Custom Printed Kraft Stand Up Pouches with a Natural Paper Look

What makes a kraft stand up pouch different?

The outer layer is real kraft paper rather than a printed film that imitates it. You can feel the fibre texture, and the colour is the warm brown of the paper itself. Behind the paper sits a PET or foil layer, then a PE layer that forms the heat seals.

The pouch in our first photo shows a two colour design: dark green ink straight onto the brown, with the paper left bare between the trees and birds. The second photo shows a white under-print beneath a mint green panel so the colour reads as intended.

If you want a paper look on a flat or three side seal shape instead, our paper laminate mylar bags cover those formats.

Which products sell well in kraft pouches?

Kraft suits anything whose story is natural, home-made or small batch. Buyers read the paper texture as a signal before they read a word of copy.

Tea blenders in particular tend to pair a kraft outer with a foil inner, because tea picks up smells from anything near it. The tea pouches made for UK blenders page goes into that choice.

• Loose leaf tea and herbal blends in 50 g to 250 g
• Granola, muesli and porridge mixes
• Dried mango, apricots and nut mixes
• Baked dog biscuits and training treats
• Bath salts and foot soaks from small body care brands
• Seeds, pulses and wholefood refills

How much does a kraft pouch hold?

Kraft laminates are a little stiffer than plain film, so the gusset opens wider and the pouch stands more squarely. That lets you go slightly smaller on height for the same weight.

Loose leaf tea is light, so 100 g often fills a pouch that would hold 250 g of granola. Weigh a sample, pour it into a measuring jug and send us the volume in ml along with the weight.

Tea is the awkward one. A 100 g pouch of whole leaf oolong looks full, while 100 g of fine-cut breakfast blend sits in the bottom third of the same pouch. Blenders with several teas often pick one pouch size for the lightest tea and accept some headroom on the rest.

Bulk buyers filling 1 kg of oats or flour should ask for the heavier film build, since the extra weight pulls on the side seals in transit.

Kraft / PET / PE or kraft / foil / PE?

Both laminates look the same from the outside. The difference is the middle layer and what it keeps out.

Food-contact and high-barrier film options are available on request. Read our explainer on barrier films and laminates for the full detail.

Zipper and window choices on kraft

The press-to-close zipper sits under a tear notch, the same as on any stand up pouch. Because the paper is opaque, many brands add a window so the product shows.

A window on kraft is cut into the paper layer so the clear film behind shows through. Keep it in the lower half, where the product sits, or it shows empty space above the fill line.

Window heights between 40 and 70 mm suit most 250 g kraft pouches. Bigger than that and the paper panel starts to look like a frame around the window.

A slider zipper and a hang hole are options on request. For a window-led design, see our stand up pouches with a window.

How do inks print on brown paper?

Ink on bare kraft is see-through, so every colour darkens and warms. Dark green, black, deep red and navy look rich. Pastel blue or lemon yellow turn muddy.

To print bright or pale colours, we lay a white under-print first, then the colour on top. The white can cover a panel, a shape or just the logo.

The paper texture also softens fine lines. Keep type at 7 pt or larger and avoid hairline rules.

Metallic effect inks work well on kraft, because the sheen sits against a matte paper ground. A copper or gold logo on brown is a common pick for coffee and chocolate.

Preparing artwork for a kraft pouch

Our designers set the artwork on the dieline for free and send a proof. For kraft, a few extra decisions help.

The printed pouch artwork guide covers bleed, seal areas and file formats.

1. Decide which areas print direct on brown and which need a white under-print.
2. Supply the logo as a vector file so edges stay crisp on textured paper.
3. Mark window position and size on a sketch, or ask us to suggest one.
4. Use a single dark ink for small text such as ingredients.
5. Check the proof against a printed kraft sample if colour matters.
6. Sign off, and production begins.

Sealing kraft pouches on your line

Kraft laminates seal through the PE inner layer like any other pouch, but the paper insulates, so the sealer often needs a slightly higher temperature or a longer dwell. Test on three empty pouches and tear the seal to check it.

Do not fold the pouch sharply before filling. Kraft paper creases white where it folds, and the mark stays.

Kraft also marks if a hot sealer jaw touches the paper outside the seal strip. Line the jaw up on the strip and keep the dwell short.

Store empty pouches flat in their carton in a dry room. Paper takes up damp from the air, and a limp pouch does not stand well.

What goes wrong with kraft orders?

The biggest surprise is colour. A brand approves a bright orange on screen and gets a brown-orange on paper, because nobody asked for a white under-print.

The second is a window placed too high, showing a gap between product and zipper.

The third is ordering a kraft / PET / PE build for ground coffee, which loses aroma inside a fortnight. Coffee and tea need the foil layer.

Ordering kraft stand up pouches

Tell us the product, fill weight, print colours and whether you want a window or valve. Quantities are quoted per order and pricing starts from £0.25 per unit, fixed on a written quote.

A free proof comes first. After your approval, production takes 4–6 business days and free tracked delivery reaches any UK address in 2–3 business days.

Misprints or transit damage reported within 10 days with photos are reprinted or refunded. Common questions are answered on our pouch FAQ page.