Frequently asked questions

Yes — seal integrity and leak prevention are engineering priorities for this format. Our pouches are specified and tested for transit and home use durability. Spout type, size, and filling method all factor into the specification. We confirm all of this before production.

It's up to you! We have options for both solid block colours and also opaque (see-through) colours.

For each new custom packaging order, there may be tooling costs, which refer to print plates and mould costs used during the production of your packaging. These costs are one-off, as your tooling can be used for future runs.

Potentially via soft plastics drop-off if PA/nylon content is under 10% of total structure. However, food contamination is a practical barrier to recycling in most real-world applications — consumers don't clean meat packaging before disposal. We won't make clean recyclability claims for these formats without that qualification.

No, our bio-based recyclable materials are not compostable. They designed to perform like their virgin plastic counterparts but instead of being made from fossil fuels are made from plants, carbon negative and designed to be recycled. We have plenty of other compostable options if you are looking for something made from plants and compostable!

Both options exist, and they're different products: recycled poly mailers are recyclable via soft-plastics collection; certified home compostable mailers break down in a home compost; FSC paper mailers go in kerbside recycling.

If you require a waterproof mailer, you are best to choose either our compostable or post-consumer recycled (PCR) mailers. Our paper mailers are water resistant and will withstand most conditions during transit but aren't designed to be left out in the wet.

Yes, our paper mailers and mailer boxes are made using recycled board and can be recycled in any paper waste stream.

Yes, for dry products: powders, bath salts, masks and solid formats up to 1kg run in certified home compostable (PBS-based) or industrially compostable (PLA-based) laminates, certified by TÜV, BPI or ABA. Compostable films are moisture-sensitive by design, so they're not suitable for liquid formulations, oils or high-humidity products, for those, recyclable PCR is the honest recommendation.

Yes, liquid home care products run in recyclable mono-material PE spout pouches with up to 70% post-consumer recycled content, recyclable via soft-plastics (#4 LDPE) collection. The engineering matters: liquid puts all its pressure on the seams, so structures are burst-tested and spouts are moulded to hold through filling, transit and repeated use. We also verify your formulation won't react with the film before production.

Yes. Press-to-seal and easy-open ripper zippers are available on stand-up, flat-bottom, quad-seal and flat pouches. Resealability drives repeat purchase on sharing formats, while single-serve pillow pouches skip the zipper and the cost. Compostable zippers are available so resealing never breaks a compostable claim.

Yes, if your order for custom packaging meets the minimum order quantity (MOQ)for your product we can customise the size, print and optional features for you.

Yes. Garment bags, poly bags and mailers are all available in up to 100% post-consumer recycled LDPE, GRS certified at transaction level. That covers your whole packaging chain: many fashion brands fix their outbound mailers but leave inbound supplier polybags in virgin plastic. We supply both, including our Vendor direct supply programme where your garment factories order certified bags directly through one portal.

Yes, our poly mailers are available in up to 100% post-consumer recycled LDPE film, verified with GRS transaction certificates issued against your actual orders. Because mailers carry no food-safety requirement, eCommerce can run the highest recycled content in flexible packaging without compromising transit performance: our mailers run a 60µm baseline thickness built for the courier network.

Yes. Unprinted material and format samples are available on request, and fully printed pre-production sample runs let you test the bag on your own filling line before committing. We recommend sampling for any new format, dimension or material combination.

We have a range of padded mailers in either compostable, PCR recycled or paper honeycomb material that will provide a level of protection during shipping. Get in contact if you're unsure about sending your product in one of our mailers and we'll provide some guidance.

Possibly — but product-packaging compatibility must be confirmed through sampling and testing before production. Moisture and microbial activity in compost products can degrade compostable packaging prematurely. Shelf life, moisture content, and storage conditions all affect the outcome. We won't commit to compostable for high-moisture products without completed sampling. For these applications, Wastemade PCR or Plantmade bio-based recyclable (Green PE) is often more reliable.

No. Compostable laminates are not suitable for moist, wet, or high-humidity products — moisture degrades the material. Wastemade PCR is the appropriate material family for these applications.

No. Compostable laminates are not suitable for liquid content — moisture degrades the material. The refill pouch format itself is the strong sustainability story here, not material compostability.

