ISO 6590-1:2025
(Main)Packaging — Vocabulary — Part 1: Paper sacks
Packaging — Vocabulary — Part 1: Paper sacks
This document defines terms commonly used in paper sacks manufacture. It refers to single- and multi-ply sacks made of paper or combination of paper and other materials where the paper is the main part. It does not refer to bags for retail trade.
Emballages — Vocabulaire — Partie 1: Sacs en papier
La présente partie de l'ISO 6590 définit les termes communément utilisés dans l'industrie du sac en papier. Elle est applicable à des sacs en papier à grande contenance, simples ou multicouches, et non à des sacs pour le commerce de détail.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
International
Standard
ISO 6590-1
Second edition
Packaging — Vocabulary —
2025-04
Part 1:
Paper sacks
Reference number
© ISO 2025
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
3.1 General terms .1
3.2 Terms related to air permeability perforation methods .3
3.3 Terms related to pasting .3
3.4 Terms related to the sack bottom .4
3.5 Terms related to bottom types .6
3.6 Terms related to valve types in sewn sacks .7
3.7 Terms related to valve types in pasted hexagonal bottom sacks .8
3.8 Terms related to descriptions of the sack and other construction details .11
3.9 Terms related to types of sacks . 12
3.10 Terms related to types of sack paper .17
3.11 Other terms related to sack manufacture .19
Bibliography .20
Index .21
iii
Foreword
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The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
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Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 122, Packaging, Subcommittee SC 3,
Performance requirements and tests for means of packaging, packages and unit loads (as required by
ISO/TC 122), in collaboration with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee
CEN/TC 261, Packaging, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN
(Vienna Agreement).
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 6590-1:1983), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— general editorial changes have been made to the document in line with ISO/IEC Directives Part 2;
— updates have been made to the figures accompanying specific terms and definitions;
— considerations have been made to align with existing standards in order to avoid additional interpretations
of identical terms, where necessary, and conversely proposing updates to existing definitions where
considerations should be made in renewing the definitions in other standards;
— new terms have been added to reflect the development within the field;
— old terms for products and services no longer in use have been deleted.
A list of all parts in the ISO 6590 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
International Standard ISO 6590-1:2025(en)
Packaging — Vocabulary —
Part 1:
Paper sacks
1 Scope
This document defines terms commonly used in paper sacks manufacture. It refers to single- and multi-ply
sacks made of paper or combination of paper and other materials where the paper is the main part.
It does not refer to bags for retail trade.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1 General terms
3.1.1
paper sack
flexible packaging of single or multiple plies (3.1.2), predominantly made of paper
Note 1 to entry: Suitable for packaging large quantities of powdery or granulate products mainly intended for business-
to-business distribution chains activities.
Note 2 to entry: Hereafter, where the word sack is used in the text of this document, paper sack is to be understood. If
no prefix is applied to a term under definition, paper sack is also to be understood.
3.1.2
ply
sheet of paper or other flexible material, or combination of such materials, forming the walls of a sack
3.1.3
gusset
fold with a prescribed size inserted in the longitudinal edges of a tube (3.1.4)
3.1.4
tube
one or more plies (3.1.2) in the form of a flattened cylinder with a prescribed width cut into a prescribed length
3.1.4.1
flat tube
tube (3.1.4) comprised solely of one or more flattened cylindrical plies (3.1.2)
3.1.4.2
gusseted tube
tube (3.1.4) comprised of one or more plies (3.1.2) with folds inserted in the longitudinal edges
3.1.4.3
flush cut tube
flat tube (3.1.4.1) or a gusseted tube (3.1.4.2) with plies (3.1.2) cut collectively or individually to a
prescribed length
Figure 1 — Example of a flush cut tube
3.1.4.4
stepped end tube
flat tube (3.1.4.1) or a gusseted tube (3.1.4.2) with plies (3.1.2) cut individually and staggered in echelon to a
prescribed length so that the final tube length will result longer than each single ply length
Figure 2 — Example of a stepped end tube
3.1.4.5
notched end tube
flat tube (3.1.4.1) or a gusseted tube (3.1.4.2) with plies (3.1.2) cut individually and staggered in a manner
which provides one or two edge notches on one tube (3.1.4) end
Figure 3 — Example of a notched end tube
3.2 Terms related to air permeability perforation methods
3.2.1
air permeability perforation
holes pierced through the sack walls or the individual plies (3.1.2), made by needles during manufacturing,
in order to facilitate air release during sack filling
3.2.2
micro-perforation
small holes made on individual plies prior to forming the tube (3.1.4)
Note 1 to entry: The distance between the micro-holes can vary (e.g. 25 × 25 mm, 10 × 10 mm, 5 × 5 mm or smaller)
and can be applied in full or in limited areas of each ply and it is typically obtained with conical needles allowing a
variable grade of perforation or with straight needle for a predetermined and more stable degree of perforation.
