Custom Flat Pouches

Picking the Right Film and Barrier

The material you choose depends on what goes inside. Powders and dry goods that are sensitive to moisture and air, such as supplements, coffee and spices, need a high-barrier film, often a laminate with a metallised or foil layer. Products that are less sensitive, such as bath salts or craft beads, can use a simpler film.

Finish options include gloss and matt films, soft-touch matt for a premium feel, and kraft paper laminates for a natural look while still keeping a barrier layer inside. A clear window shows the product, which works well for colourful bath salts, loose tea and seeds. If the product is light-sensitive, skip the window and choose a full metallised or foil layer.

Tell us exactly what you are packing and roughly how long it needs to stay fresh, and we will suggest a film structure that suits it rather than over-specifying an expensive barrier you do not need. p2 Kraft laminates are shown on our kraft pouches with a barrier layer page.

Sizing a Flat Pouch

Flat pouch sizes are given as width by height, measured on the outside, and the usable space inside is a little smaller because of the seals. A good rule is to think about the fill volume rather than the weight, because a light, fluffy powder takes up far more room than the same weight of dense granules. If you can, fill a sample pouch with your product before ordering a full run.

Leave space at the top for the heat seal and, if you want one, a zip. A tear notch sits just below the top seal so the customer can open the pouch cleanly. Hang holes need a little extra space above the seal so the pouch hangs straight on a peg. p1 Zips and notches are explained on our pouches with tear notches page.

Printing That Works on a Small Surface

Flat pouches are often small, so the artwork has to be clear at a glance. Put the brand and product name at the top of the front panel, where it stays visible when the pouch is in a tray or hanging. Use the back for directions, ingredients, allergens and batch details. A large, simple graphic usually reads better on a small pouch than a busy design.

We print in full colour with sharp detail, and we can match a Pantone colour for brand consistency across a range. If you sell several flavours or variants, a shared layout with a different colour band for each is easy to read and keeps setup simple.

Remember that flat pouches are often seen at arm's length on a peg or inside a box among other items. A bold colour block, a large product name and a clear flavour or variant label will be noticed far more easily than fine detail. Save the small print for the back, and keep a consistent position for your logo across every pouch in the range so a returning customer recognises it instantly. If the pouch sits inside a subscription box or a mailer, the front panel is the first thing the customer sees when they lift it out, so put your name there rather than on the back, and make sure any serving instructions are large enough to read without squinting.

Filling and Sealing at Small Scale

Most smaller brands fill flat pouches by hand or with a simple scoop and funnel, then close them with an impulse heat sealer. That set-up is quick to learn and works well for runs of a few hundred to a few thousand pouches. Keep the seal area clean of powder before sealing, because even a light dusting can stop the layers bonding properly and leave a weak spot that opens in transit.

If your pouches have a zip, fill below the zip line and seal across the top above it. The customer then tears the notch, opens the zip and reseals the pouch after each use. For single-serve sachets with no zip, a tear notch on one or both sides lets the customer open the pouch with one hand, which is handy at the gym or when travelling.

Before committing to a large run, try a few pouches with your real product and your real sealer. Check that the fill level leaves room for a clean seal, that the pouch lies flat once filled and that it still fits in any outer box or mailer you plan to use. A few minutes of testing saves a lot of frustration later. p2 Brands sealing larger runs often move to heat-seal mylar bags, which take the same impulse sealer.

Fill a Sample Pouch Before You Fix the Size

Flat pouch sizes go wrong because people order by weight. A 30 g serving of whey takes far more room than 30 g of salt, so fill a pouch in the size you are considering with the real product, seal it, and check there is still 15 mm of clean film above the fill for the seal and any zip. If it lies flat and the notch sits clear of the contents, that is the size.

Send that width and height with the product name and how long it needs to stay fresh; shelf life decides the film, a metallised laminate for coffee and supplements, a simpler one for bath salts. Say if you want a zip, a notch or a hang hole, and the custom quote arrives by email within one working day, from £0.25 a pouch.

The free proof shows front and back with the seal areas marked. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and the pouches reach UK mainland addresses by free tracked delivery, open at the top for filling. Brands that move to a shelf product later step up to stand-up pouches with a gusseted base in the same print.