Custom Printed Flat Pouches for Samples, Tasters and Letterbox Packs

What is a printed flat pouch?

A flat pouch is two printed panels sealed together at the edges with no fold at the base. Filled, it is a slim pillow rather than a box. Our photos show a tea sachet, a gummy sweet pack and a 100 g whey protein pouch, then a frosted pouch with a hang hole, then two coffee pouches with a zipper and hang hole.

Both panels print, so the back is as useful as the front. Brands put the brewing method, the serving size or a second image there.

A flat pouch is usually sealed on three sides before it reaches you, with the top open. The focus on this page is different: both faces printed, and the thinnest possible pack.

It sits in our flat pouches collection for UK brands next to its three-side-sealed relative.

Who uses printed flat pouches?

Brands that send samples, sell single portions or post goods through the letterbox.

Protein brands slip a 30 g flat sachet into every parcel as a taster for the next flavour, which costs less than a printed leaflet and gets used.

Tea sellers can compare shapes on the tea pouches page for blenders.

• Tea blenders sending taster sachets with orders
• Protein brands with single-serve 30 g to 40 g packs
• Sweet makers selling gummies and jellies by the pack
• Coffee roasters posting 100 g tasters
• Spice companies with recipe kits
• Subscription boxes that need thin, uniform packs

Why go flat rather than stand up?

The flat pouch uses less film, weighs less and takes up less space in a box. It gives up the shelf presence of a gusseted pouch in return.

Postage is the deciding factor for subscription brands: a flat pack that fits through the letterbox avoids a missed delivery and a trip to the depot.

How big should a flat pouch be for 100 g?

A 100 g tea blend is bulky and needs around 120 × 180 mm. 100 g of whey is dense and fits 100 × 160 mm. 100 g of gummies lands between the two.

Flat pouches belly out when filled, so each panel loses about 10 mm of visible width. Keep the main artwork inside that.

Sweets are the easiest to size: 50 g of gummies sits in 100 × 150 mm with room for a hang hole, and the pack stays under 15 mm thick.

Posting through a letterbox usually means a filled thickness under 25 mm. Spread the product thin rather than deep, so a wider, shorter pouch suits postal packs. The pouch decision guide by product type helps if you are between two sizes.

Laminates, barrier and the post

PET / PE and matte BOPP / PE are the usual builds for sweets, tea and dry snacks. Coffee and protein samples use PET / foil / PE so the taster tastes the same as the full pack.

Flat pouches that go through the post take knocks. A thicker PE inner layer helps, and fragile products such as biscuits travel better in a padded outer.

Tea tasters in PET / PE lose aroma within weeks, so blenders who care about the first cup choose the foil build even for a 10 g sachet.

Food-contact, high-barrier and compostable films can be added as options on request; the quote states which. Our barrier film and laminate explainer covers the detail.

Using both faces of the print

Two printed faces is the main reason to choose this pouch. A plan for each face keeps it tidy.

Short runs of several flavours print well on digital. Long runs of one design go to plate print or onto printed film rolls for form-fill-seal lines.

1. Front: brand, product name, flavour and weight in that order.
2. Back: ingredients, allergens, storage and the barcode.
3. Add brewing or mixing instructions on the back as a short list.
4. Keep 10 mm clear of every seal edge on both faces.
5. If you add a hang hole, leave a 20 mm plain band at the top of both faces.
6. Ask for a proof that shows both faces side by side.

Hang holes, zippers and tear notches

A hang hole in the top seal lets the pack hang by the till. A euro slot is the shape to ask for if your retailer uses double hooks.

A zipper below the top seal makes a 250 g coffee or sweet pack resealable, as in our third photo. Tear notches on both sides give the customer a clean start. All three are options confirmed on the quote.

Hang holes and zippers both take space from the printed face. On a 100 × 150 mm pouch, allow for a 25 mm band at the top before the artwork starts.

Sweet makers who want gifting shapes can look at printed sweet bags for confectioners.

Sealing flat pouches on a bench

Open the top, fill, press out the air you do not want, and seal across the top. Flat pouches sit evenly on an impulse sealer, so a bench operator can run several hundred an hour.

Keep the seal strip free of powder. For protein samples, fill through a paper funnel and tap the pouch so powder settles before sealing.

If you flush with nitrogen or vacuum seal, tell us and we adjust the top strip height for your machine.

A date or batch code can be stamped into the top seal by most band sealers, which saves a label on a small pack.

Where do flat pouch orders go wrong?

Treating a flat pouch like a stand up and expecting it on a shelf. It leans or falls over.

Choosing a gloss finish for a pouch that goes through the post. Gloss shows every scuff from a sorting machine; matte hides them.

Over-filling for the letterbox. A 250 g pack of beans is not a letterbox pack. Keep it to 100 g and spread it thin.

Forgetting the back. Brands approve a beautiful front and a blank back, then stick a label on later that spoils the look.

Ordering printed flat pouches

Tell us the product, weight, number of designs and whether you want a hang hole or zipper, by form, email or WhatsApp. Each quantity is priced per order, from £0.25 per unit, and confirmed in writing.

A free proof shows both faces. Production takes 4–6 business days after approval, and free tracked delivery reaches any UK address in 2–3 business days.

Any misprint or damage reported within 10 days with photos is reprinted or refunded. Use the quote form for printed pouches to start.