Spout pouch or bag is a flexible type of packaging material containing a lip or tube projecting from the container.
This guide provides comprehensive details regarding different aspects of making a typical spout pouch for packaging various products.
Step 1: Know Intended Use Of Spout Pouch
Spout pouch
Typically, when making spout pouches, it is imperative first to determine the specific intention for using it as a packaging option.
You can use a spout pouch in various ways, including protecting, preserving, and storing the products from multiple elements such as air, moisture, etc.
Establishing the exact use of this packaging option makes it easy for you to determine other ensuing factors surrounding it.
For instance, it becomes easy for you to identify the ideal material for the spout pouch that suits the particular content and use.
It also lets you figure out the exact design, size, and shape for the spout pouch to ensure you attain best and satisfactory results.
Step 2: Design Spout Pouch
Spout pouch design
Once you establish the specific intended use of a spout pouch, the next thing to do is designing the bag.
Now, it becomes easy since you’ll have an idea of what product is to package inside the spout pouch.
When designing a spout pouch, you should note there is a specific limit to contents it can take.
Thus, this enables you to factor in several vital elements such as shape, quantity, and quality of the specific spout pouch and its intended contents.
Notably, the quality of the contents to enclose inside this packaging option determines whether or not the spout is necessary.
Spouts are also available in different shapes.
Therefore, it is important to ensure the specific shape you are designing resonates well with the product and consumer.
For instance, some spout designs need to come in handy, but the products may instead require rigid packaging.
Specifically, you must figure out the nature of the contents the spout pouch is to house.
It is necessary because it determines precisely the specific design that guarantees efficiency in packaging the product.
In essence, this is a fundamental factor you need to consider when determining whether to use rigid or flexible packaging.
Furthermore, it makes it easy to establish whether the content requires a spout pouch with ziplock, tear notches, or press-to-close seals.
For example, a liquid product would only be ideal when packaged in a spout pouch and not necessarily a ziplock pouch.
Nonetheless, it would also be suitable to factor in the target market for the product.
This enables you to customize the spout pouch design to meet the satisfactory requirements of the customers.
Moreover, it allows you to determine the necessary cost to invest in producing these packaging bags and possible return on investment.
Step 3: Choosing Material For Spout Pouch
Different layers of spout pouch
Ostensibly, the type of material for spout pouch plays an integral role in determining its efficiency and practicality.
The finish of the material is also a fundamental element you must have in mind when choosing the ideal materials.
Some customers prefer transparent spout pouches packages for their products to enable them to see the products clearly.
You may also find some customers who prefer spout pouches with a matte frosted exterior.
Primarily, a typical spout pouch is made of several layers of different barrier materials laminated together to create a single continuous sheet.
It is the barrier material and pouch construction that determines the safety and shelf-life of your products
Simply put, the materials determine whether the pouch will leak, crack, or tear hence the need to choose high quality to minimize possible problems.
Often, different contents are made for different spout pouch materials.
However, there are three main materials commonly used for making spout pouches for different products.
These materials include metal foil (often aluminum), polypropylene, and polyester.
Essentially, all these three materials are combined in varied proportions to create spout pouches of different kinds and qualities.
Spout pouch construction contains 2-3 layers, including the outer, middle, and inner layers.
The Outer Layer Of Spout Pouch
Ideally, the outer layer consists of the actual finish and is often intended to draw customers’ attention and communicate the brand message.
The ideal material for an outer layer of spout pouch is kraft paper since it is natural and eco-friendly.
Besides aesthetic value it adds to this packaging bag, kraft paper is also strong and extremely durable, thus guarantees quality.
The Middle Layer Of Spout Pouch
It is also a fundamental part of a spout pouch construction.
You can make it using various film materials. However, aluminum foil, metalized film, or polyethylene terephthalate (PTE/PETE) are commonly preferred.
Aluminum foil is relatively durable and can keep the product for over 20 months compared to metalized film, which offers a shelf-life of about 13 months.
Additionally, aluminum foil has a higher aesthetic value and provides better protection.
Metalized film is commonly used in relatively low packaging solutions or for fast-moving products.
It offers barrier protection, but it is not necessarily as durable as aluminum foil.
Besides, it features a metallic appearance, thus not necessarily attractive to many customers when the pouch is opened.
PTE/PETE, a thermoplastic polymer resin, is a suitable middle layer material mainly suitable for packaging personal care, food and beverage products.
