Frequently Asked Questions

We are a family, right to the core. Our roots are grounded in our beginnings as a family business and we value working with the smallest start-ups and the largest brands. We treat each customer equally: as part of the family; it’s in our DNA. Our state-of-the-art digital printing technologies allow us to offer our clients many benefits.

• No minimum order quantities
• No setup fees
• Custom designs
• Multiple SKUs in one run
• Quick turnaround times
• Variable content and data
• Sustainable manufacturing processes
• Custom sample packs
• Manufactured in Canada

Our lead time for digitally printed pouches is typically around 2-3 weeks from the customer’s final sign-off on their art proofs, however this may vary depending on the time of year or due to material shortages. Contact our Sales team to discuss our current lead times. If you’ve ordered online, our team will be in touch shortly to provide your estimated shipping date.

Yes! Our custom pouches can be created to the exact size that you require for your product, within our manufacturing capabilities. The maximum sizes vary based on the pouch style you choose. In general, we can produce pouches as small as 2.5”x2.5” (63.5x63.5mm) to as large as 14”x16” (356x406mm). We offer a wide variety of pouch styles which can accommodate almost anything you’d like to package. Features like clear windows, metallic effects, and various zipper styles are available on most of our products, and many of our conventional materials are able to be vacuum sealed.

• Stand-Up Pouches
• 2 or 3 Side Seal / Lay Flat Pouches
• Quad Seal Pouches
• Flat Bottom Pouches
• Spout Pouches
• Side Gusset Pouches Check out our custom solutions to see a selection of products that can be ordered online. Not sure what size or style to order? Check out our What Bag Do I Need? and What Size Do I Need? pages for helpful information. Need a little extra help? Please contact us.

These sizes have been designed to reduce waste during printing and production – they have the same capacity as their equivalent stock bag sizes but have been formatted for efficiency. Thanks to this optimization, we are able to offer these sizes at a lower cost and as a more sustainable packaging option compared to our competitors.

Thanks to our digital printing process, you can print in an endless array of colours at no extra cost. We strive to provide our clients with the best colour, which is why we colour-match every job and provide tear sheet samples if needed. Interested in Pantone colours? Our state-of-the-art printing presses are able to match Pantone colours very closely. We are also able to order Pantone-matched ink, though this is typically reserved for very large orders, and would add costs and lengthen the turnaround time for the order.

Our digital printing process does not require plates or cylinders – that means quicker turnaround times, flexibility for design changes between runs, and no plate costs! Our digital printing occurs at our facility in Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

We are happy to put together a customized sample pack for you – all you have to do is pay for the shipping. This will allow you to become more familiar with our sizes and finishes to help you determine what best suits your needs.Request a sample pack.

We are happy to put together a customized sample pack for you – all you have to do is pay for the shipping. This will allow you to become more familiar with our sizes and finishes, which will help you determine what best suits your needs. We’ve also developed this handy chart for our optimized sizes and their respective fill amounts.

There are no minimums, however orders under 500 units are considered a prototype run and do require a flat fee of $1,500 - $3,000, depending on size and style, to cover set-up and overhead costs.

Absolutely! We are proud to offer custom compostable pouches, made with certified compostable materials, option to add compostable zippers or valves, and designed and manufactured locally to suit your needs. In fact, we created an additional FAQ page for our compostable pouches for all your questions!

We offer clear, metalized, and paper options for our compostable pouches.

Rootree offers custom flexible packaging that is recyclable under code #2. Our recyclable line is more limited than our conventional line. But don’t worry – it’s not too complicated! We encourage you to learn about our RT | Recyclable line or shop our recyclable packaging. If you are looking for an option that is even more eco-friendly, we offer compostable packaging made from renewable, non-GMO, & bio-based materials, offered in both paper and non-paper options. Shop our compostable packaging. Still have questions? Check out our compostable FAQs!

Yes we can!

