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MYI. What is a Stick Pack?
A stick pack, commonly known as a centre seal bag, is a single-serve packaging solution widely used for mass-produced products. This type of flexible packaging is sealed along the centre, creating a slim, elongated shape.
Key features:
- Slim and tubular: Its shape makes it easier to pour powders or liquids without spilling.
- Portability: Perfect for on-the-go usage, often used in small spaces like pockets or purses.
- Efficient design: Uses less packaging material than traditional sachets, making it environmentally friendly.
- Common uses: Powdered drink mixes, instant coffee, sugar, dietary supplements, or energy boosters.
II. What is Sachet Packaging?
Sachet packaging, also known as flat pouches or pillow bags, is a popular type of flexible packaging used for single-serve or small-portion products. Due to their sleek and flat design, they are functional, cost-effective, and provide excellent branding opportunities.
Key features:
- Versatility: They come in various styles and designs, from single-use sachets to multi-dose and innovative sachet formats.
- Vapour Barriers: Provides protection to maintain product freshness and longevity.
- Customisation: They support professional branding with options to incorporate barcodes and QR codes for enhanced product traceability.
- Affordability: It is one of the cost-effective packaging solutions that balances practicality and aesthetics. This makes sachet packaging ideal for businesses seeking value.
- Use cases: They are suitable for a wide range of industries, including food and beverages, healthcare, and personal care.
III. Key Differences Between Sachet and Stick Pack
| Factors | Stick pack | Sachet packaging |
| Capacity | Ideal for small portions often used for powders, solids or granules. | Can vary in size but are generally designed for small to medium portions. They can hold liquids, powders, or solids with a broader capacity range. |
| Size & shape of the packaging | Slim, long, and narrow, providing a compact, sleek design that is easy to carry. | Often flat or rectangular, with a wider surface area. They are bulkier compared to stick packs and offer more branding space. |
| Industries | Widely used in the food and beverage industry for powdered products, granules and even solids like chocolate bars. | Used across various sectors like cosmetics, food, personal care, pet care and healthcare. |
| Cost | Slightly more expensive to produce due to their distinctive shape. However, they offer a great cost-to-benefit ratio for single-serve products. | Generally cheaper to produce, thanks to their simple design and wider material options. It is often used for bulk production, providing a lower per-unit cost for business. |
| Consumer preference | Ideal for on-the-go consumers who value convenience and portability. | Ideal for household use, personal care or products requiring portion control over time. |
| Dosage Precision | Offers superior dosage precision due to their slim shape, making them ideal for single-serve applications. | Offers a good dosage control, but may be less precise, especially for powdered products where uniformity is key. |
IV. Which Factors Matter when Considering the Proper Packaging for Your Product?
When choosing between sachet packaging and stick packaging, several factors come into play. These include:
- Product Type: Stick packs are best used with granules, powders and solids, while sachets suit a broader range of products, from solids liquids to powders and granules.
- Available flexible packaging resources. If cost-efficiency is essential to your manufacturing processes, sachets may be more economical to produce in bulk.
- Dosing requirements. Stick packs offer precise and easy-to-control portions compared to sachets.
- Space for branding. Sachets, unlike centre seals, provide more surface area for branding and incorporating additional product information.
- Quality of your product. While both sachets and stick packs guarantee high-quality packaging, some applications where freshness and longevity of the product are top priority may call for a more customisable option. Here, the ideal pick will vary depending on the product in question.
V. Craft the Best Packaging for Your Product with QLM Group
Choosing a flexible packaging solution requires careful consideration of your product type, customer needs, and available resources, among other crucial factors. At QLM, we offer a wide variety of packaging options specifically designed to suit the unique requirements of your industry. Whether you’re in the food, beauty, or pet care sector, we have solutions for:
- Coffee & Tea
- Confectionery
- Cosmetics & Health
- Spices & Herbs
- Personal care
- Marketing Samples & Testing
- Pet care
At QLM Group, we offer high-quality packaging solutions that are designed with your business and final consumer in mind. We work with manufacturers every step of the way to ensure we meet their needs with flexible packaging solutions. Contact us today with any inquiries. We’d love to be part of your success story.
