How Does The Packaging Lab Print Designs on Stand-Up Pouches?

At The Packaging Lab, one question we’re frequently asked is, “How do you print designs on stand-up pouches?” Some may be looking to understand whether we use quality-assuring methods, and others simply ask out of curiosity. No matter your reasons for asking this question, we’re here to answer it. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the method we use to print designs on our stand-up pouches. 

We Print Designs on Stand-Up Pouches Using Four-Color Process

We print digitally here at The Packaging Lab, which means we use a four-color process for our stand-up pouches. Four color process is also referred to as CMYK printing, which stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. When these ink colors are mixed together, they can be used to create other shades. Cyan and yellow make green, cyan and magenta make blue and yellow and magenta make red. Depending on the proportions of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black ink that are used, they can make all of the colors in between as well, like purple and orange. 

Do I Need to Change My File for CMYK Printing? 

Yes, you will need to change your file for CMYK printing. By default, any designs you create on a program like Photoshop use RGB colors. These are also known as screen colors because they’re the colors you see on your computer screen from red, blue, and green LEDs. You should be able to change RGB to CMYK values easily in your program’s settings. 

However, keep in mind that RGB images don’t look exactly the same as CMYK images. Some of the colors may look darker or more saturated. It’s a good idea to check your converted CMYK image first before using it in your design — if the colors aren’t exactly as you want them, you may need to tweak them slightly before sending the design over to us. 

What Do I Do If I Need Help Choosing Colors? 

The most helpful resource when you’re choosing colors for CMYK printing is the Pantone bridging swatch book. This has the Pantone shades on the left and their CMYK equivalents on the right, plus the ink proportions required to make the color. 

Process of Printing Designs on Stand-Up Pouches 

Our printing process is direct-to-print. This means that when you place your order, you can upload your design as a PDF. Our graphics team reviews the design, and from there, we print it on whatever film you’ve chosen for your order. Then we manufacture the pouches and send them your way. 

Advantages of Direct-to-Print Packaging 

We’re proud of using CMYK printers to print designs on stand-up pouches because it benefits our customers in many ways. Here are just a few of them:

Quick Production

The alternative to CMYK printing is spot color printing. This involves changing plates and using premixed ink colors (spot colors). While it is very color-accurate, it’s also time-consuming. At The Packaging Lab, we value your time and want to get your packages out the door as quickly as possible. That’s why we speed up the process using CMYK printing. 

Cost Savings 

Because of the complexity behind spot color printing, it comes with higher costs than a four-color process. It’s less expensive for us to print digitally, and we pass these savings on to you with our competitive prices. 

Virtually Limitless Colors 

If you have a Pantone bridging swatch book, it’s easy to see for yourself that CMYK printers can achieve a practically limitless assortment of colors. From lush greens to bold oranges to cheery pinks, you’ll have all the colors you need to create an eye-catching stand-up pouch design.

Choose The Packaging Lab for Stand-Up Pouch Printing

At The Packaging Lab, we make it easy to turn your packaging ideas into reality. Our efficient digital printing process ensures that you’ll be able to purchase your packages at affordable prices and have them as soon as possible. If you need us to print designs on stand-up pouches, contact us today to get started.