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A die cut mylar bag is a foil barrier pouch cut to a shape instead of a rectangle: a circle, an oval, a bottle silhouette, a bear, a leaf, or the outline of your logo. It is made from the same laminate as a standard mylar bag, a printed PET outer, an aluminum foil or metallized barrier layer, and a food grade PE inner seal layer, so it keeps light, oxygen and moisture out the same way. We make them in any shape and size, printed both sides, with a zipper, tear notch and hang hole where they help, and with no minimum order. The number to get right is the seal margin: a die cut bag needs a 3/8 inch sealed edge all the way round the shape, so the finished bag is about three quarters of an inch larger than the product outline.
Shaped bags exist for one reason: they stop the customer’s eye on a shelf or a screen full of rectangles. They cost more per bag than a rectangle because the die and the trim waste are real, so they earn their place on products where the pack is part of the pitch: candy and snacks, cosmetics samples, seasonal and licensed goods, and gift items.
Shape, size and the seal margin
Start with the product, add clearance, then add the seal. A product that is 4 inches across needs a 4.5 inch inner cavity and a 5.25 inch finished bag. Complex outlines with narrow points should be simplified: a point narrower than three quarters of an inch will not seal reliably and will snag in a display.
| Shape | Typical finished size | Fits | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle | 3, 4, 5 or 6 in diameter | gummies, small candy, cosmetic samples, coins | the easiest die, best zipper placement across the top |
| Oval | 4 x 6 to 6 x 9 in | snacks, jerky, bath salts | a stand up base can be added on 6 x 9 and up |
| Bottle or jar silhouette | 5 x 8 to 6 x 10 in | drink mixes, protein samples, sauces | prints as the product it holds |
| Character or mascot | 4 x 6 to 7 x 10 in | kids snacks, seasonal candy, licensed goods | simplify limbs to at least 3/4 in wide |
| Logo outline | any | promotional samples | keep interior counters open for the seal |
Laminate and thickness
Mylar bag thickness is quoted in mil, thousandths of an inch, for the whole laminate. 3.5 mil is light and flexible for small single serve bags; 4.5 to 5 mil is the standard for retail bags that get handled; 7 mil is stiff and stands up on its own for larger shapes. Barrier comes from the middle layer: full aluminum foil for the longest shelf life and total opacity, or metallized PET where a lighter, slightly translucent bag is acceptable. The inner layer is food grade PE and it is what seals.
| Thickness | Feel | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5 mil | light, flexible | single serve, samples, circles under 4 in |
| 4.5 to 5 mil | standard retail | most shaped bags 4 to 8 in |
| 7 mil | stiff, stands up | large shapes, stand up ovals, premium gift |
Closures and features
A press to close zipper runs across the widest straight section of the shape, usually the top of a circle or the shoulder of a bottle. A tear notch sits above it so the bag opens cleanly the first time. A hang hole, round or sombrero, goes in the seal margin above the zipper for peg display. Windows can be die cut into the front and left clear so the product shows through. Matte, gloss and soft touch finishes print the same; holographic and metallic effects use the foil layer as the ink’s background.
Full color on both sides, printed on the outer PET layer so the ink is sealed under the surface and cannot rub off. Because the bag is a shape, the artwork has to follow the die: we supply the dieline with the seal margin, the zipper line and any window marked, and your designer works to it. A printed proof comes before the run and a physical sample of the shape before that.
In short
What to send us: the product size or a sample, the shape you have in mind or a sketch, the quantity, and whether it hangs or stands. What you get back: a simplified die outline that seals reliably, a bag size with the 3/8 inch margin built in, a thickness and barrier recommendation, a dieline for the artwork and a physical sample. What it costs you to start: nothing. Free design, free dieline, free samples, no minimum order.
Die cut mylar bag questions
How big does a die cut mylar bag need to be?
About three quarters of an inch larger than the product outline in every direction: a quarter inch of clearance so the product slides in, and a 3/8 inch seal margin all the way round the shape. A 4 inch product needs a 5.25 inch finished circle.
Can any shape be die cut?
Almost any, with one rule: no part of the outline narrower than three quarters of an inch, because the seal needs width to hold and narrow points snag in displays. We simplify complex outlines and send a sample of the shape before the run.
Do shaped bags keep food fresh like rectangular ones?
Yes. The laminate is the same: printed PET, a foil or metallized barrier, and a food grade PE seal layer. The shape changes the die, not the barrier. Choose full foil for the longest shelf life and total opacity.
Can a die cut bag have a zipper and hang hole?
Yes. The zipper runs across the widest straight section of the shape, a tear notch sits above it, and a hang hole goes in the seal margin. Windows can be cut into the front panel and left clear.
Is there a minimum order?
No. A first run of a hundred or a production run in the hundreds of thousands. Free design and dieline, free samples of the shape, and a printed proof before the run.
No minimum order. One or a full run. Free design and dieline, and a printed proof before production. Free samples so you can check the shape with your own product before you commit. Price match: send a written quote for the same size, board, print and quantity and we will beat it.
Related: custom shaped mylar bags, circle mylar bags, window mylar bags and all mylar bags.
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