Ziploc
An American household-storage brand best known for resealable slider bags and food-storage containers.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Ziploc is an American consumer brand associated with resealable plastic bags, storage containers, and related household organization products. The brand is owned by S. C. Johnson & Son and is best known for bags that close through an integrated plastic zipper or sliding channel. Its principal uses include storing sandwiches, snacks, refrigerated and frozen food, leftovers, and selected non-food household items. The brand's technical background reaches back to the development of plastic zipper closures in the 1950s. Flexigrip, a company associated with Romanian-born inventor Steve Ausnit, acquired rights connected with early plastic-zipper patents and licensed additional technology from Japan. Initial applications included binder inserts and briefcases, but the commercial opportunity increasingly shifted toward flexible packaging. In 1964, Minigrip negotiated exclusive manufacturing and selling rights with Dow Chemical Company for the United States grocery trade. Dow subsequently worked on improving the manufacturing process so that zipper bags could be produced at substantially higher line speeds and at a cost suitable for consumer retail. Dow test-marketed the Ziploc concept in 1968. The brand developed from the broader Flexigrip, Minigrip, and Dow packaging businesses and eventually became part of DowBrands. Process development was a major part of the business's history. R. Douglas Behr and other Dow personnel worked on machinery, materials, and production methods that increased line speeds from approximately 30 feet per minute to several hundred feet per minute. The companies involved accumulated a large patent portfolio covering plastic zippers, bags, manufacturing equipment, and production techniques. Corporate ownership changed several times before Ziploc reached its current owner. Minigrip was acquired by Signode in 1978, and Signode later became part of Illinois Tool Works. Dow and Signode established Zip-Pak in 1986 to develop zipper systems for food packaging; Dow's interest in the joint venture was later acquired by Illinois Tool Works. In 1997, Dow Chemical sold the DowBrands portfolio, including Ziploc, to S. C. Johnson & Son. Ziploc has remained a major household-storage brand within S. C. Johnson's consumer portfolio. Ziploc's product range has expanded beyond traditional sandwich bags. It includes storage and freezer bags in multiple sizes, snack bags, stand-up or expandable-bottom formats, containers, microwave cooking bags, large household-storage bags, and flexible totes. Some historical products, including Twist 'n Loc containers, Zip 'n Steam bags, and flexible totes, were later discontinued. The brand has also introduced products emphasizing reduced material use and renewable-energy manufacturing, including the Ziploc Evolve line, whose bags were described as using 25 percent less plastic and being manufactured using wind power. Ziploc competes with Glad, Hefty, Reynolds-related products, Pactiv Evergreen brands, Presto products, and supermarket private labels. Competition is especially intense because storage bags are relatively easy for retailers to sell under their own brands. Ziploc's market position depends on brand recognition, closure reliability, product variety, food-storage convenience, and distribution through supermarkets, mass merchants, online retailers, and other household channels. Its marketing has used television, print, online, interactive, retail, and partnership campaigns, with messaging aimed at food freshness, household organization, convenience, and family life.