3.2.3
sack perforation
process of making holes through the entire sack wall, made directly on the formed tube (3.1.4)
Note 1 to entry: Sack perforations are usually made on a specific area of the sack wall, typically under the valve
position.
3.3 Terms related to pasting
3.3.1
pasting
adhesive bonding
joining together the different plies (3.1.2) and the different materials by means of adhesives (3.11.3)
3.3.2
longitudinal overlap
areas of the longitudinal edges of a ply (3.1.2) which are superposed
3.3.3
longitudinal pasting
pasting (3.3.1) by which the longitudinal overlap of a ply (3.1.2) is joined together with an adhesive (3.11.3)
or extrusion
Note 1 to entry: The seam may be continuous or interrupted.
3.3.4
cross pasting
application of an adhesive (3.11.3) between the plies (3.1.2) normally at one or both ends of a tube (3.1.4)
Note 1 to entry: Cross pasting facilitates separation of the front and back side of the tube during manufacture or of the
mouth of the sack during filling. It can increase the strength of certain types of sacks.
3.3.5
heat sealing
welding
method of joining together surfaces under controlled application of heat, pressure and dwell time
[SOURCE: ISO 21067-1:2016, 2.5.14, modified — The secondary term "welding" was added and in the
definition the word "mating" was replaced with “joining together”.
3.3.6
ultrasonic sealing
method of joining together surfaces under controlled application of ultrasounds at a specified frequency
Note 1 to entry: Frequencies are typically 20 000 Hz or 30 000 Hz on paper products.
3.3.7
sewing
stitching
joining together individual plies (3.1.2) by means of sewing thread (3.11.4)
3.3.8
pasted closure
closure of a tube (3.1.4) at one end only with an adhesive (3.11.3)
3.4 Terms related to the sack bottom
3.4.1
bottom
closure, to a prescribed dimension, of one or both tube ends to form the final sack configuration
3.4.2
bottom overlap
areas of the transverse ends of a tube (3.1.4) which are superposed when formed into a bottom
3.4.3
bottom pasting
joining together of the sack walls by means of an adhesive (3.11.3)
Note 1 to entry: Before closure of the tube one or both ends are folded and/or formed into a suitable shape at a
prescribed size.
3.4.3.1
flush cut bottom pasting
joining together one or both ends of a flush cut tube (3.1.4.3), folded and with the plies (3.1.2) pasted down
collectively
Note 1 to entry: This can be done with or without a bottom cap (3.4.6).
Key
1 adhesive
2 sacks walls
3 bottom cap
Figure 4 — Example of a flush cut bottom pasting without or with bottom cap
3.4.3.2
stepped end cut bottom pasting
joining together one or both ends of a stepped end tube (3.1.4.4), folded and with the plies (3.1.2) pasted
down in steps
Note 1 to entry: This can be done with or without a bottom cap (3.4.6).
Key
1 adhesive
2 sacks walls
3 bottom cap
Figure 5 — Example of a stepped end cut bottom pasting without or with bottom cap
3.4.4
bottom sewing
closure of a tube (3.1.4) at one or both ends by means of a continuous transverse line of stiches
Key
1 sewing holding paper sheet
...
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