Shaped Pouches: The Ultimate Guide

Shaped pouches are a flexible packaging container that leverage on their diverse shapes and sizes to stand out.

They are a creative type of pouches which have gained popularity in various industries.

This guide gives more information on the shaped pouches.

History of Shaped Pouches

The history of shaped pouches dates back to 1960s when a French manufacturer by the name Louis Doyen made their discovery.

He first developed stand up pouches which were later reconstructed with the growing demand for packaging materials to shaped pouches.

The pouches were originally known as DoyPack as a result of the person who invented them.

Besides, the shaped pouches have continued to evolve with the growing creativity among our design teams.

Different Types of Shaped Pouches in the Market

Shaped pouch

· Stand up Pouches

These are shaped pouches that have a flat or gusseted bottom which makes them stand on their own.

They can be made in any shape of your choice and are common in the packaging industry due to their flexibility.

You do not need a hang hole with stand-up shaped pouches.

· 3 Side Seal

Three side seal shaped pouches have three of its sides sealed and only one side left for product filling.

They are mostly flat in nature and therefore can be added hang holes for easy displaying.

Unique Features of Shaped Pouches to Consider

Some of the features of shaped pouches include:

· Shape

The shape is very important when it comes to shaped pouches because this feature enables them to fit for any product.

Shaped pouches can be manipulated to any shape that you desire for your products and consumers.

For instance, you can have them in car shape for toys for kids and tubes for household items such as toothpaste.

· Brand Marketing

This is due to the ease of printing on the surface of the shaped pouches as well as their shape uniqueness.

When shaped pouches are bright and of the right shape and design, they will attract more customers to your products.

· Barrier Properties

Shaped pouches are known for their excellent barrier against interference from outside that may compromise on product quality.

They increase the shelf life of your products by protecting them from oxygen, moisture, dust, light, etc.

· Easy Filling

Shape make the pouches compact and are therefore easy to fill with products using machines.

This makes the process faster due to automation.

· Heat Tolerance

You can have shaped pouches customized to withstand high temperatures by combining material films that have great heat resistance.

This feature enables you to microwave the pouches when warming baby foods or even pasteurize some products such as milk.

Benefits of Shaped Pouches

Some of the benefits of shapes pouches include:

Shaped pouch

1. Shaped pouches are customer-centric therefore they are more appealing and stand out among other types of packaging solutions.
2. They offer better marketing solutions because of their unique shapes and easy printing and branding of their surface.
3. These pouches are economical to produce cost-wise due to the easy availability of materials and less energy consumption.
4. Shaped pouches fitted with clear windows and aroma valves enhance product visibility without opening of the pouches.
5. They have excellent barrier quality against external factors such as light, moisture, oxygen, dust, etc.
6. We use recyclable materials and renewable sources of energy in the manufacture of shaped pouches. This has greatly reduced the level of harmful carbon released to the environment thus is considered eco-friendly.
7. Shaped pouches are easy to fill due to the compactness brought about by the shapes.
8. They are made from the layering of high-quality materials that are durable thus can withstand different external pressures.
9. It is easy to add extra features and customized them to suit your product needs.
10. They are a unique packaging solution due to their unique shapes, sizes, and designs.
11. It is easy to handle the shaped pouches due to their shapes.
12. They are very flexible and can fit into a very small space on the shelves.
13. Shaped pouches can be made to suit a certain theme or occasion such as Easter, Christmas, Halloween, etc.

Limitations of Shaped Pouches

There are limited filing options for shaped pouches.

They are costly compared to other flexible packaging pouches due to design complexity.

Factors Determining Shaped Pouches Price

Shaped pouches for snacks

·  Size

Bigger and thicker shaped pouches cost higher than smaller than thinner shaped pouches.

·  Shape/Design

The shape design of the shaped pouches affects the price in terms of complexity.

The more complex the shape the higher the cost of producing it.

· Use

Shaped pouches used for liquid products require additional material reinforcement thus they cost higher than ones with solid products.

Uses of Shaped Pouches

You can use shaped pouches for any of the following:

• Packaging of products in liquid, solid and semi-solid forms.
• Product branding and marketing.
• Promotion of themed seasons such as carnivals, easter, Halloween and Christmas.

