PLA-based films: a practical guide for flexible packaging
PLA is the best-known compostable film. Here's where it performs well, where it struggles, and how to design a pouch around it.
Read articlePaper-based flexible packaging is growing, driven by consumer perception, retailer policies and, in some categories, regulation. FSSAI's 2026 rules for pan masala, for example, permit only paper, cellulose, tin or glass. But paper is not automatically the more sustainable or the more practical choice.
Where paper works well
- Dry products with modest barrier needs: flour, sugar, pulses, tea, some confectionery and bakery.
- Premium and natural positioning: kraft and textured papers give a strong shelf look.
- Markets with fibre recycling, where a high-paper pack can enter the paper stream.
Where paper struggles
- Moisture-sensitive products: paper on its own is a poor moisture barrier.
- Oily or fatty products: grease can soak through without a barrier coating.
- Long shelf life: recovering barrier usually means adding plastic or foil layers, which can defeat the purpose.
- High-speed lines: paper is less forgiving on form-fill-seal machines and needs different sealing.
Know what you are claiming
A "paper pouch" with a PE sealant layer is still a multilayer pack. If you are making a plastic-free claim, or packing a product that legally requires plastic-free packaging, every layer, coating and sealant must qualify. Ask for full material declarations.
Common paper-based structures
- Paper / PE: simple pouches for dry goods (not plastic-free).
- Paper / metallised film / PE: higher barrier (not plastic-free).
- Coated paper with heat-seal or cold-seal coatings: lower barrier, aimed at plastic-free applications, where every coating must be checked.
How we can help
We print and convert paper-based pouches and can help you test which structure fits your product. Ask about paper pouches.
