Stand up pouches and doypacks, custom printed, with zip lock and degassing valve
Stand up pouches, also called doypacks or standing pouches, are flexible bags with a folded gusset base that keeps the pack upright on the shelf. VLM Poliplast manufactures custom stand up pouches in the EU, printed in 1-8 colours, with zip lock closures, one-way degassing valves and clear windows.
We make every series to order in Bucharest, Romania, and ship across Europe: to coffee roasters, supplement brands, pet food producers and packers of dried foods. Artwork is printed with Pantone colours on request, and an unprinted sample from our own stock is supplied for validation on your filling line.
This page is not about off-the-shelf stock pouches sold by the hundred: it covers pouches manufactured and printed to your specification. Every order ships with a technical data sheet and, for food contact, a Declaration of Compliance under Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and Regulation (EU) No 10/2011.
Specification snapshot
| Specification | What we manufacture |
| Format | Stand up doypack with folded gusset base; dimensions made to order and confirmed at quotation. |
| Printing | 1-8 colours, Pantone on request; gloss, matt or soft-touch finish. |
| Closures | Zip lock, one-way degassing valve, tear notch and easy open. |
| Extras | Clear window, euro slot, 3-finger carry holes, rounded corners. |
| Materials | Solventless laminates: monomaterial PP or PE, EVOH barrier options, metallised BOPP/PE. |
| Food contact | Technical data sheet and Declaration of Compliance under Regulation (EU) No 10/2011. |
| Made in | Bucharest, Romania; shipped across Europe. |
Kraft stand up pouches
Kraft stand up pouches pair a kraft-paper outer layer with a functional inner film, for the natural look that specialty coffee, snack and artisan food brands ask for. A clear window and a zip lock are the usual configuration, and the kraft base prints well in restrained colour palettes.
The barrier comes from the inner film, so kraft is a finish, not a compromise: the same doypack format, dressed differently. If you are comparing kraft against a fully printed film pouch, send both briefs in one enquiry and we quote them side by side.
Which structure fits your brief?
The brief usually comes down to four protections: oxygen, moisture, light and aroma. Start from the priority, then match the laminate:
| Your priority | Structure | Typical starting point |
| Recyclability, dry goods | BOPP/CPP, designed for compatibility with the PP stream | Dry foods without barrier requirements |
| Recyclability with an oxygen barrier | BOPE/PE with an EVOH option, predominantly PE | Coffee and oxygen-sensitive products preparing for the PPWR recyclability grades |
| Maximum barrier to oxygen and light | Metallised BOPP/PE, a very thin metallic layer; mixed structure without a dedicated recycling stream | Freshly roasted coffee, light-sensitive products |
| Natural shelf presence | Kraft-paper laminate, with clear window and zip lock options | Specialty coffee, artisan and health foods |
Regulation (EU) 2025/40 (PPWR) has applied since 12 August 2026. From 1 January 2030, packaging is rated in recyclability performance grades, and packaging scoring below 70% is treated as technically non-recyclable, with its placing on the market restricted. From 1 January 2038, at least grade B is required. VLM Poliplast does not issue a certified RecyClass grade: recyclability is assessed on the finished pack, and the recommended structure is documented on its technical data sheet. The laminates are detailed under the structures behind each tier and the single-family PE range.
Coffee pouches with a degassing valve
Freshly roasted coffee releases CO₂ and degrades on contact with oxygen and light. The one-way valve vents that CO₂ without letting oxygen in, and it is applied during production, not retrofitted. Light protection comes from metallisation, a very thin metallic layer, or from an opaque printed finish.
If recyclability drives the brief, start from BOPE/EVOH/PE; barrier performance is documented on the technical data sheet of the delivered structure. Roaster-specific formats and valve options are covered under packaging for roasters.
Who uses stand up pouches
Coffee roasters
Valve, high barrier and rounded corners for a premium shelf presence, from beans to ground.
Supplement brands
Food-contact structures with zip lock resealing, for powders, capsules and gummies.
Pet food producers
Puncture-resistant PA/PE structures, large formats with 3-finger carry holes.
Bakery and dried goods
Windowed or fully printed pouches for baked goods, dried fruit, nuts and snacks.
Buying direct from an EU manufacturer
You buy from the converter, not a trading desk: the pouches are made at our plant in Bucharest, certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000 and ISO 45001, with EU food-contact documentation issued for every batch. Quotes come with the recommended structure and an unprinted sample for validation on your line, and if you are weighing up sourcing countries, see how Romania compares as a sourcing base.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a stand up pouch and a doypack?
There is no difference: they are two names for the same format. Doypack comes from the original French patent for the folded gusset base and is the common term across continental Europe, while stand up pouch is the usual term in English. Standing pouch and stand up bag describe the same pack. Whichever name you use in your enquiry, the format quoted is the same.
What size is a stand up pouch for 250 g or 500 g of product?
Size depends on the volume and density of the product, not just the weight: powders need larger formats than dense goods like coffee beans. As a guide, 250 g formats start around 130×190×80 mm and 500 g around 180×280×80 mm, with 1 kg from 200×300×90 mm. Final dimensions are confirmed at quotation, for your product and filling line.
Can a zip lock and a degassing valve go on the same pouch?
Yes. The combination is standard for coffee: the one-way valve vents CO₂ released after roasting, while the zip lock reseals the pouch after opening. Both positions are fixed on the artwork before printing.
Do stand up pouches run on automatic filling lines?
Yes. The format runs on dedicated rotary and linear doypack fill-and-seal machines. Sealing parameters depend on the laminate and are validated on your line; VLM Poliplast supplies the technical data sheet and a sample for line validation.
Can kraft stand up pouches have a clear window?
Yes. The window is cut before lamination, so the kraft outer keeps its finish while the inner film keeps the pack sealed. Windows are common on specialty coffee, nuts and artisan foods; on fully metallised high-barrier structures a window is not possible.
Request a quote for stand up pouches
Tell us the product, the fill weight and any barrier or artwork requirements. You get back the recommended structure, confirmed dimensions and a quote, with a sample for validation on your filling line on request.
Related resources
The pouch range
Doypack, quad-seal, flow-wrap, grip-seal and recyclable pouch formats compared in one place.
Laminate structures
The multilayer laminates each pouch is built from, with barrier and recyclability notes.
BarrierFlex®
Our high-barrier laminate range for oxygen- and light-sensitive products, documented per structure on the technical data sheet.
EcoMonoFilm®
Our monomaterial PP and PE film range, for packs designed with recyclability in mind.
Poly bags
Flat polythene bags for packing and shipping, when the product does not need to stand on shelf.
Sourcing from Romania
Side-by-side comparisons of Romania against other flexible packaging sourcing countries.
Is your current pouch losing freshness or shelf appeal?
Send the product, the structure you use today and the shelf life you are targeting. We assess the barrier requirements and document the recommended structure on its technical data sheet, and send an unprinted sample from our own stock for validation on your line.