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Extra-Large Refill pouch overview
An extra-large refill pouch is a larger flexible stand-up pouch designed to refill a rigid bottle not just once or twice but three to seven times. The typical pouch sizes are over 2L and are often used for home and personal care products. Many articles discuss the benefits of refill pouches, but there are multiple types of refill pouches. Some are more suitable for specific applications than others. In this blog, we will focus on the extra-large refill pouch.
Benefits of refill pouches
First and foremost, there are reasons why refill pouches are gaining traction globally. Refill pouches are not only sustainable but also functional. Combining a refill pouch and a rigid bottle minimizes the plastic usage in overall packaging. Many brands have adopted refill pouches to get closer to their sustainability goals, and refill pouches are becoming essential product options in their product portfolio. In addition to the sustainability benefits, refill pouches are user-friendly and easy to empty completely, unlike bottles.
Featured Resources
- Sustainable packaging doesn’t have to be a choice. Combination packaging may be the answer.
- What is a refill pouch? Everything you need to know, from the materials to the benefits of refill pouches.
- 4 Reasons to Choose Flexible Refill Package
Extra-Large Refill Pouch in the US Market
The volume of extra-large refill pouches is typically 2-3L. However, most refill pouches in the US market are 1L and below, and extra-large flexible stand-up pouches are not yet widely available. For this size of liquid packaging, bottle and jug as rigid packaging and bag-in-box as flexible packaging are often used. However, a flexible stand-up pouch has advantages over other types of packaging.
Sustainability Benefits – Minimize Raw Material Use
Like other flexible stand-up pouches, the extra-large flexible pouch uses significantly less plastic than rigid packaging. The 3L laundry detergent rigid bottle weighs approximately 200g as opposed to 50g for the 3L refill pouch. When compared with a bag-in-box, a flexible stand-up pouch does not require a corrugate box for support and uses less bulky fitments, minimizing overall packaging. The extra-large refill pouch has the least amount of plastic usage per fl oz product. For example, the 2L refill pouch reduces 24% of plastic used per fl oz product compared to the 1L refill pouch. The extra-large refill pouch is the most sustainable form of packaging in terms of plastic consumption.
Japan is an established refill pouch market, and now the market has shifted to the extra-large refill pouch from the typical one to two times refill pouch to reduce plastic further.
This extra-large refill pouch is the perfect packaging for home care products such as laundry detergent and cleaning liquid and personal care products such as hand soap and shampoo. Durability becomes one of the most critical elements in the extra-large refill pouch packaging. Some pouches have a reinforced handle to add usability. The extra-large refill pouch is an excellent option for many, but some cosmetics with reactive active ingredients or short shelve life may not be suitable for this packaging. Because of the required durability, these size refill pouches are currently possible with multilayer structures.
Featured Resources
Where to start with your refill pouch project?
You may think a refill pouch is just a spout pouch, but there are many elements, including size, material, closure, design, and sustainability requirements. When you have liquids, it is critical to work with suppliers who are knowledgeable about the flexible liquid pouch and have comprehensive packaging options.
ZACROS has over 25 years of refill pouch experience and continues to innovate to provide a wide range of sustainable packaging options, from traditional laminated extra-large pouches to the latest monomaterial pouch. We work with our customers from material selections to filling assistants to launch refill pouch products successfully. Contact us today to discuss your project.