The Inner Layer Of Spout Pouch
It is an essential element in a spout pouch, particularly when used for food and beverage packaging.
Ideally, it is the inner layer of this bag that comes into direct contact with the product.
Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is the material widely used to create the inner layer of this packaging component.
Technically, it is recommended since it is also FDA-approved.
Moreover, this material makes it easy to heat-seal the spout pouch and subsequently giving your product a tamper-evident seal.
In essence, this gives your customers confidence and reassures them the product hasn’t been opened or tampered with.
Step 4: Choose Right Design Of Spout For Pouch
Different designs of spout pouch
When choosing the right design of spout pouch, you need to figure out the specific product to enclose.
It is also important to know the target market for the product to enable you to invest prudently in designing this component.
Nevertheless, if you make bubble baths, beverages, or other liquids, you can equip your pouches with built-in caps or spouts.
Essentially, this makes dispensing the content relatively easy, fast, and clean.
Furthermore, the consumer will likely enjoy emptying all the contents from the pouch easily, and having a spout facilitates it.
When designing a spout pouch, ensure you customize it to appear unique among the competition.
Create spout pouches with unique shapes and sizes, making it easy to grab the customers’ attention.
Also, consider adding a euro slot at the top of spout pouch to make it easy to hang in a peg display.
Most retailers prefer having as many options as possible for merchandizing; hence the built-in holes make it easy to please.
While design the spout pouch, ensure it is convenient for the consumer to easily open and reach the content.
Of course, this depends on the specific nature of product you are housing in the pouch.
If your product is relatively large and heavy, consider adding a die-cut carry handle.
It makes it easy for the customer to carry it around in one hand and freeing the other hand for other miscellaneous items.
Step 5: Sealing Material And Spout To Make Spout Pouch
Pouch manufacturing process
This step takes place in a highly mechanized environment.
Printing is done before sealing the material and spout.
Ordinarily, printing is done using a specialized ink formulated not to infiltrate the plastic into the product.
Printing involves branding and providing other relevant information regarding the product and the company.
Once complete, the next step is to feed the packages into a machine’s magazine.
The material goes through a set of plows, which fold a W-shape gusset into the bottom to enable the pouch to stand up.
Ideally, this aspect requires human interaction to actualize, and the higher the machine’s magazine capacity, the faster the sealing process.
The magazine has a rubberized, pneumatic piston that gently presses the pouches to one side.
While at it, they feed uniformly into the machine.
A suction arm then collects the pouches one at a time and moves them off to a sequence of rubberized conveyor clamps.
The clamps tilt them on an angle as the pouches pass along and readying them to have spouts inserted.
Ideally, spouts come from a different magazine then feed down a chute to a dispenser.
The dispenser drops the spouts into the pouches one after the other.
Immediately this happens, the spout is flash-sealed to the sprout by a pair of heat-seal clamps closing in from each side.
Step 6: Quality Inspection Of Spout Pouch
Printed spout pouch
Essentially, manufacturing of spout pouches is a highly industrialized activity, which requires high-end machines and technical know-how.
Spout pouch is usually taken through several tests to examine its suitability and reliability in holding different products.
Some of these tests include the following;
- Interlayer adhesion test – The essence is to determine the adhesion level of layers of the spout pouch film structure.
- Puncture resistance test – It is designed to examine the level of pressure required to puncture the flexible packaging material used for making a spout pouch.
- Tensile test – The design of this examination is to establish how much the material can be stretched and the extent of force required to break the material.
- Compression test – This test aims to determine the amount of air pressure the spout pouch can withstand.
- Seal strength test – It analyzes how well the seal performs and how efficiently it keeps the spout pouch enclosed within a particular period.
- Drop testing – The essence of this test is to establish the height from which the spout pouch can be dropped without failing.
- Vacuum testing – It determines any leakage of the spout pouch under external vacuum pressure.
- Burst testing – This test aims to evaluate the optimum pressure at which the spout pouch will burst.
- Co-efficient and friction test – It verifies the smoothness of the packaging of the film.
All these quality inspection tests are carried out in well-equipped laboratories to ensure your spout pouches function correctly and offer reliable performance.
Here Are Additional Useful Links You May Need:
- Printed Spout Pouches
- Custom Spout Pouches
- Liquid Pouch With Spout
- Spout Pouch With Handle
- Clear Spout Pouch
For any questions or inquiry about spout pouches, contact us now.