Custom flexible packaging involves professional and meticulous procedures, including quotation calculation, material selection, printing and production, sample confirmation and logistics delivery. Brands new to custom packaging often have limited knowledge of the complete workflow.
Therefore, we have sorted out 10 core key points for custom flexible packaging procurement.
These guidelines help you quickly gain a comprehensive understanding of custom packaging and learn essential details of the customization process, greatly improving our communication and docking efficiency, and making the entire packaging customization process hassle-free, efficient and fully controllable.
What Information Do We Need Before Providing a Packaging Quote?
Unlike standard packaging products, custom flexible packaging bags do not have a fixed price. Every project needs to be evaluated based on the product requirements, packaging structure, and production specifications.
To provide an accurate quotation, we recommend sharing the following information:
Packaging Material
If you already have a specific material structure, you can provide it directly.
If you are not sure which material is suitable, simply provide:
- Product type
- Product weight
- Storage conditions
- Packaging appearance requirements
Our team will recommend suitable material structures based on your product protection requirements and market positioning.
Bag Style and Additional Features
You can share:
- Packaging reference images
You can also let us know if you need additional features such as:
- Zipper closure
- One-way degassing valve
- Special finishing effects
The more complete information you provide, the faster we can develop the right packaging solution and provide an accurate quotation.
Bag Size
If you already have a packaging size, please provide:
- Bag width
- Bag height
- Bottom gusset size (if applicable)
If you are unsure about the right size, we can recommend suitable dimensions based on your product type and weight. We can also provide similar packaging samples for reference or arrange samples for filling tests.
How to Choose the Right MOQ and Printing Method for Custom Packaging?
The minimum order quantity (MOQ) and printing method of custom packaging are closely related. Instead of setting a fixed MOQ, we recommend the most suitable production solution based on your project stage (new product testing or stable mass production), balancing cost, efficiency, and appearance quality.
Small-Batch Testing: Digital Printing
For new product launches, market testing, and small-volume production, we support sample making and small-batch digital printing, allowing brands to verify packaging performance before large-scale production.
Advantages:
- No printing plates required, eliminating additional plate-making costs
- Shorter preparation process and faster sampling and delivery time
- Supports multiple designs printed simultaneously for flexible SKU testing
- More cost-effective for small orders with a lower entry threshold
Large-Volume Production: Rotogravure Printing
For mature products with stable sales and long-term purchasing needs, we recommend rotogravure printing to achieve better production efficiency and consistent quality.
Advantages:
- Requires customized printing cylinders with a one-time plate-making cost; cylinders can be reused for future repeat orders
- More accurate color reproduction with stronger batch-to-batch consistency
- Higher production efficiency and more stable delivery for large orders
- Larger order quantities provide better cost advantages per package
We always recommend solutions based on your actual project requirements rather than simply focusing on order quantity.
How Long Does Custom Flexible Packaging Production Take?
Production time depends on the printing method, order quantity, and production schedule.
Digital Printing
Approximately 7-10 days
Since no printing cylinders are required, the production preparation process is faster.
Gravure Printing
Approximately 25-30 days
The production process includes:
Printing cylinder preparation → Printing → Lamination → Curing → Slitting → Bag making → Quality inspection → Shipment preparation
What Design Files Are Required Before Production?
Before mass production, we will provide a final artwork confirmation file to ensure the design, dimensions, and printing requirements are correct.
Production will only begin after receiving your approval.
We normally accept:
- Editable PDF files
- AI vector files
If you do not have a complete design file, we can provide a packaging dieline template to help your designer create artwork based on the actual bag structure.
Can I Review Samples Before Mass Production?
Yes.
If you would like to evaluate our packaging quality, we can provide similar packaging samples that we have produced before, allowing you to check the actual bag structure, material feel, printing quality, and overall appearance.
If you want to confirm your own design before production, custom samples can be made to check:
- Bag dimensions
- Structure
- Functionality
- Printing results
If your main concern is color performance, we can also arrange printing tests on the actual packaging material before mass production, allowing you to review the color effect and make adjustments if needed.
What Shipping Methods and Trade Terms Are Available?
We provide different shipping solutions based on your location, delivery requirements, and budget.
Common shipping methods include:
-
Express Shipping
Suitable for samples, small quantities, and urgent orders.
-
Air Freight
Suitable for projects requiring shorter delivery times.
-
Sea Freight
Suitable for large volume orders and helps reduce transportation costs.
How Do You Ensure Printing Quality and Color Consistency?
For brand owners, color consistency is a critical part of packaging quality control.
Especially for long-term products and repeat orders, noticeable color differences between batches can affect the overall appearance and brand image.
During production, we control quality through multiple steps, including:
- Artwork review before production to confirm color standards and printing requirements
- Color monitoring and adjustment during printing
- Final inspection of finished packaging
For repeat orders, we keep production records, printing parameters, and color references to help maintain consistent color performance between different batches.
Can You Provide Food Contact Compliance Documents?
Yes.
For food, coffee, pet food, and other product packaging, material safety and compliance are important considerations.
Depending on the packaging material, product application, and target market requirements, we can provide relevant documents, including:
- Food contact compliance documents
- SGS third-party testing reports
- Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
We also maintain quality management systems and certifications, including:
- BRCGS Packaging Materials Certification
- ISO 9001 Quality Management System Certification
Certificate
What Materials & Special Packaging Finishes Can We Offer?
We support multiple material options for custom flexible packaging bags to fit diverse market demands, including compostable materials, recyclable-compliant structures and conventional standard laminates.
A broad selection of custom decorative finishes can be applied according to your artwork and project needs. Available effects cover spot UV for raised glossy texture, clear viewing windows to show your product inside, as well as hot-stamp foiling for premium metallic appearance.
Whether you prioritize eco-friendly properties, cost efficiency or high-end visual performance, we can combine materials and finishes for your custom flexible packaging bags to match your expectations.
Conclusion
This concludes our article: 10 Things You Should Know Before Ordering Custom Flexible Packaging Bags.
Should you have further questions not addressed here, please do not hesitate to contact us.