A First-Timer's Guide to Ordering Custom Pouches

Ordering custom pouches should begin with your product, not the artwork. Decide how the pouch will be displayed and filled, test its size with the actual product, then prepare the print file and review your order. A design that looks right on screen still has to fit the fill and work with your packing process.

At The Packaging Lab, we offer standard stand-up and lay-flat pouch sizes, downloadable dielines, design help, and online ordering. Our free sample pack lets you compare sizes and features before your first printed run. The first choice is the pouch format, since its shape affects how your product fits and appears on display.

Step 1: Choose Your Pouch Format

Start with how the customer will find and use the package. The two standard pouch formats serve different display and fill needs, and the closure options should follow the product's use.

Stand-Up or Lay-Flat?

A stand-up pouch has an expandable bottom gusset that lets it sit upright on a shelf. A lay-flat pouch, also called a three-side-seal pouch, is commonly used for smaller volumes and single-use products. Both can be displayed from a retail peg when an appropriate hang hole is available. 

Consider the actual sales setting. A pouch that must stand on its own needs a different format from a small sample packed inside a box. Before you start designing, settle the questions about stand-up pouch size, materials, and order requirements that could change your choice of format.

Which Features Does the Product Need?

A push-to-close zipper makes sense when customers will reopen the pouch. For a single-use product, you may have no reason to add one. If the package will hang on a store hook, The Packaging Lab offers round and Euro-style hang holes, although the Euro style is not available for every size. Choose these features early. Their positions affect where text and graphics can go on the finished pouch.

Step 2: Test the Pouch Size With Your Product

We list outside dimensions as width × height × gusset for stand-up pouches and width × height for lay-flat pouches. These measurements narrow the choices, but they do not tell you exactly how your product will settle inside.

Check the Fill, Opening, and Seal Area

Put the amount you intend to sell into a physical sample. Check whether it fits without crowding the opening, whether you can fill it cleanly, and whether there is room to heat-seal the top. Powders, snacks, and other products with different shapes or densities can occupy different amounts of space at the same stated weight.

The Packaging Lab's free sample pack includes its standard pouch sizes. It is a practical way to catch an opening that is too narrow or a pouch that leaves more empty space than you expected.

Decide Whether a Standard Size Works

Standard-size pouches have no minimum order quantity, so you can place a small printed order after testing the fit. Custom sizes have a minimum quantity requirement and a longer production lead time. Check the standard options first, even if one is slightly different from your initial dimensions.

Step 3: Prepare Artwork on the Correct Dieline

Once the size is final, download the matching dieline. It shows how the front, back, and stand-up pouch gussets relate when the printed film is folded into a pouch. Do not change the template's size or orientation.

Keep Important Content in the Safe Area

Place essential copy and graphics inside the dieline's marked safe area. Check where the zipper, tear notch, and hang hole will sit, especially if the front panel carries a large logo or product name. Use the specifications for your selected pouch rather than applying a generic bleed or seal measurement.

Submit a Print-Ready PDF

The Packaging Lab requires a single-page, high-resolution PDF for printing. Set the artwork in CMYK, outline text, embed images, and use 300 dpi for placed images. Adobe Illustrator is recommended, and the company also provides Canva instructions. If you need help creating the artwork, its Design For Me service is another option.

Before uploading, have the right person on your team check product copy and any required label information. Test barcodes and QR codes yourself: The Packaging Lab does not proofread errors or test codes and links. GS1 US barcode guidance also addresses print quality and placement for reliable scanning. 

Step 4: Configure and Price Your Order

Select the material, finish, zipper, hang hole, quantity, and available production time for your pouch. If you have multiple product designs, upload each PDF as a separate cart item. The Packaging Lab applies a multi-SKU discount when the pouch specifications match, even if the quantity differs by design. 

Our pouch pricing calculator lets you compare configurations before checkout. Price the size and features you actually plan to use; a different finish or closure can change the estimate. For more context, the factors affecting stand-up pouch cost help explain why the per-unit price varies.

Step 5: Review Your Proof and Delivery Timing

After checkout, we check whether the uploaded file can be printed and email an order summary that serves as your proof. If you do not accept or reject it, the order moves into production after 12 hours. A rejection or change can postpone the ship date, so arrange for someone to review the email promptly and check the details that belong to your brand:

• Correct design and product variant for each pouch 
• Front, back, and gusset orientation 
• Text, ingredients, claims, and contact details 
• Barcode and QR code artwork 
• Clearance around the zipper, tear notch, and hang hole

The proof is an artwork review, not a substitute for a physical fit or print test. If the color on the finished pouch is a concern, we suggest that you order a single printed pouch to evaluate it. Its standard production lead time is five business days, with expedited production options; shipping transit follows production. If your launch has a fixed date, allow time for both; the pouch shipping timeline can help with planning.

Summary: How to Order Custom Pouches at The Packaging Lab

Once the product and artwork are ready, this is the order sequence to follow:

1. Choose a stand-up or lay-flat pouch and the features you need.
2. Fill a sample to confirm the size and opening.
3. Download the matching dieline and prepare a single-page PDF.
4. Select your specifications, quantity, and production option; then upload the file and place the order.
5. Review the emailed proof promptly and watch for the shipping confirmation and tracking details.

Keep a copy of your final artwork for future orders. The Packaging Lab says it cannot guarantee that submitted files will be retained. 

Make Your First Pouch Order a Measured Decision

Your first order is easier to approve when you have checked the fill in person and know what the finished artwork will show. A small printed run in a standard size can also help you evaluate the pouch before ordering more. 

Ready to move ahead? Start your custom pouch order with The Packaging Lab. Choose your pouch size and options, then upload your artwork when it is ready. If you are still deciding on a format, contact our team before placing your first order.