Mono-material PE pouch

Brands that need a recyclable claim on the back panel and can live with a softer hand.

A satin off-white polyethylene pouch printed in pale blue with a navy stripe.

Best for: Brands that need a recyclable claim on the back panel and can live with a softer hand.
Structure: Mono-material polyethylene with an EVOH barrier layer.
Print methods: Flexo, up to 8 colours
Finishes: Matte varnish · Gloss varnish
After use: Built to be recycled as polyethylene. In the US, all-PE flexible packaging can carry the How2Recycle Store Drop-off label (store drop-off, not the kerbside bin). In the EU, the new packaging regulation grades every pack on design for recycling from 2030, and single-material films are where it's heading. We only print a recyclable, compostable or food-contact claim when the film or carton maker has certified that exact structure. Ask for the certificate before the artwork is final.

How it's built

Outside to inside

Exploded view of an all-polyethylene pouch film: print film, thin barrier and sealant.

1Oriented polyethylene print film (print on its underside)
2Thin barrier layer
3Polyethylene sealant

Look and feel

Satin and a little softer and more flexible than a laminated bag. Seals look slightly translucent. It slumps where a PET bag stands crisp.

Printing on it

Printed on the back of an oriented polyethylene film. Register is a touch harder to hold, so flat colour and simple shapes are the safe bet.

Barrier and shelf life

Plain polyethylene lets oxygen through. Coffee builds add a very thin barrier layer. Test shelf life before you commit to a run.

Run sizes

Digitally printed pouches start around 500 per design. Plate-printed (rotogravure) pouches make sense from about 10,000 per design. Below 500, a stock bag with a printed or foil label is the cleaner route, and the label is where foil, letterpress and deboss actually work.

After use

Built to be recycled as polyethylene. In the US, all-PE flexible packaging can carry the How2Recycle Store Drop-off label (store drop-off, not the kerbside bin). In the EU, the new packaging regulation grades every pack on design for recycling from 2030, and single-material films are where it's heading. We only print a recyclable, compostable or food-contact claim when the film or carton maker has certified that exact structure. Ask for the certificate before the artwork is final.