Welcome to class, everyone please be seated. Let’s get right to the point. Are you wondering what all these numbers mean? Why are these packaging people always saying “four by six by two point five?”
You don’t work in the industry, but I do. Let me show you the path to enlightenment.
First off, those numbers refers to Outside Dimension, also known as OD. They never account for seal width, because seals can vary bag to bag, and can change with customer preference. Always measure the bag empty.
Second, the equation is width x height x gusset.
So…pictured left is a Now You See Me stand up pouch (SUP) in size 5×8.5×3. Here you see a width of five inches.
Next we have the height of the bag, this includes everything from top to bottom. Don’t start or stop at zipper or tear notch, remember it’s outer dimensions (OD).
To measure the gusset, you’ll want to measure from the inside of the bottom of the bag, up to the inside top fold. The gusset is located at the bottom fold of the bag. To properly measure the gusset, the bag should be lying flat and unfilled. Then multiply the number by 2.
Now go shoot a SUP into orbit.