No. Compostable films are moisture-sensitive by design, so liquid products degrade the pouch from the inside, and seams and spouts under liquid pressure need strength compostable materials cannot provide. Compostable suits dry products up to 1kg. For liquids, recyclable PCR with engineered leak-proof seams is the honest answer.

Compostable materials are designed to be composted. Unfortunately, that means that they generally cannot be recycled and shouldn't go into a recycling stream. Although commercial composting systems are not widely available presently they are growing rapidly, so too is the rate of home composting. For further reading please visit our Resource Hub.

Both. Recyclable mono-PE pouches with up to 70% recycled content are recycled via soft-plastics collection and meet high-barrier requirements. Certified compostable (TÜV, BPI, ABA) suits dry food and treats up to 1kg. In our compostable packaging, the entire pack is certified, zipper included.

Yes — but performance comes first. We recommend Wastemade recyclable PCR for most applications: up to 70% recycled content, GRS certified, and available in recyclable mono-material structures via soft plastics drop-off. For dry food brands with strong sustainability values and pack sizes ≤1kg, compostable is often a genuine fit.

Yes. Our refill spout pouches are typically made using a recyclable PE structure with up to 70% post-consumer recycled content, recyclable via soft-plastics collection. High-barrier liquids like olive oil and spirits sometimes need additional barrier structures. Some high barrier solutions cannot be made in recyclable materials, which we make clear up front.

Yes — and it's often a particularly good fit for snack categories like nuts, seeds, and granola where pack sizes typically fall within the 1kg compostable limit. Industrial compostable (PLA) and home compostable (PBS) structures are both available.

Yes. Snack and confectionery packs up to 1kg run in certified home or industrially compostable laminates, certified by TUV, BPI or ABA. Printed windows are available on compostable structures.

Yes — and it's often a genuinely strong fit. Most supplement packs fall within the 1kg practical limit for compostable structures, and the wellness brand positioning makes compostable a coherent story. Industrial compostable (PLA) and home compostable (PBS) are both available with high-barrier performance.

Yes, for products up to 1kg. PLA-based laminates are industrially compostable and PBS-based laminates are home compostable, certified by BPI, TUV or ABA. The most moisture-critical formulations may not be suitable for compostable solutions.

Yes — and compostable is often a particularly good fit for tea given the lower barrier requirements compared to coffee, and the natural or wellness brand values common in the category. Industrial compostable (PLA) and home compostable (PBS) structures are both available up to 1kg.

Yes, given the lower barrier requirements of tea packaging compared to coffee, compostable packaging can be a good fit. Home compostable (PBS-based) and industrially compostable (PLA-based) laminates are both available, certified by TÜV, BPI or ABA, including certified compostable zippers, so the whole pouch composts, not just the film.

Compostable is not available for liquid applications — liquid content degrades compostable laminates. Recyclability is constrained by the barrier requirements of most liquid applications — multi-material laminates are needed and cannot be separated in standard recycling streams. The sustainability story rests on format (a superior product-to-package ratio to a bottle) and PCR content, not material recyclability. We won't suggest claims we can't back up.

Usually not. Compostable films break down when exposed to moisture and microbial activity, which is exactly what compost and damp soil provide, so the pack can degrade before it is used. Compostable only suits low-moisture garden products with short shelf lives, and only after sampling. For compost, soil and fertiliser, recyclable PCR is the reliable choice.

Our zipper closures are secure and resealable, but not certified child-resistant. Where child-resistance is legally required, we supply a separate certified child-resistant pouch.

Yes, resealable spout pouches from 200ml to 2 litres are the refill workhorse for shampoo, body wash and liquid personal care, engineered with burst-tested seams and leak-proof spouts. For sampling and single-use, flat pouches and pillow sachets carry the same print quality at minigram sizes. Refill pouches also pack flat: 10,000 pouches fit where 10,000 bottles never could.

Yes. Pillow sachets, stick packs and flat pouches handle single-serve and sampler formats with the same barrier spec as your retail pouches. Digital printing makes multi-SKU sampler ranges economical from 6,000 units per SKU, produced consistently across formats so the full range hangs together on shelf.

Yes our our bio-based recyclable films and laminates work well for both wet and oily product sets.

