Glossary

With many material structures, we can create a barrier against moisture, odor, light, and oxygen.

A BPA-free product is one that does not contain the organic compound Bisphenol A. All our products are BPA-free.

A declaration of conformity, also called a statement of compliance (DoC), is a document that confirms the product meets all legal requirements that apply to it.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international organization dedicated to responsible forest management worldwide. By purchasing bags made from FSC-certified paper, you directly contribute to the protection of global forests and to a healthy living environment for people and wildlife.

The overall migration limit is a measure of a material’s inertness. Specific migration refers to a specific migration limit (SML) for an individual substance, based on toxicological studies. Analytical techniques are used to detect the presence of these substances in food (and food simulants).

EA TÜV certificate or TÜV mark confirms that a product, service, process, or organization meets the requirements set in legislation, standards, and certifications.

WTR values are used to compare the relative moisture barrier of packaging films.

OTR values are used to compare the relative oxygen barrier of packaging films.

Polyester (PET) film with an aluminum oxide (ALOx) coating offers an excellent barrier for long product shelf life. At the same time, it allows for a window in your packaging to enhance product presentation.

Films without metallized PET or aluminum.

Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is the most flexible film. It is a variation of LDPE, offering greater flexibility, higher tensile strength, and better formability. It is softer and more pliable. LLDPE is food-safe and ensures the bag can be sealed.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a type of resin and a form of polyester, often marked with its code on or near the base of bottles and other packaging. PET is strong, thermally stable, transparent, lightweight, shatter-resistant, recyclable, and has good gas barrier properties. We use PET to give the bag more structure and ‘body’.

Bio-based materials are products made mainly from substances derived from living matter (biomass), such as paper, wood, and leather. We offer 100% kraft paper and PLA as bio-based materials in many combinations, partially or fully compostable.

The WICOVALVE® W606E is specially developed for the coffee industry and can be composted according to the EN13432 industrial standard when used with biodegradable laminates. Based on the popular W606 coffee valve, this bio-compostable version is designed for heat sealing and offers optimal whole bean coffee protection against aroma loss.

Compostable materials are materials that break down during composting.

Industrial composting requires high temperatures (55–60°C), high humidity, and oxygen, making it the most optimal condition for biodegradation compared to other natural environments like soil or water. Meeting EN 13432 is considered a reliable standard for industrial compostability of packaging materials.

Carbon neutrality means balancing the amount of carbon emitted with the amount removed from the atmosphere through carbon sinks. The removal and storage of CO₂ from the atmosphere is called carbon sequestration. To achieve net zero, all global greenhouse gas emissions must be offset by carbon sequestration.

Material recycling is defined in European standards EN 13430 and EN 16848 (aligned with ISO 18604) as reprocessing used materials into new products. Plastics collected, sorted, and reprocessed into new products are called mechanically recycled plastics.

Home composting occurs under less controlled conditions with lower and less stable temperatures than industrial composting. While there is no CEN standard for home-compostable plastics, several countries have developed and applied national standards for testing and certifying such materials.

Seal your bags completely with a heat sealer for maximum protection, while still allowing easy opening with a tear notch or scissors.

Instead of heat, an impulse sealer uses an electrical pulse to fuse the material. Suitable for sealing 3-layer materials depending on thickness and daily usage, though sealing wires wear faster with more intensive use.

Bag closure strips (flexible, with or without adhesive).

Instead of sharp corners, bags can be made with rounded corners for safer handling and better presentation.

The anti-wobble base ensures the stand-up pouch remains stable and upright — a design developed by PouchDirect.

Handles can be added for easy carrying of heavier products.

Euro-lock or hang holes can be added so pouches can be displayed in retail racks.

For heavier products, consider stand-up pouches with a K-seal bottom, where the side seals rise at a 30° angle to relieve stress and add volume.

Laser scoring allows effortless opening, improving consumer satisfaction, though it can affect barrier properties.

Freshly roasted coffee beans release CO₂, which must escape without letting oxygen in. This is achieved with a one-way WICOVALVE®.

Opacity describes the transparency level of printed sheets — thicker or heavier paper has less transparency but higher cost.

A round-bottom gusset is welded at the side panels, adding strength and stability. Commonly used for products under one pound.

A tear notch makes it easier to open pouches from vertical form-fill-seal machines.

Spot varnish highlights specific printed areas.

A positive photographic film transparency.

Transparent or frosted windows can be added to the front or back of the pouch.

Plastic or compostable zippers can be used for resealing, though we recommend heat sealing for complete closure.

Bleed refers to print extending beyond the trim line to avoid unprinted edges after cutting.

Gravure printing engraves images on a copper cylinder.

CMYK colors are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

A dieline is the technical layout showing cut lines, folds, and features in flattened form.

Gravure printing, also known as rotogravure printing, is primarily a high-quality printing method with a long run length and high speed. Like intaglio printing, gravure printing is a form of intaglio printing that produces fine, detailed images. It works well for both Pantone colors and CMYK printing, with each color of ink applied by its own cylinder and with drying steps in between.

Digital printing takes a different approach, compiling print-ready images from a complex series of numbers and formulas. These images are captured based on pixels, and the digitized image is used to control the deposition of ink, toner, and exposure, so that the image you want to print is reproduced.

Flexographic printing uses a plate cylinder covered with a relief plate (cliché) to print raised image areas.

Coated Pantone colors show results on coated surfaces.

Hot stamping transfers metallic foil to a surface with heat, adding a premium look.

Water-based inks are made with water and pigment instead of plastics like PVC.

Lamination bonds multiple layers for strength, stability, and improved appearance.

Standard atmospheric pressure is 1 Bar. PE bags withstand up to 0.5 Bar; nylon (PA) bags up to 0.8 Bar.

Margins refer to the space between printed content and page edges.

Reverse printing prints ink on the inside layer of the substrate, protecting it from contact and wear.

Uncoated Pantone colors are printed on coated materials for different finishes.

The printing surface is the prepared area that receives the ink.

Vector fonts use scalable geometric outlines to keep their shape at any size.

Text overflow happens when a text box is too narrow, hiding part of the text.

Pantone colors are standardized shades created from a base palette of 18 colors.

We supply an electronic proof (dieline) with all dimensions, gussets, zippers, tear notches, Euro-holes, seal widths, and color separations for approval before printing.

A pixel is a single-colored dot on a digital screen; many together form an image.

CMYK is the four-color process used in printing.

Image resolution is measured in pixels per inch (PPI) or dots per inch (DPI) — we require at least 300 PPI for full-size images.

RGB is a light-based color model using red, green, and blue for screens.

We cannot print full-bleed on only one side of a pouch without a trim margin to avoid cutting errors.

Stand-up pouches have three dimensions: width (W), height (H), and bottom gusset (BG).

A spot color is a pre-mixed ink printed separately from CMYK to match exact shades.

UV coating is a protective glossy layer; spot UV applies it only to certain areas for contrast.

A varnish is a clear liquid applied to printed surfaces for appearance and protection.

Silk screen printing pushes ink through a mesh stencil onto a surface, suitable for various materials.