History
Ziploc's history is rooted in the development of plastic zipper closures and the effort to make them practical for mass-market packaging. In 1951, Flexigrip was formed by Steve Ausnit after he acquired rights and patents connected with a plastic zipper developed by Danish inventor Borge Madsen. Flexigrip also licensed related minigrip zipper technology from a Japanese company. Early applications included loose-leaf binder inserts and flat briefcases, but the companies soon recognized that zipper closures could be valuable in flexible packaging. The packaging opportunity led to the formation and growth of Minigrip. In 1964, Minigrip negotiated exclusive manufacturing and selling rights with Dow Chemical Company for the United States grocery trade. At the time, plastic zipper bags were technically available but difficult to produce economically for consumers. Dow assigned R. Douglas Behr to improve the production process. Working with other research and manufacturing personnel, Behr developed faster and more efficient methods and helped design equipment capable of increasing production speeds from roughly 30 feet per minute to 60, 90, 150, and eventually 300 feet per minute by 1972. Some innovations were patented, while others were retained as trade secrets. Dow test-marketed Ziploc products in 1968. The brand's development depended not only on the zipper itself but also on reliable methods for attaching closures to polyethylene film and producing bags at retail scale. Behr continued as a leading researcher until his retirement in 1993. Dow and related companies eventually accumulated more than 300 patents relating to plastic zippers, zipper bags, machinery, and manufacturing methods. Ownership and corporate structure changed during the following decades. Minigrip was acquired by Signode in 1978. In 1986, Signode and Dow formed Zip-Pak to develop zipper bags for food packaging. Illinois Tool Works acquired Signode in 1987, and in 1991 it acquired Dow's interest in Zip-Pak, making Zip-Pak an Illinois Tool Works subsidiary. Zip-Pak continued to develop zipper technology for food packaging, including polypropylene-compatible zippers introduced in 2003. In 1997, Dow Chemical sold its DowBrands portfolio, including Ziploc, to S. C. Johnson & Son. Under S. C. Johnson, Ziploc continued to broaden its household offering and invest in consumer advertising. The portfolio has included sandwich, snack, storage, and freezer bags; containers; large bags for non-food storage; microwave cooking formats; and other organization products. Several products were later discontinued, including Twist 'n Loc containers, Zip 'n Steam bags, and flexible storage totes. The brand has also participated in material-reduction and sustainability-oriented product development. Ziploc Evolve bags were described as using 25 percent less plastic than earlier comparable products and as being manufactured using wind power. The line received Best in Show recognition at the 2010 Best New Product Awards in Canada. Ziploc operates in a highly competitive category. Its rivals include Glad, Hefty, Reynolds-related products, Pactiv Evergreen brands, Presto, and supermarket private labels. Private-label competition is especially significant because retailers can sell similar bags and containers at lower prices. Ziploc has responded through product extensions, packaging and closure innovation, brand advertising, and campaigns emphasizing convenience and household usefulness. Its advertising has appeared in television, print, online, interactive, and partnership formats in the United States and international markets. The brand remains active as an S. C. Johnson consumer-products label.
- 2010
Ziploc Evolve receives product-award recognition
[1]The Ziploc Evolve sandwich bag was named Best in Show at the Best New Product Awards in Canada.
- 2003
Zip-Pak develops polypropylene-compatible zippers
[1]Zip-Pak developed zipper technology compatible with polypropylene packaging materials.
- 1997
Ziploc moves to S. C. Johnson
[1]S. C. Johnson & Son acquired DowBrands, including the Ziploc brand.
- 1991
Zip-Pak becomes fully owned by Illinois Tool Works
[1]Illinois Tool Works acquired Dow's interest in Zip-Pak.
- 1987
Illinois Tool Works acquires Signode
[1]Illinois Tool Works acquired Signode, bringing Minigrip into its corporate structure.
- 1986
Dow and Signode form Zip-Pak
[1]The two companies established Zip-Pak to develop zipper bags for food packaging.
- 1978
Minigrip is acquired by Signode
[1]Signode acquired Minigrip, which became a subsidiary of the packaging company.
- 1972
High-speed production methods are developed
[1]Dow's process-development work increased zipper-bag manufacturing speeds to approximately 300 feet per minute.
- 1968
Ziploc is test-marketed
[1]Dow Chemical test-marketed Ziploc resealable storage bags for consumer use.
- 1964
Minigrip reaches an agreement with Dow
[1]Minigrip negotiated exclusive manufacturing and selling rights with Dow Chemical for the United States grocery trade.
Products and positioning
A trusted, convenient household food-storage and organization brand positioned around resealability, freshness, portability, and everyday ease of use.
Food-storage bags · 1968
Ziploc Storage Bags
The core Ziploc range consists of resealable polyethylene bags available in multiple sizes. They are used for leftovers, ingredients, snacks, and general household storage. Their principal functional feature is a reusable zipper or sliding-channel closure designed to make opening and closing easier than with conventional disposable bags.
