Matte vs Gloss vs Soft-Touch Pouches: Which Sells Best?

This blog compares matte, gloss, and soft-touch pouch finishes on look, feel, and cost, and shows which products suit each one. It also explains how digital standup pouches let brands test finishes in small batches, with advice on questions to ask a custom stand up pouch company before choosing.

Shoppers judge the look of a product within seconds, and that includes the pouch finish. A custom stand up pouch company faces the same question from almost every brand, ‘which pouch finish is better?’ In truth there’s no ‘clear winner’ and no single factor to decide. Here’s a breakdown of the three choices to help you make a decision based on your product, shelf and your buyer.

Matte vs Gloss vs Soft-Touch: The Quick Answer

Soft-Touch

Each conveys a different feeling to the shopper before they’ve read a word on the pouch.

Gloss Pouches, Bold and Eye-catching

Gloss reflects light back so the colors are vibrant and punchy.

High visibility under store lighting

Easy to clean

Often the most budget-friendly

Highlights fingerprints and glare (in certain lighting)

Gloss is great if you’re marketing snacks, confectionery or value products. A printed stand up pouch company can help you to make the most of the color vibrancy to get your art and logo to stand out on a busy shelf.

Matte Pouches, Modern and understated

Matte finishes absorb the light, creating a feeling of softness to the material.

Less glare and great for photography

Often seen as premium or artisanal

Perfect for minimalist and earthy designs

Vibrant colors can appear slightly desaturated

Matte is the most popular choice in the food packaging world for coffee, tea, spices and wellness products. Custom stand up pouches made with a matte finish offer an attractive alternative to glossy options.

Matte vs Gloss vs Soft-Touch Pouches: Which Finish Sells Better?

Soft-Touch Pouches, Premium you can feel

Soft-touch pouches have a velvet-like coating that tempts the buyer to touch the pouch.

Tactile appeal offers an added premium feel

Creates an attractive contrast with other pouches

Can be more prone to scratches and scuffing (especially dark shades)

More expensive than gloss or matte

Great option for gifting, pet treats, niche food and high-value products where the customer is expecting a tactile experience.

When to use each type of stand up pouch

Your Goal	Best finish	Why
Stand out in a bright aisle	Gloss	Vibrant colors and extreme visibility
Signal natural or artisanal quality	Matte	Less glare and appears more premium
Justify a premium price	Soft-Touch	Tactile premium finish
Keep costs lean on a large run	Gloss	Typically the lowest-cost pouch finish
Photograph well online	Matte	Reduced glare

When in doubt, always go with digital stand up pouches.

If you’re unsure which pouch finish to go with, always do a trial run. A custom stand up pouch company can help you to get a small print run in two finishes so that you can see which one stands out on shelf or in your online listing.

Many custom digital stand up pouches allow you to change the pouch artwork or finish between print runs, so you’re never stuck with a poor choice for many months. A reliable printed stand up pouch company will always offer samples so you can feel the difference between each finish.

Questions to ask before choosing your pouch finish

Is the finish done in-house or by a third party?

Can I see physical examples in all three pouch finishes?

Is the desired pouch finish available on digital standup pouches (with lower minimums)?

How does the finish react to scuffing during transit?

What’s the cost difference per pouch between the different finishes?

A good custom stand up pouch company will be open and honest about their processes, and a decent printed stand up pouch company will provide samples for you to feel the differences for yourself.

Gloss wins on color vibrancy, cost and visibility. Matte wins on being modern and premium. Soft-Touch wins on the feel of the material. The pouch finish that sells the best is the one that fits with your product and the perception your buyer has. The safest route is to test your assumptions by doing a print run with custom digital stand up pouches first.

Not sure what finish will sell the most for your product? Get in touch with Colorflex for consultation and see matte, gloss and soft-touch samples side by side.