Custom Printed Die Cut Mylar Bags in Any Shape

What are die cut mylar bags?

A die cut mylar bag is a flat foil pouch whose outline is cut by a shaped steel die rather than a straight blade. The two bags in our photos show the idea: a round black pouch with an astronaut print and a silver rim, and a panda-shaped sachet for a face mask.

The print goes on first, across the whole sheet. The two panels are sealed together along a path that follows the outline, then the die cuts the bag free a few millimetres outside that seal. The result is a sealed shape with a narrow unprinted or printed border.

They belong to the flat pouch family rather than stand up bags. If you want a shaped front on a bag that stands, ask us about a shaped top on a gusseted pouch instead, or browse the full foil mylar bag range on this site.

Which brands use shaped foil pouches?

Shaped bags earn their place when the pack is the advert. A skincare brand selling sheet masks in a panda or a strawberry outline. A sweet maker putting ten gummies in a heart for Valentine's. A seed company sending a sunflower-shaped packet with a magazine.

They also do well as giveaways at trade shows and in subscription boxes, where a plain rectangle gets lost among everything else in the box.

• Sheet masks, under-eye patches and hair masks
• Gummy sweets, fudge pieces and chocolate buttons
• Single-serve drink powders and bath fizz
• Seed packets in a flower or fruit shape
• Promotional snack portions for events
• Pet treat samples shaped like a bone or a fish

What shapes can be die cut?

Almost any closed outline works, with two limits. Inside corners need a radius of at least 5 mm, or the die tears the film instead of cutting it cleanly. Narrow necks, such as the stem of a pumpkin, need to be at least 15 mm wide so the seal fits through them.

Circles and ovals are the cheapest shapes because the die is simple. Characters with ears, legs or antennae cost more to make and fill, since product has to flow into every lobe. Our designers will tell you on the proof where a shape needs simplifying.

Send the outline as a vector file if you can. The guide to artwork and dielines for printed pouches covers the file types and the cut line colour we look for.

How do I size a shaped pouch for my fill?

Shaped bags hold less than a rectangle of the same width, because the corners are gone. A 100 mm circle holds roughly what a 75 × 95 mm flat sachet holds. Liquids and gels fill a shape well, while chunky products leave empty lobes.

Work from the volume of a single serve. A 25 ml sheet mask essence sits comfortably in a 100 mm shape. Twenty 2 g gummies need about 120 mm across. Send us the product and the weight and we will draw the shape at the right size.

If you are not sure whether a shape or a plain rectangle suits you better, our small printed sachets for single serves are the straightforward comparison.

Laminate and barrier for die cut bags

Most shaped bags use PET / foil / PE, which gives an opaque metal barrier on both panels and takes a deep print. Metallised PET / PE is lighter and a little cheaper, with slightly less barrier. A clear PET / PE back lets the customer see the mask or the sweets from behind.

Face mask essences and sauces need a laminate that does not react with the contents and a seal that holds liquid under pressure in a parcel. Tell us what the product is and we choose the PE sealing layer thickness to suit. Food-contact, high-barrier and compostable film options are available on request and confirmed on the quote.

Closures, tear notches and hang holes

Most die cut bags are single use, so the closure is a heat seal with a tear notch. The notch goes on a straight or gently curved part of the outline where a tear can run cleanly across. We mark it on the proof.

A short press-to-close zipper fits larger shapes with a straight top edge, such as a bottle outline or a rounded rectangle. On a circle there is no straight edge long enough, so a zipper is not practical.

Hang holes fit in a printed tab above the seal, which keeps the shape intact and lets the bag hang on a peg. Round euroslot holes are available on request.

Print and finish on shaped bags

Because the outline is the design, full colour digital print is the usual choice, with a white under-print beneath the colours on foil. Spot gloss over matte makes eyes, logos or droplets stand out on a character shape. A metallic effect border, like the silver rim in our photo, comes from leaving the foil unprinted around the edge.

Artwork needs 3 mm of bleed beyond the cut line on every side, because the die can drift by a millimetre or so. Keep text at least 5 mm inside the cut line and off the seal path. Upload your logo via Design Your Pouch and see a layout before you commit.

How are die cut bags filled and sealed?

Shaped bags arrive with a filling gap left open in the seal, usually at the top of the shape. The steps below are for hand filling with a bench sealer, which is how most small brands start.

1. Lay the bag flat with the open gap towards you and the print face up.
2. Open the gap with a flat spatula or a small funnel so product does not touch the seal area.
3. Fill by weight or volume, then tap the bag so the product settles into the lobes of the shape.
4. Wipe the inside of the gap if any liquid or powder touched it.
5. Seal the gap with a bench sealer set for the laminate, overlapping the existing seal at both ends.
6. Trim nothing. The die has already cut the outline, so the sealed gap sits inside the shape.

What goes wrong with die cut orders?

The common fault is a shape with thin parts. A unicorn horn 8 mm wide cannot be sealed and filled, so it ends up empty and floppy. Widen the thin parts or drop them.

Another is placing a barcode on a curve. Scanners need a flat, straight code. Put it on the back panel in the widest part of the shape.

A third is expecting a shaped bag to stand. It will not. If the product must stand on a shelf, a stand up pouch with a shaped window is the better route. Our printed pouches for bath salts and scrubs show how a shaped window on a standing bag looks.

How do I order die cut mylar bags?

Email or WhatsApp the outline, the product, the fill weight per bag and a rough quantity. Quantities are quoted per order, from £0.25 per unit, and the written quote confirms the price including the cutting die.

Our designers send a free proof with the cut line, the seal path and the notch position marked. Once you approve it, production takes 4–6 business days and delivery is free and tracked to any UK address in 2–3 business days.

Misprints or damage reported within 10 days with photos are reprinted or refunded. Start with the written quote request for shaped pouches and attach your outline.