Glossary Term
Convert specialized terminology into practical business insights, removing technical obstacles from your decision process.
Flexible Packaging Glossary
This glossary provides key technical terms for the flexible packaging industry, aiming to help you grasp the key concepts in technical documents.
- Printing Processes
Spot Finish
Spot Finish refers to applying a selective finishing effect to specific areas of a package to highlight certain graphics or text.
Common spot effects include:
Spot Gloss
Spot Matte
Spot Foil
Spot Texture
- Printing Processes
Soft Touch
Soft Touch is a special coating or lamination that creates a smooth, velvety, and soft-to-the-touch surface on packaging materials.
It provides a premium, tactile feel, reduces surface glare, and enhances the perceived quality of the product.
Matte
Matte refers to a surface finish that creates a non-glossy, low-reflection appearance on packaging materials.
It gives colors a softer, more premium look, reduces glare and fingerprints, and is widely used for high-end, minimalist designs.
- Printing Processes
Hot Stamping
Hot Stamping is a finishing process that uses heat and pressure to transfer metallic foil—such as gold, silver, or colored foils—onto the surface of packaging materials.
It creates a shiny, metallic appearance, making logos, text, or design elements stand out with a premium look.
Holographic
Holographic refers to a packaging effect that creates rainbow-like, color-shifting holographic reflections on the material.
This is typically achieved using holographic film or laser-patterned surfaces, producing dynamic colors when viewed from different angles. It enhances visual impact and gives the packaging a modern and eye-catching appearance.
- Printing Processes
Gloss
Gloss refers to a surface finishing that creates a shiny, high-reflection appearance on packaging materials.
This glossy effect enhances color vibrancy, makes graphics appear clearer, and draws visual attention. It is commonly used to give products a modern and premium look.
- Printing Processes
Embossed
Embossed refers to a process that uses pressure to create raised, three-dimensional patterns or text on the surface of a material.
This technique enhances tactile texture and visual emphasis, making it ideal for highlighting logos, design details, or decorative elements.
- Printing Processes
Digital Stamping Embossed
Digital Stamping Embossed is a finishing technique that combines digital foil stamping with embossing to create raised, tactile metallic details on packaging.
It requires no metal molds, making it ideal for small runs and high-end designs that highlight logos and key elements.
- Composite Materials, Composite Processes, Materials, Plastic, Production Process
EVOH (Ethylene-Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer)
The highest oxygen-barrier transparent material, primarily used in premium food packaging, pharmaceutical applications, and sensitive product protection. Even at minimal thicknesses, EVOH delivers unmatched barrier performance. It is often laminated with PE or PP to combine moisture resistance with superior barrier properties.
- Composite Processes, Compostable Materials, Eco-Friendly, Materials, Metal
PA (Nylon)
The most puncture-resistant plastic film, featuring high abrasion resistance and gas barrier properties, ideal for packaging requiring mechanical durability. Commonly used in vacuum bags and frozen meat packaging, it maintains flexibility even at -60°C without brittleness.