Printed Before vs. Printed After: What’s the Real Difference for Custom Pouches

There are 2 major types of custom printed pouches in the online market. The main difference customers immediately notice is the difference in price. But why are some custom printed pouches so much more expensive? And what do you get for the money?

The biggest difference between pouches is when they are printed. Some pouches are printed after the pouch is formed, others are printed on film and then formed into a pouch. Here are the key differences between these two types of pouches.

1.     Printed AFTER forming

Some pouches are blank and already formed, they are laid flat and run through a printer. This creates some key differences.

-       These pouches tend to have lower print quality and less color saturation.

-       They are not over-laminated, so the materials don’t feel as thick and are less durable.

-       Reduced print area. These pouches cannot be printed on the gusset (bottom) and are therefore left white.

-       Because these are pre-formed, there are fewer materials to choose from, and only one finish option.

-       Very little setup is required, and so these pouches usually have low minimums and lower costs.

2.     Printed BEFORE forming

Other pouches have the artwork printed on a roll of film. Then the film is laminated for structure and durability. Once the pouches have been printed and laminated, they are formed into pouches on a complex forming machine.

• This allows for much of the pouch to be customized per order, including tear notches, zippers, and hang holes.
• Because these pouches are printed first, there are more material options, including metallic and clear films in addition to white, and the finish can be customized as well with matte or glossy laminate.
•  Lamination means the overall feel of the material is thicker, the structure is sturdier, and the print is more protected and durable.
• The type of printing done on these pouches is higher quality which means colors will be more vibrant and the images and text will be sharper.
• This production process is much more involved and requires more set up, which does lead to a higher price at smaller quantities.
• You are likely to see price breaks at higher quantities compared to the other type of pouch production.

So, when you shop for custom printed pouches, don’t just consider the price. Consider how you want your brand to look. Consider if print quality, image sharpness, legibility of text, and color consistency are important to you. Also consider the durability of your packaging. Is it important that your pouch looks good when it reaches the customer? Do you want it to function well? In the case of custom printed pouches, you definitely get what you pay for.