Compostable materials generally are not compatible with wet or oily products for any length of time. Compatibility is product dependent. They can work for product sets that only have a short shelf-life expectation but aren't suitable for anything over four weeks.

No, our recyclable product are not compostable - they're designed to be recycled! For further reading please see our blog post on Composting vs Recycling.

Yes they can. Grounded's recycled films and laminated are recyclable in either dedicated LDPE streams (#4) or via in-store collection systems. Check out your local soft plastics recycling schemes or speak to one of our packaging experts for more information.

Yes, we can split your order and send it to as many locations as you like!

All of Grounded's vacuum pouches are able to be used for sous vide cooking. Our Plantmade recyclable pouches can be used for temperatures up to 80C or 175F. Our Plantmade compostable pouches can be used for temperatures up to 70C or 160F.

No, they don't. Our certified compostable materials undergo rigorous biodegradation and compostability testing to ensure that they completely breakdown into healthy organic matter.

Unlike plastics, compostable materials are designed to have a shelf-life. They won't start spontaneously composting on the shelf or in your warehouse but over time things like sealing and lamination strength will start to deteriorate. In general, we recommend our compostable materials be used within 12-18 months depending on the product being filled as well as storage conditions. However this is influenced by atmospheric conditions like heat and humidity so in particularly hot and humid climates this is reduced. We recommend storing all compostable materials in dry climate controlled conditions as best practice to ensure best shelf-life of the packaging itself.

No. Tea does not continue outgassing after packing, unlike freshly roasted coffee. A degassing valve is not appropriate for tea and would add unnecessary cost.

No, unlike coffee, tea doesn't outgas CO₂, so it doesn't need a degassing valve. That's a key difference from coffee packaging: tea's barrier demands are more forgiving, which means more sustainable material options are on the table without engineering around a valve.

Recycled content has greater variability compared to virgin plastic that creates a slightly speckled, grainy texture in the film. This is almost imperceptible to the naked eye and does not effect packaging or print quality. Speak to one of our packaging experts about getting your hands on samples of our recycled products!

Most brands fill through the spout using standard liquid filling and capping equipment, their own or a co-packer's, and we match spout diameter to your filler. Pouches can also be supplied open for bottom filling. MOQs start at 6,000 units digital or 10,000 rotogravure, plus a one-off spout mould fee.

Yes. Flat pouches and sachets for single-serve applications, sample packs, and travel formats. Available in the same material range as our larger pouch formats.

Yes. Poly bags and garment bags can be produced with printed suffocation warnings in the required languages and sizes, plus ventilation perforation holes, to meet US state requirements and major retailer compliance standards. We confirm the exact warning specification for each market you sell into during artwork setup.

Our recycled and paper mailers do not have a shelf life. Our compostable mailer will keep its strength for 12 months. All our our products should be stored in a cool, dry place.

Yes. Customer must have FFS thermoforming machinery or a copacker with that capability. MOQ is 50,000 print repeats, bottom and top web separately. We confirm filling capability before progressing — it's a critical step.

Both UK EPR and EU PPWR are actively promoting refillable packaging formats. If you're currently using rigid bottles, the regulatory direction of travel is toward the format you'd be switching to. The timing to make that switch matters. Contact us to discuss what this means for your specific market and timeline.

From initial enquiry through to delivery: quote and material selection → artwork and proof approval → production → quality control → delivery. Our team guides you through every step.

Refer to a blog post on how to compost!

See blog post on how to use a dieline.

Dual adhesive strips are standard — one peel-off for original dispatch, one kept in reserve for the customer to reseal for returns. No waste, no extra packaging.

Grounded's bio-based recyclable films and laminated are recyclable in either dedicated LDPE streams (#4) or via in-store collection systems. Check out your local soft plastics recycling schemes or speak to one of our packaging experts for more information. ‍

Our stand-up and flat pouches are specced to pass standard mailbox dimensions — reducing shipping cost and packaging requirements for DTC supplement brands.

We support production across multiple regions and can coordinate fulfilment into UK, EU, US, and Australia. We work with brand teams who need consistent packaging across markets without managing multiple suppliers.

