulatory or customer-specific documentation for the exact PVC grade.
What is the MOQ?
Current Wallis information lists a typical MOQ of approximately 500 kg. Final MOQ and trial-order availability depend on thickness, width, color, surface and current production scheduling.
Can I request samples before bulk production?
Yes. Sample testing is recommended for thermoforming, aluminum-lidding compatibility, machine running, cavity appearance and material quality before approving commercial supply.
What information should I provide for a quotation?
Please provide the pharmaceutical product, PVC thickness, roll width, core size, color, surface finish, blister-machine model, cavity dimensions, aluminum lidding specification, regulatory requirements and estimated purchasing quantity.
Looking for a Pharmaceutical Rigid PVC Film Supplier?
Send Wallis your PVC thickness, roll width, blister-machine model, cavity dimensions, color, lidding foil and expected purchasing quantity. We can discuss rigid PVC forming film for tablet, capsule, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical blister packaging.
If you are replacing an existing pharmaceutical PVC supplier, provide the current TDS, COA or reference roll so thickness, clarity, thermoforming, sealing and machine-running requirements can be evaluated before bulk production.
