A desiccant is a hygroscopic material that absorbs or adsorbs water molecules from the surrounding air, decreasing the levels of moisture.
Desiccants are usually available as a desiccant pouch that contains 10-250 g of desiccant. Larger desiccant bags can contain several kilograms of sorbent component. Desiccants are referred to as drybags, desiccant packets, sachets or moisture absorbers.
Desiccants are used to keep goods dry in situations where excess moisture could cause damage, especially during transportation and storage.
Consumer products like garments, shoes or consumer electronics, usually contain small desiccant pouches.
Larger desiccants are often used to protect goods shipped in containers from moisture damage. Container desiccants decrease the level of moisture in the container – and protect all the goods and packaging from high relative humidity and ‘container rain' which can cause different types of damage to goods. Usually, container desiccants can replace the need for in-box protection.
Several substances can be used as desiccants. They differ in the nature of the components but also in their capacity to absorb moisture or their performance. The most common desiccant types are:
The benefits of using desiccants have made them a very popular solution: