For products such as food, household products or pet food, a modern, sustainable and resource-saving means of packaging is needed. Doypacks, which were first developed in 1962, meet these high demands and are absolutely future-proof at the same time. With the numerous possible uses and the wide variety of useful materials with their own advantages and disadvantages, it has long been impossible to imagine the world of products without them.

What are doypacks, anyway?

In case you have never heard of doypacks before, we would like to briefly enlighten you in this section. Doypacks are bags that are Stand-up pouchThey are also known as stand-up pouches and stand-up bags. They are shaped more or less like a bag, but have a stable stand-up bottom.

A packaging manufacturer named Louis Doyen invented it in France when he was looking for a resealable, upright and lightweight package for juice and olives.

It is only in recent years that Doypacks have become increasingly popular, so that you can now find them in large numbers as a packaging solution for various products in supermarkets, discounters and drugstores.

The Doypack was and is not only a good thing for Doyen and other producers, but also today's suppliers and of course consumers benefit from the idea. The packaging is characterized, for example, by particularly thin walls with a thickness of only 95 to 112 µm (micrometers).

The lightweight packs thus take up hardly any space in delivery cartons and kitchen cabinets. Nevertheless, the packs impress with their stability and robustness. The other advantages are so numerous that we would like to summarize the most important ones for you in a list:

• modern
• inexpensive
• sustainable
• easily printable
• resealable
• conserving resources
• large communication area
• many extras available (zip, viewing window, euro hole etc.)
• can be opened easily due to tear notches
• available in many sizes
• lightning fast to fill
• non-corrosive
• recyclable

Doypacks are beneficial to producers, logisticians, retailers and consumers alike.

Overview of the most common uses

Stand-up pouch are suitable for a wide variety of products. You can find them most often in the food industry. Doypacks are used to pack protein balls, mini salamis, muesli, cornflakes, dried fruit, fruit puree, sweets, tea, coffee or spices.

Due to the airtight, aroma-protected packaging and its resealability, the contents remain fresh and edible even after partial removal.

For the same reasons, Doypacks are also interesting for manufacturers of pet food, because in this area, too, not every product is packaged in portions. Among other things, dog and cat snacks are often only taken by the piece, which is why the packs are usually resealable.

Individually packed pet food portions instead have no security for repeated closing and opening. They are just torn open, emptied and added to the recycling.

The Doypack should not be missing in the household either. Anyone who frequently uses liquid soap and always wants to use the same soap dispenser can find refill packs in the form of stand-up pouches with a practical spout in almost all supermarkets and drugstores.

Similarly, detergents, cleaning products and dishwasher tabs. In addition, the doypack can appear in many other industries where high-quality packaging with the above properties is needed.

From these materials consist Stand-up pouch

To guarantee the positive properties, doypacks must be made of selected materials. Not every material is suitable for this purpose. Glass and metal, for example, are almost completely ruled out. Instead, the packaging industry relies primarily on the all-rounders plastic and uncoated paper. In some cases, these two materials are even combined.

Doypacks from foil: the most common variants

Typical doypacks are made of thin film, mainly PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PP (polypropylene) and PE (polyethylene). Depending on the model, they have an additional zip closure, a twist closure or a viewing window.

These elements are also plastic parts. However, there are also Stand-up pouch without these extras. After filling, they are only welded shut and cannot be resealed after they have been torn open for the first time.

You may wonder if this makes foil Doypacks really as sustainable as claimed. This is a legitimate question, as the underlying materials are petroleum-based.

Nevertheless, we can warn you: On the one hand, the films are very thin, which ensures comparatively low resource consumption. At least compared to aluminum cans, glass and thick-walled plastic containers, plastic Doypacks are really something to behold.

On the other hand, the ability to be fully recycled is very high for stand-up pouches. The plastics used can therefore be easily returned to the raw material cycle if disposed of properly.

Film Doypacks as new, more sustainable alternatives

If, despite the arguments, the classic films are not sustainable enough for you, we would like to draw your attention to another option: Doypacks, which are partly made of bio-plastics, can be used for the same products as those made of ordinary plastics.

In the organic variant, the plastic is not based on petroleum, but on sugar cane or other natural products. However, to achieve the same properties, conventional plastics are also added to this variant.

Films with this mixture are known as KPET films. The barrier properties of KPET are not as good as those of aluminum packaging, but they still come close.

Doypacks made of this material are considered "green" and environmentally friendly, as they help to further reduce CO2 emissions in the packaging industry.

Sustainable film-Stand-up pouch are made of bio-plastic and ordinary plastic.

Doypacks from natural paper

Another material that is popular for stand-up pouches and that you should know about is uncoated paper. In most cases, manufacturers rely on the thick kraft paper, as it is more stable, tear-resistant and durable.

It is mainly used as packaging material for dry products, such as seeds, nuts, medical cannabis or coffee beans. In addition, you can buy clothes, toys and metal parts such as nuts in such bags. In many cases, the paper is supplemented by plastic elements such as viewing windows or zip closures.

Anyone who wants to use paper bags should know the most important properties. A doypack made of kraft paper, for example, additionally emphasizes the sustainable impression of the packaging. Even organic plastic cannot keep up visually.

Many people also appreciate the pleasant feel of kraft paper, which is slightly rough and warm. Thus, the paper doypack gives the consumer a good feeling in various respects. Kraft paper is also easy to recycle.

But beware: this does not apply to composites made of paper and plastic, as the mixture of materials makes recycling much more difficult.

It is important to fill, store and transport kraft paper doypacks in the right conditions. It is essential to keep them dry and not to expose them to temperature fluctuations.

Cold in particular can affect the bags, so it's best to make sure that the temperatures are even or at least fluctuate only slightly. They are also not suitable for all products that the plastic alternatives can handle without problems.

Moisture and wetness should be avoided at all costs for the contents. For moist, semi-moist or greasy products, it is therefore better to use film doypacks or to opt for an inner coating.

More materials at Doypacks

Many paper doypacks are not only made of kraft or uncoated paper. Inside they can be lined with aluminum composite foil, which gives them first-class barrier properties and ideal aroma protection. For good flavor, they can even come with an aroma protection valve, if desired by the manufacturer.

Among other things, piping bags are suitable for liquids, pastes and powders, but they are also good for packaging granular and solid products. Typical products that are already sold in paper-aluminum bags are herbs, dried meat and medicines.

Conclusion and outlook

The Doypack has been around for more than 60 years, but it took easy availability of high-quality materials to make this type of packaging a sought-after alternative to canned goods, jars and bottles. Today, hardly anyone would want to miss the numerous advantages of this innovation. After all, they can be used for countless products.

Food manufacturers pack nuts, tea, and pet treats in them, among other things. The pharmaceutical industry likes to pack dietary supplements and medicinal cannabis in the pouches. The household goods industry, on the other hand, relies on the resealable pouches for liquid soaps, for example.

The future of the Doypack looks bright. At present, it can be firmly assumed that even more industries will become aware of this type of packaging and switch over permanently. In addition, other sustainable materials can be expected to join the list of plastics, bio-plastics and kraft paper.

FAQ

1. What is a doypack or Stand-up pouch?

   A doypack or stand-up pouch is a stand-up pouch that is often resealable. As packaging, it has numerous advantages.

2. How much does a Stand-up pouch cost ?

   A price of only a few cents per piece can be expected. The variants that have special features such as screw caps and aroma protection valves can cost up to one euro per piece.

3. Are doypacks suitable for food?

   Yes, they are even very suitable. However, this is not true for all designs. Make sure that the packaging has a barrier such as EVOH. This ensures that the contents of the bag are well protected from UV light, moisture and oxygen.