Our mailer bags can withstand heavy weight and are 100% waterproof. They are also tear-resistant and are designed to distributes the weight throughout the whole bag. We encourage you to order a sample pack and put them to the test

Composting timeframe depends on the exact conditions of the compost. Industrial or commercial composts run at higher temperatures and generally operate on a time frame of 2-3 months. Home composts are more variable and dependent on things like climate and how well they are managed. Home compost certification assumes the compost environment operates ~30°C and in order to achieve certification products must fully biodegrade within 12 months.

Global shipping lead times vary based on the shipping route, market demand and other external variables at a given time. For the latest shipping lead times please get in touch with one of our packaging experts.

A flexible refill pouch has a superior product-to-package ratio to the equivalent rigid bottle, the format itself is the biggest sustainability win, before recycled content is even counted. Pouches also ship and store flat: thousands of refills fit in the space a pallet of bottles would need.

Yes — seal integrity and leak prevention are engineering priorities for this format. Spout type, size, and filling method all factor into the specification. We test before confirming suitability.

Production typically takes 35–45 days from artwork approval, with delivered lead times of 6–10 weeks depending on destination and freight method. For repeat buyers, our Managed inventory programme holds finished bags in local warehousing so drawdowns dispatch within 48–72 hours, one all-in unit price covering production, shipping, storage and duties.

Production runs 35–45 days from artwork approval, with delivered lead times of 6–10 weeks depending on market and freight. Our Managed inventory programme holds finished stock onshore for drawdown in as little as 72 hours, useful for tea brands running large multi-SKU ranges where lean packaging inventory matters.

Typical lead times are 6–10 weeks from artwork approval, depending on format and volume. We recommend sampling for any new format or material combination before you commit — contact us to arrange.

From 6,000 units (digital) or 10,000 units (rotogravure). Lead times typically 6–10 weeks from artwork approval.

From 6,000 units (digital) or 10,000 units (rotogravure). Lead times typically 6–10 weeks. Contact us for a project-specific timeline.

Pouches from 6,000 units (digital) or 10,000 units (rotogravure). Thermoforming at 50,000 print repeats per web. Lead times typically 6–10 weeks from artwork approval.

From 6,000 units (digital) or 10,000 units (rotogravure). Typically 6–10 weeks from artwork approval.

Pouches from 6,000 units (digital) or 10,000 units (rotogravure). Thermoforming at 50,000 print repeats per web. Lead times typically 6–10 weeks. Contact us for specifics.

From 6,000 units (digital) or 10,000 units (rotogravure). Typical lead times are 6–10 weeks from artwork approval. Contact us for project-specific timelines.

In the UK, brands placing over 50 tonnes of packaging on the market per year are liable under the EPR scheme. Your packaging type and recycled content directly affect your fee. We're not compliance advisors, but we help brands understand the packaging choices that improve their EPR position. Contact us to discuss.

The Pantone Color System, or Pantone Matching System (PMS), is a standardized color matching system widely used for printing. It was designed to help printers and designers to specify and control colours for printing projects.

Print plates are used to print your designs onto your packaging material. Your designs are laser cut into the plate, with the negative parts of your image cut out so that the plates don't pick up ink. If your design uses multiple colours, there will be a different print plate for each colour. The printing plates are mounted to giant cylinders on the printing press and the plate runs through the ink and onto your packaging.

MOQs start at 6,000 units with digital printing, built for multi-SKU beauty ranges and product launches, and 10,000 units for rotogravure at scale. Spout pouches carry a one-off spout mould fee, flagged at quote stage. Fully printed sample runs are available first.

Majority of supplement pouch MOQs start at 6,000 units with digital printing and 10,000 with rotogravure.

Garden packaging MOQs start at 6,000 units for digitally printed pouches and 10,000 for rotogravure. Large-format heavy-duty bags and rollstock are quoted based on your specific requirements. Where product compatibility is uncertain, especially high-moisture compost, we sample and test before production.

Pouch MOQs start at 6,000 units digitally printed or 10,000 rotogravure. Spout pouches carry a one-off mould fee for the spout-to-pouch fitment, we flag it in every quote so there are no surprises.

Snack pouch MOQs start at 6,000 units with digital printing and 10,000 with rotogravure, per SKU. Every pouch is custom-sized, from single-serve sachets to sharing packs. Rollstock for VFFS and high-speed lines is quoted case by case, and multi-SKU ranges can share plates and split runs to keep per-flavour costs down.