Value Addition Features of Shaped Pouches

You can have your shaped pouches’ value enhanced by requesting for additional features such as:

· Handle

Handles are added to the shaped pouches to make the carrying of the pouches easier and convenient for consumers.

You can define the size and type of handle you need on your pouches.

· Hang Holes

These are mainly fitted on the shaped pouches to enhance pouches display and minimize on space consumption.

The holes can be designed as round or euro.

· Vents or Valves

They are one-way outlets fitted on shaped pouches to promote extra product ventilation, degassing or product aroma.

· Tear Notches

Shaped pouches fitted with tear notches are easy and quick to open by hand without causing accidental spillage.

We add them by pre-cutting one end of the shaped pouches to guide the consumer.

· Surface Finishing

There are two finishing options for the shaped pouches namely; glossy and matte.

Each has a unique quality hence they are used depending on your product requirement and consumer preference.

· Clear Window

This is an important add-on feature as it enhances product visibility giving consumers a really feel of the product.

They come in various shapes, for example, oval, circular, triangle, square, etc.

· Rounded Corners

We achieve this by professionally cutting off the sharp edges in a curved manner.

This prevents injuries that may occur as a result of pricking by sharp corners.

· Resealable Zippers

Re-closable zippers are plastic pair of zippers fitted near the edge of the shaped pouches that close by interlocking.

They prevent product spillage and interference from external factors as well as make the pouches reusable.

· Spouts

These are tubes fitted at the tips of the shaped pouches to make it easier for you to dispense the product.

They are mostly fitted in shaped pouches used with beverages, juice, alcohol and other liquid products.

They also make the shaped pouches resealable after opening.

Finishing Options for Shaped Pouches

You may consider any of the following finishing options:

· Glossy

Glossy finishing is shinny and makes the shaped pouches to reflect light when sunny.

It is a high-quality type of finish that brings out the prints well making the pouches to stand out.

Besides, they are waterproof and are good for packaging products that do not require any moisture contact.

The disadvantage of glossy finishing is the presence of fingerprints that remain on the pouches.

· Matte

This is a non-reflective finish that prevents reflection of light on the shaped pouches.

This method of pouch finishing gives a professional impression to the shaped pouches.

Besides, it is easy to read fonts on such pouches and is also a cheaper option.

The disadvantage of this method is that it is usually dull and cannot be used when you print small fonts.

How to Fill and Seal Shaped Pouches

Filling and sealing of shaped pouches can be automated with the use of filling machines or done manually by hand.

This is dependent on the size of the products you want to package.

· Machine Filling

Medium to large packaging industries prefer using the automated filling and sealing machines with their shaped pouches.

This is not only faster and cost-effective, but it also ensures uniformity of product weight in all the pouches.

Also, products that require total removal of oxygen from the pouches can only be packaged using a machine.

1. The readily shaped pouches are loaded into the filling machines with their top-end open.
2. A rotating conveyor belt takes them to the filling area where a certain amount of products is discharged into the pouches.
3. Once the shaped pouches are loaded, they move to the sealing area depending on the closure method.
4. Heat sealer machines clamp both mouths of the pouches are between them and the heat seals the film layers. The right amount of heat is applied to avoid melting the material film.

· Hand Filling

This is ideal if you are packaging products on a small scale.

1. You will need to open the shaped pouches, fill in your product by scooping or pour in for liquid products.
2. Weigh the filled shaped pouched on a scale till it gets to the right weight.
3. Remove the filled shaped pouches then seal accordingly either using a zipper, heat sealing machine, screw cap, etc.
4. Counter check that the seal is tight before releasing the packed pouches to customers.

Ways of Accessing Content of Shaped Pouches

Custom shaped pouch

· Ziplock

These are plastic tracks that enable you to close the shaped pouches by interlocking them.

They are available in pairs and are mostly fitted at or near the top of the shaped pouches.

The advantage of having a zip lock in your shaped pouches is the ability to reseal the pouches after opening.

