How to Fill and Seal your Pouches: A Step-by-Step Guide

Flexible packaging, such as stand-up pouches, flat bottom pouches or flat pouches offers multiple benefits. They are space-saving, sustainable and eye-catching on retail shelves. Plus, they are incredibly practical for filling—whether manually or with a machine.

After your pouches have been supplied and your product is ready to be distributed, there are two final steps to be made before your product can finally be sold to your customers: filling and sealing the packaging securely to ensure maximum freshness and shelf life.

While stand-up pouches (also known as Doypacks) feature a standard press-seal zipper, for our flat bottom pouches it is also possible to add a so-called Pocket Zipper, which allows for a wider opening. This makes filling packaging with products like coffee beans quick and hassle-free, especially when it comes to manual filling.

Keep in mind: unlike other pouch forms, flat pouches do not feature a standing surface, which can make filling a bit tricky if you do not make sure to hold them flat or stabilise the pouches using aids such as holders.

Depending on the type of product, there are various dosing techniques to get your exact fill weight into the pouch. This not only ensures that you don't fall short of your fill weight, but also optimises your giveaway, i.e. unintentional filling above your declared weight.

There are different methods to use for filling your packaging with your products.

Our Packiro pouches are delivered as pre-sealed at the bottom and open at the top—ready for manual stand-up pouch filling. With their sturdy base and wide opening, they can be easily filled without a machine.

How to Fill Pouches Manually

If your pouch features a Zipper, open it at the top. Fill the pouch with your product (only up to 75-80% full in order to leave enough space for sealing). A measuring scoop can help. Make sure to close the Zipper airtight!

Manual filling is cost-effective but more time-consuming than automated methods, making it ideal for start-ups and small-scale production.

For those looking to scale up, semi-automatic pouch filling is a great option. With machine assistance, the filling process becomes faster and more consistent.

As the term already suggests, semi-automatic filling processes combine manual with machine-assisted filling. Operators typically position the pouch under the filling nozzle, and the machine dispenses a pre-set number of products.  

While not fully automated, these machines offer precision and consistency. Compared to fully automatic systems, semi-automatic fillers require more manual labour but offer greater flexibility and easier changeovers between product types.

How half-automatic filling works:

1. Inflation: The machine grips a preformed pouch (such as a stand-up pouch or flat-bottom pouch) to inflate it.

2. Filling: It fills the pouch with the pre-weighed product (e.g., snacks, powders, pet food, etc.).

3. Sealing: The machine seals the pouch shut, ensuring the product remains securely inside.

Want to see how it works in action? Check out our video demonstrating semi-automated filling for flat bottom pouches.

A fully automated filling machine handles everything—from setting up the pouches to precisely filling them.

Using an automated filling machine doesn’t require any operator to handle the filling process and manually load and unload containers. The system automatically recognises when a container is in place, precisely dispenses the required product quantity, and seamlessly transfers it to the next phase of the production line.

This speeds up the process significantly and ensures uniform filling. However, it requires a higher initial investment and is best suited for large production volumes.

Choosing the right filling method depends on your product type, production volume and budget. For growing businesses, a semi-automatic or multi-head weigher machine is often the best balance between cost and efficiency.

For food products like coffee or snacks, a tamper-evident, airtight seal is essential. Heat sealing is the best method to preserve freshness and build customer trust.

To heat-seal pouches, they must have a heat-sealable layer, as found in all Packiro stand-up, flat and flat-bottom pouches.

There are two heat-sealing methods that are commonly used:

Manual Heat Sealer (Best for Small Batches)

This is how to use a manual heat-sealing tool for sealing your pouches:

• Set the heat sealer to a low temperature and gradually increase if needed.

• Ensure there is space between the seal area and the product.

• Press the sealing jaws together for 2-3 seconds—done!

Semi-Automatic Sealing Machine (Best for Larger Quantities)

If you’re business is running larger production quantities and you want to speed up the process, then a semi-automatic sealing machine may be the better fit.

These are the benefits of a semi-automated sealing process:

• Ensures consistent, airtight sealing for extended shelf life.

• Speeds up the process, allowing for higher production output.

• Reduces errors, saving time and costs in the long run.

Whether you opt for a manual, semi-automatic or fully automated sealing: for best results, we recommend using a flat, stable surface when sealing your pouches.

Medium sized and the big players in the food industry usually use all-in-one automated machines that form the packaging, fill and seal it.

Two types of machines are commonly used in the packaging industry. Both of them are typically used for creating flow packs from printed rolls.

• Vertical Form Fill Seal (VFFS) Machines

• Horizontal Form Fill Seal (HFFS) Machines

A VFFS machine forms, fills and seals flexible bags or pouches vertically. First, the continuous roll of plastic film is unwound, then the machine forms the bag, fills it with your product and seals it vertically. Both solids and liquids can be bagged using VFFS machines (e.g. snacks, supplements, coffee, tea, sauces and spices).

An HFFS machine on the other hand combines all three steps, but horizontally. Common applications include food, pharmaceutical products, household items and pet food.

Looking for the best flexible packaging solutions? Check out our range of high-quality pouches to find the perfect fit for your product!