Composite flexible, semi-rigid materials and process for making same

A laminate comprising a relatively rigid self-supporting central strip of determinate length and width having opposed ends and opposed sides, a first strip of flexible plastic film adhered to the entire surface area of one surface of said central strip and a second strip of flexible plastic film adhered to the entire surface area of the other surface of said central strip, said first and second strips of plastic film being of the same length as but substantially wider than said central strip and having projecting marginal portions extending substantially beyond each side of the central strip and being adhered together in face-to-face relation to provide continuous marginal strips adjacent each side of the entire length of said central strip, the ends of said central strip being devoid of marginal strips of said plastic films, the first and second plastic films being adhered to said central strip and to each other in the marginal portions to the substantial exclusion of any air trapped therebetween, said laminate being adapted to have its opposed ends secured together by means of a plastic-to-plastic seal to form a tubular container, and the continuous marginal strips of said adhered plastic films projecting beyond the opposed sides of said central strip being sufficiently wide that they are adapted to be brought together to form end closures of said tubular container.