Some clients have gone green and find resealable pouches more attractive and convenient

· Spouts

Are short tubes fixed on the mouth of the shaped pouches to help with product dispensing.

They have a screw cap to facilitate easy opening and closing of the shaped pouches.

Also, they are commonly used in baby food packaging, juices and fruit purees.

· Sprayers

This type of closure is found in shaped pouches that are package liquid chemicals such as herbicides, cleaning agents etc.

They make product dispensing very smooth and convenient.

· Tear Notches

Are pre-cut lines along the edge of shaped pouches for easy opening of the pouches.

Shaped pouches with this type of closer method are single-use pouches.

How to Manufacture Shaped Pouches

Manufacturing shaped pouches involve the following key processes:

1. Shaped pouches are manufactured by laminating different material films using an adhesive material.
2. Next, a die-cut technology machine is used to precisely cut out the desire shaped pouches design.
3. Finally, the resulting shaped pouches is sealed and ready for filling.

How to Test Quality of Shaped Pouches

We have sophisticated equipment that tests for shaped pouches qualities namely:

· Thickness

We use an octagon to check the thickness of the shaped pouches if it is within limits.

The reading is done along the width.

· Barrier Strength

The barrier of the pouches against oxygen, moisture, etc. is done using a machine that checks the moisture and oxygen threshold.

An indication above the set threshold renders the pouch a poor quality.

· Melting Index

Is important for shaped pouches that are heat sealed to prevent melting while sealing.

· Dart Impact

This confirms the bursting strength of the shaped pouches when under pressure.

How Shaped Pouches compare to Plastic Containers

Stand up shaped pouch

• Shaped pouches are very flexibles and can fit in a limited space while plastic containers are rigid and take big spaces.
• While shaped pouches are less costly to transport due to lightweight, plastic containers are heavy and expensive to transport.
• Shaped pouches are made from material film layering while plastic containers are manufactured from one type of material.
• Shaped pouches are highly recyclable while plastic containers emit harmful carbon fumes when burned.
• Shaped pouches cost less than plastic containers because they are cheaper to produce compared to plastic containers.
• Both shaped pouches and plastic containers provide great barrier against moisture, odor, light, oxygen etc.
• Both shaped pouches and plastic containers can be produced in different shapes.

Available Sizes of Shaped Pouches

We produce shaped pouches of various from the small, medium, large and extra-large.

We define sizes in length, width, and height.

The smallest pouches range from 3mm by 3mm by 3mm with the largest can be 45 by 35 by 30 inches.

Best Materials for making Shaped Pouches

Best materials for manufacturing shaped pouches should be approved by United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safety standards.

They should also be bisphenol A(BPA) free.

The materials are of superior quality and are laminated as per the product requirements.

Some of the best materials for shaped pouches are:

• Polyethylene (PE) is a plastic polymer that is good with heat tolerance. It is mostly used in the inner lining for easy heat sealing.
• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a polymer of plastic with excellent barrier against moisture. It is also transparent and great for clear shaped pouches.
• Aluminum foil (AL) are excellent when it comes to odor prevention, barrier against moisture and oxygen. They are extensively used in food industry because they are able to keep food products fresh for long.
• Kraft paper is normally brown or white in color and is made of wooden fibers which makes it strong against tension.
• Biaxial polypropylene (BOPP) has better heat tolerance and is lightweight and transparent in nature. This promotes product visibility.

Color Selection for Shaped Pouches

We offer shaped pouches in different color options such as bright, dull, mixed or single-color combinations.

You can choose up to ten color options for your shaped pouches and we will print it for you.

How Shaped Pouches compare to Wrapping Films

Shaped pouches assume different shapes while wrapping films are shapeless and assume the shape of the product wrapped.

Also, shaped pouches are sealed and only one end left open for product loading while wrapping films are open-ended.

Both are made from the same material structure.

Quality Certifications for Shaped Pouches

Shaped pouches are subjected to quality control measures to ascertain their compliance to safety and health standards.

Certificates that shaped pouches inspection award include FDA, EC/CE, SGS, ROHS, ISO, QS, among others.

