Custom Printed Sachets

Sachet Formats and Seals

The most common format is the three-side seal sachet: a rectangle sealed on three edges, filled through the open fourth side and then sealed shut. It is simple, lays flat and prints edge to edge. A four-side seal sachet is sealed on every edge from a continuous roll and is popular for automated filling lines.

Stick packs are long, narrow sachets that suit powders poured straight into a bottle or cup, such as drink mixes and sweeteners. They take up less space in a carton, and a row of them fits a narrow counter display. Shaped sachets, die-cut into a curve or a logo outline, get noticed in sample packs and goody bags.

Tear notches along the top edge make opening easy without scissors, which matters for products used at the gym or while travelling. A hang hole lets retailers display trial sachets on a peg near the till. p2 The four-side seal format is also used on our three and four side seal pouches page.

Choosing the Right Film

Sachets are made from laminated films, with several layers bonded together. The outer layer takes the print; inner layers provide a barrier and a sealable surface. For dry powders, a paper-effect or plain plastic laminate is usually enough. For liquids, oils and products that are sensitive to moisture or light, a foil layer inside the laminate gives a much stronger barrier.

Clear films let the product show through, which suits colourful powders and seeds. Metallic and white films hide the contents and give a cleaner surface for bright artwork. Matt finishes look modern and premium, while gloss makes colours pop on a busy display.

The right laminate depends on what you are packing, so tell us the product type and whether it contains oils, acids or alcohol. We will propose a structure on your custom quote. Food-contact grade laminates are available on request; checking that the chosen structure suits your recipe and shelf life is the brand's responsibility. p2 Full foil structures are described on our mylar bags page.

Sizing a Sachet for One Serving

Start with the fill: how many grams of powder or millilitres of liquid go into each sachet. Powders vary a lot in density, so the same weight of a fine protein powder and a fluffy drink mix needs different sizes. If you can send a sample of the product, we can recommend dimensions more accurately.

Allow seal width on every sealed edge, typically several millimetres, plus headspace so the sachet can close without product trapped in the seal. A sachet filled to bursting looks generous but can split under pressure in a parcel or a handbag.

If sachets will go into a box or display carton, size them to fit that carton neatly. Many brands design the sachet and its outer box together, so a set of five or ten sachets sits perfectly in a branded trial pack.

For liquids, test how the sachet behaves when squeezed. A thin sauce needs a sachet that tears cleanly at the notch and empties without dribbling, while a thick cream benefits from a wider opening so the last of it can be pressed out. p3 The guide to measuring a product covers headspace and seal allowance.

Artwork That Works at Small Sizes

A sachet has a small face, so hierarchy matters. Put the brand name and product name first, then the flavour or variant, then the essential information such as usage directions and ingredients on the back. Colour-coding variants makes a mixed pack of sachets easy to sort at a glance.

Leave space for a batch code and date if your filling process prints them, or let us know if you need a clear panel for an inkjet code. Legal text for food and cosmetics often needs a minimum type size, so check your regulations and keep the back panel organised rather than crowded.

Check that the opening point is obvious. A small arrow or the words tear here beside the notch save customers from fumbling, especially on stick packs used at the gym with damp hands. If the sachet will be handed out at events, a short web address or a QR code on the back gives people an easy way to buy the full-size product later. p2 Trial packs are usually built around our small tuck cartons sized to the sachet.

Weigh One Dose and Tell Us What Is in It

A sachet is specified by its contents before its size. Weigh or measure one serving, then tell us what it is, because a whey powder, a face cream and a hot sauce each need a different laminate, and a product with oil, acid or alcohol in it needs a foil layer that a dry powder does not. If you can post a spoonful of the product in any bag, we size the sachet from its real bulk rather than from the weight.

Say how the sachets will be filled, by hand, on a packer's line or from a roll, since that decides three-side or four-side seal, and whether they go into a trial carton sized at the same time. The custom quote arrives by email within one working day, from £0.25 a sachet, with the minimum set per job.

The free proof for each variant shows the seal areas and the notch position. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and the sachets reach UK mainland addresses by free tracked delivery. Brands that send five sachets as a trial pack usually add a small reverse tuck carton for the set on the same quote.