Rotogravure printing is a relatively new technique and is used for printing newspapers, postcards, and magazines; and yes, it can certainly be used on stand up bags. It gained a lot of popularity between the 1930s and 1960s. However, it took some time before it came to the packaging industry. During the 1980s and 1990s, this printing set foot in the stand up pouch packaging market. And now, it has become the main standard for flexible packaging.

 

While the more traditional flexographic printing relied on rubber plates for printing purposes, rotogravure depends on metal cylinders which contain engraved images. There is a different cylinder for each color used on your standup pouches.

 

The cylinder is covered with ink, and a blade removes the excess ink before it comes in contact with the film. This way, the film is coated with the right amount of ink. This film is sandwiched between the printing cylinder and the impression roller. 

 

The results of this technique have bolder and crisper colors and can support more complicated artwork. Although this entire process of printing flexible pouches seems expensive, but it is actually quite economical. With the advancements in technology, the cylinders and machines used for rotogravure have become cheaper, making it the best choice for printing on standup pouches.