Once you've chosen your bag format and confirmed your quantity, there's one more decision that will significantly affect how your product is perceived: the finish. Matte, gloss, and soft touch aren't just aesthetic choices — they communicate brand positioning, affect how colours reproduce, and influence how the bag feels in a customer's hand.

Here's an honest comparison of each.

Matte Finish

Matte laminate reduces light reflection across the bag surface, producing a flat, even appearance with no shine. It's the most popular finish in the specialty coffee market because it aligns with the sector's premium, low-key aesthetic.

What matte communicates:

• Sophisticated, understated, confident
• Premium without being flashy
• Strong association with specialty and artisan coffee

Considerations:

• Slightly less vibrant than gloss for very bright or neon colours
• White and light colours tend to appear softer — which can work beautifully or require adjustment
• Fingerprints and smudges are less visible than on gloss

Best for: Specialty roasters, premium retail, brands with clean, minimal design systems. Matte is our most popular finish across stand up pouches and box bottom bags.

Gloss Finish

Gloss laminate adds a reflective sheen to the bag surface. Colours appear more saturated and vivid compared to matte, particularly deep blacks, rich blues, and strong reds. It's a more traditional finish with strong shelf impact.

What gloss communicates:

• Bold, energetic, confident
• Strong visual contrast and colour depth
• More traditional premium positioning than matte

Considerations:

• Fingerprints are more visible on gloss surfaces — a consideration for retail shelf handling
• Can appear less premium in markets where matte has become the category norm
• Works extremely well for designs with large solid colour areas or strong photographic elements

Best for: Brands with bold, colour-forward design systems. Supermarket or high-traffic retail environments. Learn more about how digital and rotogravure printing interact with different finishes.

Soft Touch Finish

Soft touch laminate creates a velvety, tactile surface that feels premium in the hand. It's a step above standard matte — more refined, more textured, and more memorable. The finish significantly affects how customers perceive quality before they even open the bag.

What soft touch communicates:

• Luxury, craft, intentional quality
• A product that's been considered from every angle
• Positioned above standard specialty

Considerations:

• Higher cost than matte or gloss — most suited to flagship SKUs
• Works best on darker base colours where the tactile contrast is most noticeable
• Not ideal for budget-conscious product tiers — the premium cost should be reflected in the retail price

Best for: Flagship single origin SKUs, gift products, premium retail or café-exclusive ranges.

Kraft (Natural Finish)

Kraft bags use a natural brown paper exterior that communicates sustainability, craft, and provenance. The finish is inherently matte and the earthy aesthetic is strongly associated with artisan food products.

Best for:

• Brands with a strong sustainability or provenance story
• Farmers market and artisan retail channels
• Products where the natural aesthetic is part of the brand identity

If sustainability is important to your brand, explore our eco-friendly packaging range and read our guide on compostable vs recyclable coffee bags.

Quick Comparison

We send free sample packs of every finish so you can feel the difference before you commit. Request a sample pack and we'll have it to you within a few days.