Kraft-Lined Mylar Bags

Zips, Valves and Windows

A press-to-close zip lets customers reseal the bag after each use, which matters for anything eaten over weeks. Freshly roasted coffee needs a one-way degassing valve so carbon dioxide can escape without letting air back in, otherwise bags swell. Tear notches above the zip make the first opening easy.

Windows are possible, but remember they reduce the barrier where the film is clear. For light-sensitive products such as coffee and some teas, a small window or none at all is the safer choice.

Hang holes are worth adding for products sold on pegs in a farm shop or deli, such as spice blends and small bags of nuts. A round or euro hang hole sits above the seal, so it does not compromise the barrier. p2 The valve and zip options are explained on our coffee bags page.

Printing on Kraft

Kraft is brown, so colours print darker and warmer than on white. Black, deep greens, navy and rich reds look strong; pale pastels can disappear. White ink laid down first under the colours brightens them where needed, and many brands use white ink for a logo panel and leave the rest of the bag natural. Matt varnish keeps the paper feel; a spot gloss highlights a logo.

Leave room on the back for ingredients, weight, best-before and storage advice, plus a clear area for a date label if it changes each batch.

Because brown kraft varies slightly in shade from batch to batch, very precise colour matching is harder than on white film. Brands with strict colour rules usually keep critical colours on a white ink panel and let the rest of the bag show the natural paper. p2 The guide to print and finish options shows white ink under colour on kraft.

Products That Suit This Bag

Speciality coffee is the classic use. Roasters like the hand-crafted look of kraft and need the barrier and valve to keep beans fresh between roasting and brewing. Loose-leaf tea benefits from the light barrier, as tea fades in bright shops. Granola and muesli keep their crunch longer behind foil, and the kraft outer suits the wholesome look many brands want.

Dried fruit, nuts and seeds hold their texture well in these bags, and spice blends keep more of their aroma than they would in plain paper. Pet treat makers use them for dried chews, and bakers use them for biscotti and crackers sold at markets.

Products that are oily, very sharp or need sterile packaging are less suited, so tell us what you are filling and we will advise whether this bag is the right match or whether a fully film-based mylar bag would serve better. p2 Oily or sharp products are better in our gusseted mylar bags in full film.

Sizing by Weight and Volume

Bag size depends on the bulk of the product, not just the weight. 250 g of whole coffee beans needs a larger bag than 250 g of sugar, and loose-leaf tea is bulkier still. The best approach is to fill a sample bag of similar dimensions and check the headspace above the zip. Tell us the product and fill weight, and we will suggest a size in your quote.

Allow at least 25 to 30 mm above the product for the zip and heat seal.

Different products settle differently. Ground coffee packs denser than whole beans, and crisp granola settles in transit. A sample fill tells you far more than a size chart, and it is worth doing before ordering a large run. p2 Tea blenders can see worked sizes on our tea packaging page.

Order Two Unprinted Samples and Fill Them First

Kraft-lined bags are chosen on looks and sized on bulk, and the two are easiest to settle with a sample in hand. Ask for a plain stand-up pouch and a plain flat-bottom bag in the size you think you need, fill each with your product to the pack weight, and check the headspace above the zip and how it stands on your own shelf. Then send the style, the fill weight and whether beans need a valve.

Keep critical colours on a white ink panel, because brown kraft shifts slightly between batches, and leave a clear box on the back for the date sticker. The custom quote arrives by email within one working day, with the minimum set per job so a new roaster can run one size first.

The free proof shows the artwork on the bag template with the seal and zip areas marked. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and the bags reach UK mainland addresses by free tracked delivery; reorders reuse the approved artwork with only the text changes. Roasters who sell by the cup as well usually add printed boxes for coffee gift sets in the same kraft look.