Freezer-storage bags
Ziploc Freezer Bags
Freezer bags are designed for storing food in frozen conditions and are offered in several sizes. They extend the brand's use beyond short-term sandwich and snack storage to meal preparation, bulk ingredients, and longer-term household food organization.
Portable food-storage bags
Ziploc Sandwich and Snack Bags
Sandwich and snack formats are smaller bags intended for packed lunches, individual portions, and portable food. They are among the brand's most familiar products and reinforce Ziploc's association with everyday convenience and resealable freshness.
Food-storage containers
Ziploc Containers
Ziploc has offered rigid food-storage containers alongside its flexible bags. These products are intended for leftovers, prepared food, and refrigerator organization, allowing the brand to compete in both bag and container segments.
Reduced-material storage bags · 2010
Ziploc Evolve
Ziploc Evolve was a line of sandwich and storage bags presented as using 25 percent less plastic than comparable earlier products and manufactured using wind power. The sandwich-bag product received Best in Show recognition at the 2010 Best New Product Awards in Canada.
Microwave cooking bags
Zip 'n Steam Bags
Zip 'n Steam bags were a discontinued Ziploc product designed for cooking food in a microwave oven. They extended the brand into preparation as well as storage.
Food-storage containers
Twist 'n Loc Containers
Twist 'n Loc was a historical Ziploc container line using a twist-based closure concept. The product line is described as discontinued.
Non-food household storage
Ziploc Flexible Totes
Ziploc also produced flexible totes for non-food household storage, with reported capacities reaching 22 U.S. gallons. These totes are described as discontinued.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Ziploc and Tough Mudder Partnership
United States
Ziploc partnered with Tough Mudder for a campaign aimed at mothers and family consumers. The obstacle-course context connected the brand with practical preparation, family activity, and everyday resilience.
Outcome. The partnership extended Ziploc's advertising beyond conventional television product demonstrations.
- 2002Ziploc Disposable Tableware and Storage Launch Campaign
United States
S. C. Johnson launched what was described as its largest Ziploc campaign at that time to support a new line of disposable tableware and storage products. Television advertising formed the largest part of the effort, supplemented by other media.
Outcome. The campaign supported an expansion of Ziploc beyond conventional storage bags.
Brand decisions
2010
Introduce the reduced-material Ziploc Evolve lineStrategyBackground
The brand was responding to consumer and retail interest in reducing packaging material and highlighting environmental attributes.
Action taken
Ziploc introduced Evolve sandwich and storage bags described as using 25 percent less plastic and being manufactured using wind power.
Aftermath
The Evolve sandwich bag received Best in Show recognition at the 2010 Best New Product Awards in Canada.
2002
Expand the Ziploc product platform into disposable tableware and storageProduct launchBackground
S. C. Johnson sought to broaden Ziploc's presence beyond its established bag products.
Action taken
The company launched a new line of disposable tableware and storage products under the Ziploc brand and supported it with a major advertising campaign.
Aftermath
The initiative demonstrated the brand's attempted expansion into adjacent household categories.
1997
Transfer Ziploc from DowBrands to S. C. JohnsonM&ABackground
Dow Chemical sold its DowBrands consumer portfolio as part of a change in ownership for brands including Ziploc.
Action taken
S. C. Johnson & Son acquired the DowBrands rights that included Ziploc.
Aftermath
Ziploc became part of S. C. Johnson's privately held consumer-products portfolio and remains associated with the company.
1968
Test-market resealable consumer storage bagsProduct launchBackground
Dow Chemical and its packaging partners were seeking to make plastic zipper bags economical and reliable enough for grocery and household retail.
Action taken
Dow test-marketed products under the Ziploc name.
Aftermath
The test market established the brand that later became a major household-storage label.
Recent events
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