A selection of common dielines can be found on our website. Artwork must be placed on an official Rootree dieline and must conform to our Artwork Guidelines. Learn more about our Artwork Guidelines and, if you’re choosing compostable, read about our additional Compostable Guidelines. For assistance with dielines or assembling artwork, please contact prepress@rootree.ca.

The Bullfrog Power on-product mark is a mark you can add to your packaging design to share with the world that your packages are made by Rootree a facility bullfrogpowered with 100% renewable electricity.

The benefits of using the mark on your packaging are:

• Highlight your brand’s commitment to environmental stewardship. 
• Help customers recognize your brand as a sustainable business that’s committed to using renewable energy in its supply chain.

The Bullfrog Power mark is an exclusive offering for our clients, as we are the only flexible packaging manufacturing facility that’s partnered with Bullfrog Power!

Learn more about the mark and how we can help you add it to your Rootree packaging.

Your brand is your foundation and our Creative Services Team has you covered from concept to launch. We offer creative services for virtually any of your business needs – we specialize in working with customers to take their ideas from a concept to fully branded packaging with an eCommerce website, custom photography, social media presence, business cards, and even trade show backdrops and banners. Check out our full list of Creative Service offerings and let our team help tell your brand’s story.

Yes, our Creative Services team has many talents! Our in-house graphic designers specialize in package design and we offer a variety of design packages.

Yes! Our full-service, in-house creative team specializes in branding, package design, e-commerce websites, digital marketing, and so much more.

From logo updates to redesigns to full brand identities – our Creative Team helps you get that vision out of your head and onto the paper. We can ensure you’ll hit the ground running with a brand that your audience will love. Contact our Creative Team today!

Let our Team be your guide to helping you launch your business into the world of online marketing and social media management. We offer a variety of online marketing services.

We can provide flexible packaging, source boxes and other add-ons such as desiccants, however we do not source ingredients or food products. That said, our team is resourceful, and we would be happy to offer any advice we may have.

We’re a one-stop shop at Rootree, offering design, printing, and packing! While you will see the most benefits from using Rootree as a total packaging solution, our packaging manufacturing and co-packing departments operate independently. No matter the source of the materials, we will be happy to fill your needs (pun intended). We can pack not only pouches but also rigid packaging and roll stock. We can also handle the assembly of retail cartons and stands!

Within any successful partnership, communication is key. The more information and forecasting we can get from our clients, the better we can serve them. This usually translates to a contract agreement where the client commits to certain volume ranges at specific frequencies.

There are also opportunities to find efficiencies with subtle process changes which can provide cost savings. Ask your sales representative for recommendations for your specific application.

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) benchmarks different food safety standards around the world. It was founded in the early 2000’s in response to redundant auditing and food safety concerns at the time. BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000, and SQF are some of the standards worldwide in the food manufacturing industry that are GFSI benchmarked and, therefore, cross-compatible. BRCGS is a UK-based standard, while SQF is based in North America. We hold a Level 2 SQF Certification for all food-related co-packing activities and continue to maintain an “Excellent” score on every audit.

Yes, we lease pallet spaces in our temperature-controlled SQF-certified facility. We can store pouches, boxes, or finished products.

We can hold bulk products that have been scheduled for production, but we do not offer storage and warehousing for these materials. Additionally, to mitigate food-safety risks associated with storing externally sourced food products, we minimize the duration of storage for scheduled production runs. We can, however, store finished products upon completion if this is a service that you require.

No matter what you pack, a certain percentage of process waste and an overweight tolerance needs to be factored into your consumption. Process waste is often negligible, lost through dust or sanitation activities.

The CFIA takes products containing less than their net weight quite seriously, and since there is no such thing as a dosing machine that fills every unit with the exact quantity required, an overweight tolerance must be taken into account.

The tolerance will vary based on many factors, including product characteristics, net weight, and machines used. In general, we will ask for 10% extra product to be sent to ensure that order quantities are met, whereas the averaged tolerance lands around 2% for products packed in volumes greater than 500 grams, and 5% for volumes between 50 and 500 grams.

