Stand-Up Pouch Spec Guide: Size, Film, Closures

Start with a four-block spec sheet

A stand-up pouch specification is easier to review when it is split into four blocks: finished dimensions, material structure, closure or fitment, and artwork handoff. Each block should have a named owner and a written value. A render is not a specification. The converter needs numbers, structure codes, closure part numbers, and a dieline file that matches the agreed revision.

Use the same units everywhere. Record millimeters for dimensions and microns or grams per square meter for films, then state the unit in the field name. If a supplier sends a spec in mixed units, convert it once and mark the converted value as a check, not as the source of truth.

• Dimensions: flat width, gusset depth, height, seal width, headspace, fill opening, and tear notch position.
• Material: print web, barrier core, sealant, total thickness, structure code, and any registered matte or gloss finish.
• Closure: zipper or slider type, spout diameter, valve type, tin tie, and the opening force target you will test.
• Handoff: dieline revision, artwork revision, color targets, proof type, and converter mark instructions.
• Confirm minimums and fees in writing. Teal's standard flexible pouch minimum is 50 units, and Teal does not charge setup, plate, or tooling fees.

Dimensions that change fill, feel, and runnability

Record finished pouch dimensions separately from product dimensions. Define flat width by named reference edges on the converter's drawing. For a bottom gusset, state whether the dimension means folded insertion depth or total unfolded gusset width; these are not interchangeable. Label side gussets or other formats explicitly. Define finished height by named reference edges, such as the bottom and top cut edges. Record seal-band width separately. Define headspace using an agreed reference, such as the distance from the settled product surface to the closure under specified filling conditions.

Ask the converter how they define each dimension on their dieline. Some teams measure to the outside of the seal, some to the fold, and some to the cut edge. Put the definition in the spec so a revision does not silently move the tear notch or the zipper.

Material structure: name the job of each layer

Ask the converter to describe each layer and its function. A structure may include a printed outer web, barrier layers or coatings, adhesives, and an inner sealant; not every construction has a distinct barrier core. Ink protection depends on print placement and the construction. Ask for the structure code, layer-by-layer description, and evidence for the barrier and sealing properties needed for your product rather than relying on a generic trade name.

Stiffness matters for stand-up performance. A structure that stands on a lab bench may buckle when filled with a heavy product or when the gusset is opened wide. Ask how the converter evaluates stand-up stiffness and whether they will run a fill trial with your product.

• Confirm the sealant is compatible with your fill temperature, product fat or oil content, and any contamination at the seal area.
• Ask for barrier data with units, test method, tested structure and thickness, and test conditions. For oxygen transmission rate (OTR) and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), request temperature, relative humidity conditions on each side where applicable, and the relevant gas or vapor gradient.
• Do not assume a structure is recyclable because it is called mono-material. Ask for the converter's documentation and test the finished pack against the recovery route you plan to use.
• If the pouch needs a matte or soft-touch finish, confirm whether it is a film or a coating and how it affects seal strength and scuff resistance.

Closures and fitments: match the opening to the use case

The closure is not a decoration. It changes headspace, fill equipment, opening force, reseal performance, and the test plan. Start with how the customer opens, pours, reseals, and stores the pack. Then ask the converter which closure options fit that use case and what tooling or minimum order applies.

Ask for closure samples and test them with the actual product. A closure that opens easily when clean may fail when powder or oil sits in the track. A spout that pours water well may not pour a thick sauce. Record the test method and the result in the spec.

Worked example: a simplified film area estimate

Here is a hypothetical three-rectangle film-area model for planning only: two panel rectangles, each 180 millimeters wide by 250 millimeters high, plus a bottom-gusset rectangle 180 millimeters wide by 70 millimeters in total unfolded width. The 70-millimeter value is not a folded insertion depth. These are assumed rectangle dimensions, not a derivation from finished pouch dimensions. Actual pouch construction determines folds, overlaps, seals, and cut geometry. This model is not a manufacturable dieline and does not predict fill capacity.

Front and back panels: 2 times 180 times 250 equals 90,000 square millimeters. Bottom gusset strip: 180 times 70 equals 12,600 square millimeters. Add those results to get 102,600 square millimeters, or 0.1026 square meters. For 1,000 hypothetical pouches, multiply by 1,000 to get 102.6 square meters of simplified film area.

The model does not separately account for seal allowances, overlaps, zipper web, valve patches, notch cutouts, trim, or production waste. Do not add seal allowances without checking which are already included in the converter's panel dimensions. Use the arithmetic only to compare concepts modeled on the same basis, not to validate a supplier's material estimate. Ask the converter for the actual dieline, web layout, and material usage.

Artwork and prepress handoff for pouch files

Pouch artwork has to fit a dieline that folds, seals, and possibly stands. Put the dieline on its own layer and name it with the revision. Keep the print artwork on a separate layer. Ask the converter whether they want printer marks embedded or added at output, and whether they want the dieline visible or hidden in the final PDF.

Adobe Acrobat can save a PDF as PDF/X-4, and industry associations such as the Ghent PDF Workgroup recommend PDF and PDF/X for exchanging packaging and label jobs. Adobe PDF Print Engine can emulate spot colors on proofing devices and extended color gamut presses, and it can extract CxF data from spot colors defined with spectral values. PDF/X-4 files may contain color-managed RGB, so ask your converter which PDF/X-4 profile they expect and who converts it. Spot color handling can differ between digital and plated processes, so confirm with the converter whether each spot color will be printed as a separate ink or converted.

Printer marks show the boundaries of trim and bleed boxes and can be embedded in a layer. Follow the converter's placement instructions rather than adding marks from habit. Output preview can show separations and color warnings, but it does not preview trapping, printer marks, halftone screens, or resolution. Verify those with the print service provider using the proof type they specify.

Pouch spec checklist

Use this checklist as a review gate before you approve a pouch specification. It is a planning framework, not a substitute for the converter's written specification or your own validation testing.

• Write the finished flat width, gusset depth, height, seal width, headspace, fill opening, and tear notch position with units and measurement definitions.
• Attach the converter's dieline and record its revision in the artwork file name.
• Record the full material structure, structure code, sealant, total thickness, and finish.
• Ask for barrier data with units, test method, tested structure and thickness, temperature, humidity conditions, and relevant gas or vapor gradient.
• Confirm the closure part number, placement, and opening force target.
• Run a fill trial with the actual product, filler, and fill temperature.
• Test closure opening and reseal after product contamination.
• Agree a drop, compression, and leak test protocol with the converter before production.
• Ask the converter for their preflight profile, mark instructions, and proof type.
• Check channel requirements in your own agreement, including label, barcode, and packaging data fields.
• Keep a signed or written approved sample and spec sheet as the reference.
• Teal's sample kit costs $50, credited to your first order. Confirm sample availability and applicable terms in writing before approving production.

Scope limits and what to verify elsewhere

This guide is Teal's editorial planning framework for pouch specifications. It is not a dieline, a fill capacity calculation, a barrier validation, a shelf life study, a child resistance evaluation, or a regulatory determination. The cited Adobe sources support only specific prepress points about PDF/X-4, printer marks, output preview, and spot color emulation. They do not support pouch material or closure performance claims.

For food, legal, hazardous, cold chain, or restricted product questions, build a review workflow with your converter, test laboratory, and compliance team. Ask decision questions such as: What test method will prove the barrier requirement? Who signs the shelf life protocol? Which closure test represents the customer's use? Which channel requirements apply to this product in this market? Do not treat this page as a compliance determination.

Questions about stand-up pouch specification