Custom Quad Seal Pouches

Films and Barrier Layers

Quad seal pouches are laminated from several layers. The outer layer carries the print; a barrier layer, such as foil or metallised film, keeps out oxygen, moisture and light; and an inner layer forms the seals. Coffee and other aroma-sensitive products usually need a strong barrier, while drier, less sensitive products can use lighter films.

Kraft paper outer layers are popular with roasters and craft food brands for their natural, tactile look. Matte films give a modern feel, and gloss films make colours pop. A soft-touch outer layer feels almost like velvet and suits high-end products. Food-contact grade inner layers are available on request.

If you are unsure which barrier you need, think about how long the product will sit on a shelf and how sensitive its flavour or aroma is. Freshly roasted coffee and loose tea lose character quickly when exposed to air, so they benefit from a strong foil barrier. Dry grains and pet kibble are more forgiving and can often use a lighter laminate, which keeps the price down. The barrier laminates are shown side by side in our film finishes compared guide.

Valves, Zips and Tin Ties

A one-way degassing valve is essential for freshly roasted coffee and is placed on the front or back panel, away from the main artwork. For reclosing, a pocket zip or a front zip lets customers open and close the bag repeatedly. Some roasters prefer a tin tie, a metal strip at the top that folds down to close the bag.

Tear notches make the first opening clean, and a hang hole lets the bag be displayed on a peg. A clear window on a side gusset shows the product while keeping most of the barrier intact. Roasters who prefer a fold-over closure use our tin tie coffee bags for fresh grounds.

• One-way degassing valves
• Pocket zips and press-to-close zips
• Tin ties
• Tear notches and hang holes
• Side gusset windows

Designing Across Five Panels

With front, back, two sides and a base, a quad seal pouch gives you more space than most pouches. Use the front for the brand, product name and one strong visual. The side gussets can carry the roast level, origin, flavour notes or a feeding guide. The back is the place for the story, ingredients, nutrition and barcode. Even the base can carry a small logo or pattern.

Remember that the corner seals are narrow strips where print is not continuous, so keep text and key image details away from them. Our free proof shows each panel on the flat dieline with the seal lines marked, so you can see exactly where your artwork will fall.

Brands with several products often keep the same design and change the colour of the side gussets per variant. On a shelf, the coloured sides are visible even when the bags are turned slightly, making it easy for customers to find their favourite. Origins that change with the season are easier with coffee bag labels for origins on a base pouch.

Sizing by Weight and Product

The size of a quad seal pouch depends on the product's density. A 250 g bag of coffee beans is much bigger than 250 g of ground coffee, and 1 kg of pet kibble needs more room than 1 kg of rice. The best way to size a bag is to fill an existing one by hand and measure the panel width, gusset depth and filled height.

Allow headspace for the zip or tin tie and the top seal. If you are unsure, tell us the product and the weight, and we will recommend a size based on similar products.

For coffee roasters selling both beans and ground coffee, it can be worth ordering two sizes: one sized for 250 g of beans and a slightly smaller one for 250 g of ground. A single bag for both will look full with beans but half empty with ground coffee, which can make customers think they have been short-changed. Our method for measuring fill volume for a pouch covers settling and headspace.

Decide Which Panel Faces the Shelf

A quad seal pouch has five printable panels, and the order is easier once you decide which one the shopper sees first. Coffee shelves usually show the front; deli shelves often show a gusset. Settle that, then measure the fill: pour your pack weight into a plain pouch, let it settle and measure the height, because beans, granola and powder take different volumes for the same weight. Choose the film by the product, a foil barrier for coffee and a kraft-look laminate for granola, and the features: a degassing valve for fresh coffee, a zip for a pouch opened over weeks, a tin tie for a traditional look. Artwork is one flat template with the four corner seals marked, so send vector files for all five panels and the free proof shows the seal lines and panel edges. A custom quote comes by email within one working day with pouches from £0.25 and minimums per job, and pouches are made in 4 to 7 working days after approval with free tracked UK mainland delivery. Lighter fills that do not need the square base use our kraft stand up pouches for lighter fills.