A flexible packaging article comprising: a plastic film (12, 14) formed into an enclosure for receiving a product and defining at least one openable portion; at least one seal closing the openable portion of the enclosure; at least one article skirt comprising a portion of plastic film extending outwardly from the seal and opposite the enclosure; at least one tear initiator defined on the skirt, the at least one tear initiator being configured for initiating one or more manually-propagated tears capable of being propagated through the seal to open at least the openable portion of the enclosure; and one or more grip assisters defined on the skirt and configured for assisting grip of the plastic film during manual tearing, the one or more grip assisters comprising at least one cut in the skirt defining an opening and a first hanging chad on a first side of the cut, wherein said cut further defines: a second hanging chad on a second side of the cut, wherein the first hanging chad comprises at least a pair of projected portions (204, 206) and a recessed portion in between the pair of projected portions, and wherein the second hanging chad comprises at least one projected portion aligned with the first hanging chad's recessed portion, characterized in that the first hanging chad's pair of projected portions (204, 206) extend away from the at least one tear initiator and in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the tear initiator, and the second hanging chad's projected portion extends toward the tear initiator and in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the tear initiator. a plastic film (12, 14) formed into an enclosure for receiving a product and defining at least one openable portion; at least one seal closing the openable portion of the enclosure; at least one article skirt comprising a portion of plastic film extending outwardly from the seal and opposite the enclosure; at least one tear initiator defined on the skirt, the at least one tear initiator being configured for initiating one or more manually-propagated tears capable of being propagated through the seal to open at least the openable portion of the enclosure; and one or more grip assisters defined on the skirt and configured for assisting grip of the plastic film during manual tearing, the one or more grip assisters comprising at least one cut in the skirt defining an opening and a first hanging chad on a first side of the cut, wherein said cut further defines: a second hanging chad on a second side of the cut, wherein the first hanging chad comprises at least a pair of projected portions (204, 206) and a recessed portion in between the pair of projected portions, and wherein the second hanging chad comprises at least one projected portion aligned with the first hanging chad's recessed portion, characterized in that a second hanging chad on a second side of the cut, wherein the first hanging chad comprises at least a pair of projected portions (204, 206) and a recessed portion in between the pair of projected portions, and wherein the second hanging chad comprises at least one projected portion aligned with the first hanging chad's recessed portion, wherein the first hanging chad comprises at least a pair of projected portions (204, 206) and a recessed portion in between the pair of projected portions, and wherein the second hanging chad comprises at least one projected portion aligned with the first hanging chad's recessed portion, the first hanging chad's pair of projected portions (204, 206) extend away from the at least one tear initiator and in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the tear initiator, and the second hanging chad's projected portion extends toward the tear initiator and in a direction that is generally perpendicular to the tear initiator.