Custom Printed Stand Up Pouches for Food and Drink Brands

What is a printed stand up pouch?

A printed stand up pouch is a flexible bag with a folded gusset at the base, so it stands on a shelf once there is product inside. The front and back panels are printed with your artwork before the pouch is formed, so the branding runs edge to edge rather than sitting on a label.

The top carries a press-to-close zipper and a tear notch above it. The customer tears the top strip away, opens the zipper, and closes it again after each serving.

The pouches in the photos show the usual looks: a full colour illustrated baby food pouch, and plain matte colours in blue and orange that take a one colour logo well. The rest of the stand up pouch range covers kraft, foil, black and window versions.

Which brands switch to printed stand up pouches?

Most of our enquiries come from food brands that started with stock bags and stuck-on labels. A label peels at the corner, sits crooked on a curved pouch and limits you to one small panel. Printed pouches fix all three.

If your product does not fit a stand up format, the pouches grouped by product type page shows which style suits each food.

• Granola and muesli makers moving on from 500 g kraft bags with labels
• Baby food and toddler snack brands with soft, bright artwork
• Dried fruit and nut mixes sold in 150 g to 250 g packs
• Protein snack brands with a dark background and bold type
• Bakeries selling cookie mixes and brownie kits by post

What size stand up pouch do I need for 250 g or 500 g?

Size follows density, not weight alone. 250 g of light granola needs more room than 250 g of ground coffee, so always send us the product or a sample weight in a measured volume.

A pouch that is too large sags at the top and looks half empty on the shelf. One that is too small will not seal cleanly because product sits in the seal area.

The Common sizes table above gives starting points. For a fuller set of fill weights with dimensions, read our stand up pouch sizes guide for UK brands before you fix the dieline.

Digital or plate print: which suits your run?

Both methods print the same laminates and the same finishes. The difference is set-up: digital needs no plates, so small runs and several designs cost less, while plate print gives the lowest unit cost on long runs of one design.

We quote both where a run sits between the two and let you choose.

Laminates behind the print

Printing sits on the outer layer, usually PET or matte BOPP, with the barrier layer behind it and a PE seal layer on the inside. For snacks that go stale in air, a metallised PET / PE build keeps oxygen and moisture out. For products that must be seen, clear PET / PE leaves the back panel transparent.

Food-contact, high-barrier and compostable film options are available on request and are confirmed on the quote. Our guide to barrier films and laminates explains what each layer does.

Zipper, tear notch and valve placement

The zipper sits about 25 to 35 mm below the top edge on most sizes, with the tear notch cut just above it. That gap is the heat seal area on your line, so keep artwork clear of it.

Roasted coffee needs a one-way degassing valve, usually placed on the front panel in the upper third. Nuts, granola and sweets do not need one.

A hang hole is cut in the top seal for pegged display. A slider zipper is available on request for wider pouches that customers open often.

How do I set up artwork for a stand up pouch?

Our designers lay out your artwork on the correct dieline for free, and send a proof before anything prints. These steps make the first proof the final one.

Full detail on bleed, seal areas and file types is in our artwork guide for printed pouches.

1. Send your logo as a vector PDF, AI, EPS or SVG, plus any photos at 300 dpi.
2. Tell us the pouch size, so the dieline matches the gusset depth.
3. Keep text at least 10 mm from the side seals and the zipper.
4. Name your brand colours as Pantone references if a match matters.
5. Check the proof for the legal panel, weight statement and barcode position.
6. Approve in writing, then production starts.

Filling and sealing on a small line

Stand up pouches arrive flat with the zipper closed and the top open. Open the zipper, fill through the top, and seal across the strip above the zipper with an impulse or band sealer.

Set the sealer to the laminate: a PET / PE pouch usually seals at a lower temperature than a kraft / foil / PE build. Run three test seals, pull each one apart, and look for a clean tear rather than a peel.

Keep the seal area free of powder or crumbs. A single flake of oat in the seal leaves a channel that lets air in over a few weeks.

Mistakes that spoil a first run

Ordering by weight without checking volume is the most common one. The second is dark artwork on a clear window area, which prints as a shadow.

Brands also tend to put the barcode on the gusset, where it curves and scanners miss it. Keep it flat on the back panel.

Finally, do not approve a proof on a phone screen. Print it at actual size on paper and check the type sizes against the legal minimum for your product.

Ordering printed stand up pouches

Send the product, fill weight, pouch count and your artwork through the form, by email or on WhatsApp. Quantities are quoted per order, from £0.25 per unit, and the written quote fixes the price before you commit.

You get a free design proof, then 4–6 business days of production after approval. The pouches then travel free, with tracking, to your UK address in 2–3 business days.

If a pouch arrives misprinted or damaged, report it within 10 days with photos and we reprint or refund. Start on the pouch quote request page when you are ready.