Short answer: Yes, this is very helpful and sending samples will expedite the quoting process.

Longer answer: In some cases, it is possible for us to quote without a product sample, depending on your product. Flour-based baking mixes, for example, will run very similarly to each other, and we can make some experienced assumptions. However, most products are unique and require an applications specialist from our team to evaluate how the product will run and what equipment will be used, which will impact your quote. If we quote a project without a product sample, the quote will be based on our industry experience, and the quote will be subject to change if any assumptions made are found to be incorrect.

We use a digital tracking system to track all production activities, records, and inventory. An item code accompanies every sub-component we consume or finished good we produce. The item codes follow this format: Client Name – Item Category – Net Weight and SKU identifier. For example, a finished good would read TIMELYHARVEST-COMPLETED-150GMATCHATEA. The product consumed in filling this finished good would read: TIMELYHARVEST-PRODUCT-MATCHATEA, and the pouch would read: TIMELYHARVEST-POUCH-150GMATCHATEA

Before we schedule any project and the ‘countdown’ starts, the following requirements must be met:

• All compliance documents are correctly filled out and returned to us.
• Sales order is signed, and a 50% deposit has been received.
• All subcomponents for the job have been received.

Due to the various external factors affecting the arrival of subcomponents, which are completely outside of our control, we cannot schedule a job until all the materials for the entire job are in our warehouse, including product(s), packaging, boxes, and any other specific items for the project.

Once the above requirements are met, our team will provide you with a timeline for completion of your project. Any timeline that we may provide before these requirements are met is forecasted and not final, as we operate on a “first come, first served” basis.

We take pride in offering the lowest possible minimums, while maintaining cost-effective service. This usually translates to approximately 2,500 units per order, with the option of breaking that up into multiple SKUs.

We offer a wide variety of stock pouch styles which can accommodate almost anything you’d like to package! Stock packaging is sometimes referred to as blank, pre-made, or mylar pouches, but it’s essentially just an unprinted package. We can add valves and/or tin-ties to most of our stock pouches for a fee. Many of our stand-up pouch sizes have zipper and non-zipper options, as well as window options.·

• Stand Up – various sizes from 28g to 5kg
• Flat Bottom – various sizes from 100g to 1kg
• Side Gussets – various sizes from 250g to 2kg
• Spout Pouches – contact us for sizes and pricing

Don’t see anything here that suits you? Check out our custom pouch options!

For our pre-made pouches, the individual materials are recyclable. However, most recycling facilities are unable to separate the materials in order to properly recycle them – this is typical in the flexible packaging industry. Find out more about the environmental impact of plastics by reading our blog. If you’re looking for a sustainable alternative, our custom packaging is available in both recyclable and compostable.

We do not currently offer compostable stock bags. However, our custom pouches are available in compostable materials.

Yes! We offer pre-made and custom pouches with a metalized layer.

Many pouches on the market are made entirely from petroleum-based plastics with enzyme additives to accelerate degradation – but this just means that they break down into tiny little pieces of plastic. The materials we use are fully compostable! This means our packages won’t break down into microplastics, and the material will safely compost back into the earth without leaving harmful residues behind.

Right in your backyard! Our films and inks are certified for home composting and our zippers and valves are certified for industrial composting! To compost at home, cut off the zipper and valve (if applicable) and dispose of them separately.

The main difference between home and industrial composting is the conditions the compost is in. At home, where the compost is often left outside, the temperatures fluctuate from season to season. The industrial composting process is much more controlled - by adding heat, oxygen, microbes, and other materials to aid in the process, a product that may take 8-12+ months to decompose at home, may take less than 6 months at an industrial composting facility. Check out the Standards for Compostability EN 13432 for more information on composting.

