The question of format comes up early in the engineering process
Sachet or pouch—the question may sound like it’s about packaging design, but it determines machine configuration, format sets, film width, and logistics throughout the line’s entire service life. A bag format for a 3-gram sample skews material consumption; a sachet for a 500-gram bulk pack fails due to stability and ease of removal. Those who understand the limits can design a line that clearly separates the two.
The Definition Boundary
A sachet is a flat, single-serving pouch holding 1 to 50 grams or milliliters, manufactured as a 3-side seal, 4-side seal, or stick pack (15 to 40 mm in diameter). In B2B terminology, a “bag” refers to the larger primary packaging starting at 50 g: flat bags, gusseted bags, block-bottom bags, or stand-up pouches with a width of 80 to 400 mm. There is no standardized cutoff—transitional formats such as 4-side-sealed pouches up to 100 g can be classified in either category. For planning purposes, the following applies: for quantities under 50 g, the sachet dominates; for quantities above that, the pouch dominates. The basics of small formats are explained in the article on Sachetmaschine.
Format Comparison
| Characteristic | Sachet | Bag |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 1 to 50 g/mL | 50 to 2,000 g |
| Dimensions (W × L) | 15 to 150 mm × 50 to 200 mm | 80 to 400 mm × 150 to 500 mm |
| Seams | 3 or 4 sides, or a longitudinal seam on a stick pack | Back seam + side seams, with a bottom panel |
| Stability on the shelf | no | with a square or round bottom, yes |
| Film consumption per fill volume | tall (many seal margins) | low (fewer seams, more capacity) |
| Secondary packaging | Collector's box, cardboard box containing 20 to 100 pieces | Sold individually in stores; outer carton containing 10 to 20 pieces |
The amount of film used can be explained mathematically: A 3-gram sachet weighs almost the same for both the packaging and the contents, while a 500-gram bag requires a fraction of the film per gram of product. So sachets “pay” for their portion size with material—this isn’t a mistake, but rather the cost of the format.
Mechanical Engineering: Same Family, Different Design
Both formats run on the vertical filling and capping machine—but with clearly distinct design specifications:
- Format range: Sachet machines operate with narrow forming shoulders and tight sealing tolerances; bag-making lines require wider shoulders, automatic bottom-folding mechanisms, and wider film webs.
- Number of tracks: Sachets are dispensed in multiple lanes (stick packs with 4 to 10 lanes), while bags are dispensed in a single lane—the dispensing mechanisms are fundamentally different.
- Package sizes: Sachet dispensers operate in the milliliter and gram range with a tolerance of ±0.5 %, while bag dispensers operate in the kilogram range with broader tolerances.
- Format Part Sets: Anyone who uses both formats needs two sets of mold shoulders, sealing jaws, and filling tubes—the Format Change It then takes 30 to 60 minutes instead of the internal fine-tuning.
Pre-made pouches—such as stand-up pouches with a spout or a zipper—are not processed on the forming machine, but rather on the Bag-filling machine for pre-made bags. A detailed comparison of the technologies can be found in the article VFFS or pre-made bags.
Five Decision-Making Criteria
- Portioning: Is the single dose part of the product (single-use portion, single-use dose, sample)? If so, use a sachet. Is the quantity a single-use amount? If so, use a bag.
- Distribution channel: Restaurants, hotels, magazine inserts, and pharmacies rely on sachets; grocery store shelf sales require stand-up pouches.
- Number of items per sales unit: Sachets are secondary-packaged in bulk boxes containing 20 to 100 units—the cost of this cartoning and palletizing process should be included in the overall calculation.
- Material costs: High production volumes combined with small fill volumes drive up the proportion of film per kilogram of product—which, for commodity products, is a deal-breaker for the sachet.
- Warehouse Logistics: Flat sachets stack tightly, but they don't save space because the secondary box takes up most of it; bags are more efficient for palletizing per metric ton of product.
The Two-Format Strategy
Many companies produce both formats on a single base machine: the product as a bulk bag for retail, and the same formula as a sachet for sample campaigns and foodservice channels. This is feasible if the machine is designed from the outset with both format component sets—molding shoulders, sealing jaws, filling tube, and recipe management. Retrofitting is possible, but more expensive than ordering them as part of the initial investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what fill level does the sachet end?
Economical at around 50 g or milliliters; intermediate sizes up to 100 g are packaged in wide, 4-sided sealed pouches. Above that, flat-bottomed and stand-up pouches are used.
Can a machine produce sachets and bags?
Yes, with two sets of format parts and a film supply of sufficient capacity—the changeover takes 30 to 60 minutes. Dedicated high-performance sachets and large bottom-sealed bags warrant separate lines.
Which size is cheaper in the package?
The bag: fewer sealed edges and more contents per unit area of film. The sachet offers advantages in terms of portioning, hygiene, and handling—but in terms of pure material costs, the large bag always comes out on top.
What is a Stickpack?
The narrowest sachet format—a round or oval tube with a diameter of 15 to 40 mm and a longitudinal seam, manufactured in multiple lanes. Typically used for coffee, tea, and powdered portions; technically a sachet, but often marketed as its own category.
Related pages: Vertical Filling and Sealing Machine | Bag-filling machine | VFFS or pre-made bags | Format Change on Packaging Machines
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