Recommended Thickness for Shaped Pouches

The thickness of the shaped pouches will be determined by the product to be packaged.

The thickness ranges from 2 millimeters (mm) to 7.5mm.

Choosing Printing Option for Shaped Pouches

Printing of shaped pouches help pass product information and brand your products in a way that make them stand out.

There are different types of printing options to choose from.

Printed shaped pouch

· Digital Printing

Digital printing uses a digital printing machine and the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black CYMK color combination to print images from the computer.

It is a fast, precise, and clean printing method recommended for small printing jobs.

· Flexography

This form of printing method uses rotating plates to transfer prints on the pouches surface.

The raised areas of the plates collect ink, drain excess using a doctor blade before imprinting on the pouches.

It is ideal for high-quality printing of large volumes of shaped pouches.

· Rotogravure

Rotogravure printing method caters to shaped pouches that cannot be printed by flexography.

This is a high-speed machine printing that uses a metal cylinder to engrave prints on shaped pouches.

The metal engraved cylinder fills with ink, drain the excess then presses the image or prints on the pouches surface.

It gives high-quality prints with no spills of prints.

Uses of Shaped Pouches with Valve

Valves are a one-way vent that is fitted on shaped pouches for various reasons such as:

1. Valves are fitted in shaped pouches for packaging coffee beans to release excess gases to avoid pressure build-up.

This helps with maintaining product freshness.

2. They also act as aroma outlets for certain products to allow consumers smell the products without opening the pouches.
3. Valves are also used to provide product ventilation thus enhancing air circulation the pouches prolonging product shelf life.

The specifications of the valve holes are dependent of your product needs and the type of material used.

Products you can Package in Shaped Pouches

Shaped pouches can be used to package both solid and liquid products that are edible or non-edible.

The product range includes:

• Juices
• Water
• Yoghurt
• Baby food
• Fruit purees
• Butter
• Cream
• Dressings
• Vinegar
• Coffee beans
• Alcohol beverages
• Gels
• Liquid soap
• Shampoos
• Lotion
• Oil
• Hand washing soap
• Cleaning detergents
• Lubricants

Available Shapes of Packaging Pouches

We offer different shapes of packaging pouches such as:

1. Jar shaped pouches are a stable type of pouches with the ability to stand on their own. Also, they assume the shape of traditional jars with zippers as their closing options.

They are easy and faster to fill as a result of wide openings.

2. Tree-shaped pouches are common during the Christmas season to help market different gift items for the season.

Besides, they are attractive and bright in color with various Christmas messages printed on them.

3. Bottle shape pouches assume different bottle designs such as wine bottle, beer bottle, etc.

These pouches are commonly used to package alcoholic beverages, water, edible oils, juices, fruit puree, etc.

They are able to stand on their own and are also easy to handle due to their shape.

4. Heart-shaped pouches are perfect when you are targeting lovebirds and during special occasions such as valentine’s day.

Moreover, these pouches are mostly used to package chocolates, candies, teddy bears, etc. and come bright attractive colors such as red, purple, pink.

5. Hourglass-shaped pouches
6. Convex shaped pouches

Material Structure of Shaped Pouches

Different pouches may have varying structures depending on your product needs.

Each material structure possesses a unique feature that makes it desirable for use in shaped pouches.

We determine material structure combination and thickness based on your product requirements.

Here is an example:

Structure of shaped pouch

Other structures may include:

PET / FOIL / POLY

PET / POLY

PET / MET PET / POLY

Aluminum foil is great when it comes to providing a barrier against oxygen and water vapor.

How to Choose Barrier Material for Shaped Pouches

When choosing barrier material for your products we consider the following:

1. Product requirements such as barrier against environmental factors as oxygen, moisture, odor, etc.
2. The material thickness will enable us to manufacture shaped pouches that offer desired barrier qualities.
3. The purpose of the shaped pouches such as microwavable, boilable, and freezing are dictated by the material selection.
4. Mechanical strength, stiffness, and puncher-resistant shaped pouches are made from polymers.

In short, by considering all these, you will definitely get high quality and reliable shaped pouches.

For any questions or inquiries, feel free to contact TedPack now.