For the time being, our packages cannot be placed in your green bin. Sound confusing? Don’t we know it! Our compostable packaging is compostable, but it’s so good that even the composting experts can’t differentiate it from regular plastics at first glance. This means it gets sorted out of the compost and sent to the landfill. On top of that, municipal facilities simply aren’t designed to accommodate items that need a little bit more time to break down. For now, you'll have to continue composting it at home or bring it to a private facility that accepts compostable packaging for industrial composting. With hope on the horizon, recent legislative activity shows promise for the future of compostable packaging thanks to the implementation of standard practices across the industry.

… we can’t wait to share, but for now, it remains a mystery.

Essentially, nothing fully breaks down in a landfill, even organic matter, because landfills are inherently lacking the right environment for degradation - that's why we see that landfills are eventually capped and the land cannot continue to be reused as a landfill. But the good news is that the compostable materials won't be leeching harmful chemicals like plastics do during that time, it won't turn into a microplastic and pollute our waters, and since the compostable packaging is made from renewable resources and sustainable forestry initiatives, it has a much cleaner pre-lifecycle footprint than plastics do.

To learn more about the composting process, read more: Composting Guide For Geniuses Like You

The compostable packaging we've developed can decompose at home in ~8-12 months! If brought to an industrial composting facility, our compostable packaging can take 6 months or less to decompose! Our compostable films are verified by a third party for disposal in home or industrial composting facilities.

Our compostable packaging is made with clear film that is printed using HP Indigo Digital Technology. The process involved is a sustainable way to print exceptional-quality packaging. All the inks are certified for use with compostable packaging.

We offer our home compostable film using either a matte or gloss finish which are derived from Certified Wood Pulp Cellulose. This way you don't have to compromise on your packaging when you choose compostable.

Yes, our compostable packaging maintains the freshness of your product as conventional packaging would. However, due to the natural material base, compostable packaging itself does have a shorter lifespan than conventional packaging (in our defence, forever is a tough one to beat!). Our packaging is best suited for shelf-stable foods and has the potential to remain shelf-stable for up to 2 years under controlled conditions. It’s important to remember that packaging made from natural materials may behave differently when in contact with other products. We always recommend that clients order some samples and test their products inside of these bags over a controlled period of time to determine suitability. As always, a chat with our Sales team to discuss your specific product needs can answer all of your burning questions.

Terminology in the sustainable industry can be very confusing. While many companies use the term “biodegradable”, it is a catch-all term and does not have the same meaning as “compostable”.

The term “biodegradable” refers to a material's ability to break down into smaller micro pieces in nature but does not mean that it will turn into a natural product. Bioplastic is considered biodegradable, but while it can degrade in the environment, it remains a plastic and won't turn into a natural material.

Often, the term “biodegradable” is used to embellish the green profile of the product and create the belief that the item is made from organic matter, and therefore is compostable. This is not the case. The term “compostable” refers to the material's ability to fully return to the earth and cause no harm to the environment. Thumbs down to green washing.

When conventional plastic breaks down, it becomes microplastics which often can only be seen under a microscope(although they can be as large as 5mm). Just because it's difficult to see the microplastic, doesn't mean it's not there! Microplastics end up in our water streams, oceans, potable water, and are even ingested by marine animals. Unlike most waste pollution, microplastics are nearly impossible to clean up. Recent studies show that humans ingest thousands of microplastics a year through the dust in the air, plastic packaging, drinking water, and food consumption. For more information on microplastics, see PAC's resource

Excellent question. Compostable packaging will not diminish the colour of the inks on your packaging! Our inks that are certified for use in home compostable packaging will continue to be vibrant and colourful!

Yes! This versatile clear film allows for “windows” to be created in your artwork to showcase your product. However, due to the natural components of these films, the windows will have diminished clarity.

Often customers ask us if they can make claims like “100% Compostable” or “Fully Biodegradable” on their packaging – in short, no (at least not yet!). We are committed to being transparent about the proper disposal of our products, and we don’t want to mislead anyone along the way. That’s why we’ve created a compostable logo that we require to be placed in a visible location on every package. We are currently in the process of pursuing 3rd party certification and upon obtaining certification, we will be able to provide access to a globally recognized logo that customers can benefit from on their packaging.