Minimum order quantities start at 6,000 units for digitally printed coffee bags and 10,000 units for rotogravure printing. Digital suits multi-SKU roaster ranges and seasonal releases with no plate costs; rotogravure delivers the best unit economics and exact Pantone colour matching at volume. Sample production costs are credited against your first commercial order.

MOQs start at 100,000 units for poly bags, garment bags and mailers, and 50,000 units for paper formats.

Custom-printed poly mailer MOQs start at 100,000 units, and paper mailers at 6,000 units. At volume, consolidated production runs cut FOB costs by 20–30%, and our Managed inventory programme holds your stock onshore so you draw down and pay as you ship — no more lumpy packaging cash flow.

Pouch MOQs start at 6,000 units digital or 10,000 rotogravure. Thermoforming film for wet food runs at 50,000 print repeats (bottom and top web purchased separately) and requires FFS machinery.

Dried meats and treats need a higher barrier than standard dry pet food, a low WVTR (moisture) and low OTR (oxygen) to stop the fats oxidising and keep moisture out. This usually calls for a high-barrier, often metallised structure, specced case by case to the product and target shelf life.

Loose leaf tea requires medium-to-high barrier, it's in direct contact with the packaging and has a typical shelf life of 18–24 months. Tea bags in an outer pouch need less, the tea bag provides primary protection, and the outer pouch addresses moisture and light. Confirm your product type with us before we spec a material.

Powdered supplements need a high barrier. Moisture causes clumping and oxygen degrades actives and flavour, so we spec to the protection the product actually needs, from EVOH structures that keep out oxygen and moisture, up to metallised structures for the most sensitive formulas, protecting a long shelf life.

Barrier depends on oxygen sensitivity. Fried and nut-based snacks need high-barrier structures (OTR of 2-3 or below via EVOH or metallised layers), while baked goods and confectionery run medium barrier. Moisture barrier keeps textures crisp. We spec to your target shelf life and validate with samples on your filling line.

Loose leaf tea requires medium-to-high barrier — it's in direct contact with the packaging and has a typical shelf life of 18–24 months. Tea bags in an outer pouch need less — the tea bag provides primary protection, and the outer pouch addresses moisture and light. Confirm your product type with us before we spec a material.

Most snack foods — nuts, seeds, chips, confectionery, dried fruit — need high barrier against oxygen and moisture to protect freshness and shelf life. We'll confirm the specific requirement based on your product, target shelf life, and filling conditions.

High to maximum barrier — both oxygen and moisture need to be managed tightly. The specific requirement depends on the product, fill conditions, and target shelf life. We confirm the specification before recommending a structure.

Depending on the product and material, we print using either Pantone (PMS) or CMYK colours. The print capabilities for each product can be found on each of the product pages. Here you can also see what different print methods we can use. For example, digital printing or rotogravure printing.

We ship globally and have customers in every continent.

Fluting is the wavy layer of paper in the middle of corrugated board that makes boxes rigid, strong, and stackable. Adjusting your fluting can affect the size and dimensions of your shipments which could have a major effect on your product performance and shipping costs.

MOQ is an acronym for Minimum Order Quantity. This refers to the smallest number of units of each SKU you can order for your custom packaging. Each product specifies the custom MOQ in the details section on the product page.

Products displayed in outdoor garden centres are exposed to direct sunlight. UV-stable inks prevent fading and print degradation over extended display periods. This must be explicitly specified — it's not a default. We flag it for every outdoor retail application.

Spout pouch filling requires specialist filling equipment — either in-house or via a copacker. This is the first question we confirm in any refill pouch project. Without the right filling capability, the project cannot progress.

Spout pouch filling requires specialist filling equipment. If you don't have this in-house, you'll need a copacker with the right capability. We'll confirm this with you before progressing — it's a critical step in the specification process.

Flat-bottom pouches suit premium retail garden products, and heavy-duty mono-material recyclable bags carry grass seed, compost and fertiliser up to 20kg. Die-cut and moulded handles solve carry on larger formats (a one-off mould fee applies), with structures specified for puncture resistance and rough retail handling.