Choosing the right laminating pouch

In this blog we run through the most asked questions about laminating pouches

Laminating pouches are a great way to preserve and protect important documents, worksheets, newsletters and much much more. They are also widely used in school for a variety of uses. Hopefully we answer any questions you may have below. But if you need to get in touch email us sales@hosltd.net or call us on 01706 861643 or during normal office hours start a live chat available on our website

• What is a laminating pouch?

Laminating pouches are mainly used in conjunction with a laminating machine. They protect documents by encasing the sheet of paper in a sealed plastic covering. Pouches are open on three sides and are sealed on one side. Insert the sheet of paper into the pouch, feed the plastic pouch with its contents through the laminating machine and out the other side your document is sealed in plastic. The pouches are waterproof and wipe clean and have a wide variety of uses.

• How to use a laminating pouch?

Laminating pouches are very eash to use. Simply take the sheet you wish to laminate insert it into the pouch and then feed the pouch sealed side first into the machine. Out the other side your document will be sealed in plastic. 

• What size laminating pouch do I need?

That depends on what you are laminating. Laminating pouches come in many many sizes. You would need to measure the size of the sheet you want to laminate to ensure you purchase the right size pouch.

• What size laminating pouches are available?

There are numerous sized laminating pouches available. The standard sized laminating pouches are: Credit card, A5, A4, A3 and A2. Of course you would need an appropriate sized laminator for the document you wish to laminate

• What thickness of laminating pouch do I need?

This is something that can become quite confusing as some manufacturers list their pouches as a total thickness and some list them as thickness per side - Confused? So am I. For example the most popular thickness of laminating pouch, and the one we sell the most is standard 150 micron pouches. However you may also see that these are labelled by some manufacturers as 75 micron per side (75x2 = 150 micron) Phew not easy is it?

So the thickness of the laminating pouch you need is very much dependant on what job you want the laminated item for:

• Standard laminating pouches are 150 micron and these are ideal for everyday use. 150 micron pouches are the most popular for use in schools, they are the cheapest to buy and are perfectly adequate for most uses
• Next level up are 200 micron pouches and these are best used for notices or signage that need to be pinned to walls
• And then the next best seller are 250 micron pouches and these are best used for frequently handled items. Ideal for laminating menus or other items that are handled regularly

You can purchase laminating pouches that are thicker than this but the vast majority of machines only lamiante up to and including 250 micron. Please refer to the manual for your laminator for details

• Can you only put paper in a laminating pouch?

You can put paper or card in a laminating pouch. We have experienced a customer trying to laminate leaves & flowers but this resulted in the machine being broken and in effect invalidating the machines warranty. Be careful what you laminate!

• Can you open a laminating pouch?

Simple answer to this is "No you can't" - Once the pouch has been sealed through the machine it forms a permanent plastic covering of the item you have laminated

• Which laminating pouch is best?

A question we get asked often. There are many brands of laminating pouches on the market and most of them will do a perfect job. This includes unbranded laminating pouches or pouches sometimes described as white box. If you prefer to stick with a brand such as Fellowes, GBC or Apex you can find many great deals here on our website. But the unbranded ones would also work perfectly as good as branded ones. Check out the products at the bottom of the page for details of our best sellers

• Can you iron a laminating pouch?

Erm in a word "No" Placing a hot iron on to plastic would result in the pouch melting

• Can you use a laminating pouch without a machine?

Yes you can but you would have to purchase self seal pouches which are considerably more expensive, so if you want to laminate on a regular basis it is best to buy a laminating machine and a pack of pouches

• What is the difference between gloss and matt laminating pouches

Gloss laminating pouches are the most popular but they are exactly as described - a clear see through plastic that can produce glare in sunlight. Matt laminating pouches reduce the glare but you will find that these are a tad more expensive. It really is personal preference

• Is there an alternative to using a laminating pouch?

Yes there is. If you are laminating in bulk then you would be better off with a roll laminating machine. Although a roll laminating machine are typically more expensive they will save you a lot of time when laminating in bulk. Ideal for the education market a roll laminating machine guarantees high volume economical results. Our best seller can be viewed here: https://www.hetheringtonsweb.co.uk/search?query=gb05432 

I think I have covered most of the regularly asked questions but here at Hetherington's we are always happy to help. Email us sales@hosltd.net , Call us on 01706 861643 or start a live chat which is available 8:30am - 5:00pm Monday to Friday