Custom Side Gusset Pouches

Closures: Tin Ties, Zips and Heat Seals

Once opened, a side gusset pouch needs to be closed again. A tin tie, a metal-cored strip glued to the top, lets customers roll the top down and fold the tie ends to hold it shut. It is a classic coffee bag closure and works well for frequent opening.

A zip, fitted below the heat seal, gives a tighter reseal and is popular for tea and premium coffee. Some brands use a simple heat seal with no reclosure and print instructions to tip contents into a caddy or jar. Roasters who prefer the classic fold use tin tie coffee bags in the same gusset shape.

• Tin tie for roll-down closing
• Press-to-close zip for an airtight reseal
• Tear notch for easy opening above the seal
• One-way degassing valve for fresh coffee
• Clear window in the side gusset to show beans or leaves
• Block bottom or K-seal for a steadier base

Choosing a Laminate

The film decides how well the product is protected. Foil-lined laminates give the strongest barrier against oxygen, moisture and light, which is what keeps coffee and tea fresh longest. Metallised films offer a good barrier with a lighter feel. Kraft paper laminates give a natural look on the outside while a barrier layer inside protects the contents.

Matt finishes feel modern and calm. Gloss makes colours bright. Soft touch matt adds a velvety texture that customers notice when they pick the bag up. A clear window in one side gusset is a nice way to show the roast colour or tea leaves without reducing barrier across the main panels.

Tell us what you are packing and how long it needs to stay fresh, and we will suggest the right laminate. For a paper look over the same barrier, see our kraft-lined mylar bags.

Sizing by Weight and Volume

Coffee and tea pouches are usually sized by weight, but the same weight of different products takes up very different volumes. Whole beans are bulkier than ground coffee. A fluffy white tea takes far more space than a dense rolled oolong or a fine rooibos.

Fill a sample pouch or a paper mock-up with your product and check how high it comes. Leave enough room at the top for the closure and a fold. A pouch that is too full looks stuffed and cannot be resealed; too empty looks mean.

Our size rows below give typical dimensions for common coffee weights, but always check with your own product before ordering a large run.

Think about where the bag will sit. A retail shelf may have a fixed height, and a bag that is too tall will not fit under the shelf above. A subscription box may need the pouch to lie flat. Knowing the destination helps choose between a taller, narrower pouch and a shorter, wider one for the same fill. Our guide on how to size a pouch by volume explains why tea needs more room.

Printing on Four Faces

A side gusset pouch has a front, a back and two narrow gussets. The front carries the brand and the product name. The back carries tasting notes, origin, roast date area, brewing guide and barcode. The gussets are visible when bags are packed tightly on a shelf, so a logo or product name running vertically on each side helps.

Leave a clear area for a roast date or batch label, as these change with every batch. Many roasters print a single bag design and add a label for each origin or blend, keeping stock simple while the range changes.

Our free design proof shows the flat pouch with gusset folds marked, so you can check how artwork will appear once filled and folded.

Brewing guides are worth the space. A short note on grind size, water temperature and ratio helps customers get the best from your coffee, which makes them more likely to buy again. For tea, steeping time and temperature are just as useful. Origins and roast dates are easiest added as coffee bag labels for each origin.

Decide on the Valve, the Closure and the Window as One Set

Side gusset pouches carry three optional features that are best decided together, because each changes the laminate and the price. Freshly roasted whole beans need a one-way valve high on the front; a tin tie or a zip gives the reseal; a small window in one gusset shows the roast without weakening the main barrier. Then size by volume: fill a sample pouch to your weight and note how full it sits, since tea is far bulkier than coffee. Keep one design across origins and add a label for the roast date and notes, and start new blends on a short digital run before a longer one. Roasters moving into shops often add a flat-bottom pouch that stands square for the retail size.

Send the product, fill weight, laminate, closure, valve and print details with a quantity, and a custom quote comes by email within one working day. The free proof shows all four faces with the valve and window positions. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval, pouches arrive by tracked courier to UK mainland addresses, and missing valves, misprints or damage reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded.