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Side-by-side illustration of a digital printer and a rotogravure cylinder printing on flexible packaging film. If there are realistic pouches in the image the pouches should have some design elements as though you might find them in a grocery store. Use the fictitious company Mind+Body as the brand and label the products with real products that would be packaged in the pouches. Do not use Lorem Ipsum copy in the graphic.

Digital vs. Rotogravure Printing: What’s Right for Your Stand-Up Pouches?

Compare cost, quality, turnaround, and when to use each printing method—plus access artwork templates and calculators to decide with confidence.

ESTIMATE MY PROJECT COST
Close-up of digital printing head applying vibrant color directly onto flexible pouch film.

What Is Digital Printing?

Digital printing applies your design directly onto the film—no plates required. It’s ideal for short runs, fast turnaround, and multiple SKUs.

Pros:

  • No setup costs
  • Fast revisions
  • Photo-quality images

Cons:

  • Higher unit cost at scale
  • Color consistency varies run to run

What Is Rotogravure Printing?

Rotogravure uses engraved cylinders to transfer ink—perfect for large runs and consistent, high-quality finishes.

Pros:

  • Lowest per-unit cost at scale
  • Exceptional color consistency
  • Rich finishes (matte, gloss, metallic)

Cons:

  • Plate fees
  • Longer lead times
Rotogravure cylinder rolling ink onto a large web of flexible packaging film.
Table graphic comparing digital vs rotogravure: MOQ, setup cost, turnaround, and ideal uses.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature Digital Rotogravure
MOQ 1,000–5,000+ 25,000+
Setup Cost None Plate fees
Cost per Unit Higher Lower
Turnaround 7–14 days 4–6 weeks

When to Choose Each

Choose Digital If: You need fast changes, multiple SKUs, or small runs.

Choose Rotogravure If: You have high volume, need consistent color, or specialty finishes.

Graphic split highlighting use cases: digital for small runs, rotogravure for large launches.