Premade pouches glossary
- BOX POUCH®
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A premium flat-bottom, side-gusseted pouch with five printable panels formed from two webs. The term BOX POUCH® is a registered trade name of Totani Corporation.
- Burst strength
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A measurement of the ability of a pouch to resist rupturing when pressure is applied to it.
- Burst testing
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A test where pouches are exposed to internal pressure until the point of bursting to verify that seals are fused together on the molecular level.
- Canoe
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The bottom part of a fitment designed for adhesion with the flexible packaging material of a spouted pouch.
- Doyen pouch (also known as a Doypack)
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See “Doyen seal”.
- Doyen seal
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A type of U-shaped, bottom-gusset seal commonly found on stand-up pouches. A Doyen seal is typically used for liquids or lightweight products. Stand-up pouches with Doyen seals are typically referred to as Doyen pouches or Doypacks. Learn more about stand-up pouches here.
- Drop testing
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A test typically performed on premade pouches that hold liquids. This test measures the height at which a filled pouch can be dropped and stay fully intact.
- Fill and seal machine
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Also known as “fill/seal,” a machine that fills and seals premade pouches.
- Fitment
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The area of a spout that bonds with flexible packaging film on a spouted pouch. This term is often used interchangeably with “spout.” Learn more about spouted pouches here.
- Fitment pouch
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See “spouted pouch.”
- Form/fill/seal (FFS) machine
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A machine that uses flexible packaging rollstock to form a premade pouch, then fills the pouch with product, and finally seals the pouch.
- Gusset
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A fold along the bottom, top, and/or sides of a premade pouch that allows the pouch to expand when filled with product.
- Hooded slider
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A slider positioned under a hermetically sealed film header, providing additional tamper evidence. Learn more about slider pouches here.
- Inno-Lok® bag
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A bag with a built-in press-to-close zipper closure. Inno-Lok® pouches look like premade pouches, but they are actually created on vertical form/fill/seal (VFFS) machinery using Inno-Lok® pre-zippered film. Learn more about Inno-Lok® pouches and pre-zippered film.
- K-seal
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A type of bottom gusset with a seal shaped like a K. It’s commonly incorporated into stand-up pouches containing non-liquid products. Learn more about stand-up pouches here.
- Laser perforating
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A method of using lasers to create tiny perforations that facilitate oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, extending the shelf life of certain items or allowing packaging to release moisture. Laser perforations can penetrate either partially or fully through the flexible packaging structure, depending on the desired breathability of the film.
- Laser score or laser scoring
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A method of using lasers to create a score line or pattern in flexible packaging material (while leaving the barrier layer intact), allowing the consumer to easily tear open the premade pouch along the line of laser scoring. This is typically accompanied by a tear notch. Learn more about laser-scored pouches here.
- Matte and gloss pouch
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A pouch printed with registered matte/gloss effects. This technique uses a registered matte varnish contrasting with high-gloss areas. Learn more about matte and gloss printing here.
- Particle plow slider
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A slider designed for powdered or granulated products that clears particles out of the track, allowing the package to reclose properly.
- Pouch converter
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A manufacturer that creates formed premade pouches from flexible packaging material (as well as fitments/spouts if applicable).
- Press-to-close zipper pouch
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A pouch with a closure consisting of one or more projecting fins inserted into a mating channel. This closure creates a reliable seal when pressed together. Press-to-close zippers are one of the most common stand-up pouch closures. Learn more about zipper pouches here.
- Puncture resistance testing
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A test analyzing how much pressure is required to puncture a flexible packaging structure.
- Quad-seal pouch
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A flat-bottom stand-up pouch made with two vertical panels and two gussets joined from two vertical seals, all formed from the same web.
- Skirt
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The sealed area at the bottom of a K-seal or Doyen gusset, used to make a stand-up pouch more stable. Learn more about stand-up pouches here.
- Slider or slider zipper
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A closure with a sliding mechanism positioned along a track with flanged interlocking profiles that create a reliable seal when pressed together by the sliding mechanism. Learn more about slider pouches here.
- Slider pouch
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A resealable pouch with a slider closure. Learn more about slider pouches here.
- Spout
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An injection-molded closure with an orifice from which the contents of a pouch are dispensed. Some spouts include valves or additional features that can expand the functionality of a pouch. Learn more about spouted pouches here.
- Spouted pouch
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A pouch with an injected-molded fitment and closure from which the contents of a pouch are dispensed. Spouted pouches can be filled through the top opening of the pouch or through the spout. Learn more about spouted pouches here.
- Stand-up pouch (SUP)
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A type of pouch with gussets or a closure providing a stable base which allows the pouch to stand upright. Learn more about stand-up pouches here.
- Tear notch
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A notch that serves as a starting point for the consumer to grasp and tear open a package.
- Tensile testing
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A test that analyzes the amount of force required to destruct a seal.
- Vacuum testing
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A test performed to ensure that pouches are hermetically sealed. The test typically involves exposing pouches to external vacuum pressure.
- Wicketed bag
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A bag with two holes at the top that allow the bag to be mounted on wickets (thin metal rods). Wicketed bags can be loaded onto automatic filling machines to ease the loading and sealing process.
