Packaging Glossary: 700+ Paper, Print and Compliance Terms

A German quotation offers Pergamentersatz at 40 g/m², a UK supplier quotes greaseproof at 40 gsm and a US distributor lists 25 lb deli paper. The first two describe the same material; the third is about the same weight but may be a different paper altogether. Terms like these change meaning between markets, suppliers and departments, and misreading one can cost money on every reorder. This packaging glossary is the index to more than 700 defined terms covering paper, board, film, printing, converting, testing, regulation and trade, written for the people who specify, buy and approve printed packaging.

How this packaging glossary is organised

The glossary is split into five topic pages, each with 135 to 167 terms grouped into themed sections. This page is the hub: it describes each topic glossary, gives one-sentence definitions of 40 core terms that come up on almost every packaging quotation, keeps a short list of format and commercial terms that do not belong to any one topic, and ends with an A-Z index of every term, each linked to its full entry.

It is written for packaging buyers, procurement, quality and compliance managers at foodservice chains, retailers, food brands and distributors in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the UK and the US, and for designers and product developers who write specifications. Full entries give the term, its abbreviation and, where it helps a buyer, the German (DE), Dutch (NL), UK or US equivalent, followed by a definition of two to five sentences with typical values and a link to the guide that covers the topic in depth.

Definitions are checked against the standards and official texts they cite, and the same term is defined the same way across the site. Typical values are given as ranges because mills, converters and test methods vary; final specifications for any order are confirmed at quotation and technical review. Regulatory entries reflect the position as of October 2026 and are definitions, not legal advice. How sources are chosen, dated, reviewed and corrected is set out in our editorial policy.

These unit conversions cause most of the errors when quotations from different markets are compared.

Quantity	Unit	Conversion
Paper weight	gsm (g/m²)	1 lb US bag-paper basis weight (3,000 sq ft ream) ≈ 1.63 gsm
Board thickness	µm	1 pt (point) = 0.001 in = 25.4 µm
Film thickness	µm	1 mil = 25.4 µm = 100 UK gauge; µm × 4 ≈ gauge
Cup volume	ml	1 US fl oz = 29.57 ml; 1 imperial fl oz ≈ 28.41 ml
Corrugated edge crush	kN/m	1 lb/in ≈ 0.175 kN/m (32 ECT ≈ 5.6 kN/m)
Pallet footprint	mm	Euro 1200 × 800; UK 1200 × 1000; US GMA 48 × 40 in ≈ 1219 × 1016

Each topic glossary is a standalone page with its own quick index, FAQ and links back to this hub. Where a term belongs to two topics, for example Delta E (printing and testing) or flute (materials and converting), it is defined on both pages from the relevant angle, and the A-Z index below links to both.

Printing and prepress glossary

Print processes and press types, flexo anilox and plate terms, gravure and offset vocabulary, inks and curing, colour measurement standards such as Delta E, G7 and Fogra, prepress and screening, proofs, print defects and print varnishes. Use it to read prepress reports, proof notes and press approval sheets. 140 terms.

Open the printing and prepress glossary.

Converting and manufacturing glossary

The machines and operations that turn printed reels and sheets into finished packs: slitting, die-cutting and folder-gluing, paper bag and cup making, corrugators, blown film extrusion, lamination and curing, tissue and napkin converting, and palletising. It explains the terms that appear in factory audits, capability questions and production schedules. 137 terms.

Open the converting and manufacturing glossary.

Packaging materials glossary

Fibre and pulp, paper grades and properties, carton board classes under DIN 19303, corrugated flutes and liners, plastic films and resins, coatings and barriers, adhesives and moulded fibre. It is the reference for decoding material lines on quotations and technical data sheets. 135 terms.

Open the packaging materials glossary.

Testing, quality and defects glossary

ISO, TAPPI, ASTM and ISTA test methods for paper, board, corrugated, film, cups and print, food-contact and chemical testing, quality documents and AQL sampling, plus the names of common defects by pack type. Use it when writing a specification, reading a test report or agreeing inspection criteria. 140 terms.

Open the testing, quality and defects glossary.

Regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

PPWR roles, documents and design requirements, single-use plastics rules, food-contact law, green claims, national rules for Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, the UK and the US, and customs, origin, Incoterms, pallets and freight. Entries name the instrument, jurisdiction and date and are definitions, not legal advice. 167 terms.

Open the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary.

Core packaging terms

These 40 terms appear on most packaging quotations, data sheets and compliance documents. Each one-sentence definition is a summary; the full entry, with typical values, standards and local-language equivalents, is on the topic glossary linked below it.

A.TR movement certificate (EU-Türkiye)

An A.TR movement certificate proves that goods are in free circulation in the EU-Türkiye Customs Union, allowing industrial goods such as paper packaging to enter the EU without customs duty, although import VAT remains payable.

Full definition: A.TR movement certificate in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

AQL (acceptance quality limit)

AQL (acceptance quality limit) sampling inspects a random sample from a lot using the ISO 2859-1 or ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 tables, with the AQL agreed for each defect class setting the acceptance and rejection numbers.

Full definition: AQL in the testing, quality and defects glossary

Aqueous dispersion barrier (dispersion coating)

An aqueous dispersion barrier is a thin water-based polymer coating applied to paper or board that gives grease and water resistance, and in some grades heat sealability, with less polymer than PE.

Full definition: Aqueous dispersion barrier in the packaging materials glossary

Caliper (thickness; US points, pt)

Caliper is the thickness of a paper or board, usually stated in micrometres (µm) or, in the US, in points (1 pt = 0.001 in = 25.4 µm), and it influences stiffness far more than grammage does.

Full definition: Caliper in the packaging materials glossary

CMYK (process colours; four-colour process)

CMYK is the four-colour process that prints cyan, magenta, yellow and black as halftone dots to reproduce images and a wide colour range, matching brand colours only approximately.

Full definition: CMYK in the printing and prepress glossary

Cobb test (Cobb60; ISO 535)

The Cobb test measures how much water a paper or board surface absorbs in a set time, in g/m², with Cobb60 meaning a 60-second exposure and lower values meaning better water resistance.

Full definition: Cobb test in the testing, quality and defects glossary

Compostable (industrially compostable)

Industrially compostable packaging breaks down into water, carbon dioxide and biomass in managed industrial composting within a defined time, shown by certification to EN 13432 in the EU or ASTM D6400 or D6868 in the US.

Full definition: Compostable in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

Corrugated board (DE Wellpappe; NL golfkarton)

Corrugated board is a sandwich of flat liners glued to one or more fluted layers of paper, with single wall having one flute between two liners and double wall two flutes and three liners.

Full definition: Corrugated board in the packaging materials glossary

Cupstock (cupboard; DE Becherkarton)

Cupstock is virgin-fibre paperboard, typically 170-350 gsm, made for forming cups and round containers, internally sized against edge wicking and coated with PE or an aqueous dispersion barrier.

Full definition: Cupstock in the packaging materials glossary

Cutting die (DE Stanzform)

A cutting die is the one-off tool, typically steel rules set in a board base, that cuts and creases printed sheets into blanks in one stroke and can be reused on repeat orders.

Full definition: Cutting die in the converting and manufacturing glossary

Declaration of Compliance (DoC; food contact)

A Declaration of Compliance (DoC) is a supplier's written statement that a food-contact material meets the applicable rules for stated conditions of use, legally required for plastics under Regulation (EU) 10/2011 and expected by buyers for paper and board.

Full definition: Declaration of Compliance in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

Delta E (ΔE; colour difference)

Delta E (ΔE) is a single number for the difference between two measured colours in the CIELAB colour space, and a packaging colour tolerance must state both the value and the formula, such as ΔE00.

Full definition: Delta E in the printing and prepress glossary

Dieline (cutter guide; DE Stanzkontur)

A dieline is the flat outline of a pack before cutting and folding, showing cut, crease, glue and perforation lines, and artwork should be placed on the manufacturer's own dieline.

Full definition: Dieline in the printing and prepress glossary

Digital printing (inkjet or toner)

Digital printing creates the image directly from the file by inkjet or toner without plates or cylinders, which makes it strongest for short runs, prototypes, printed samples and versioned designs.

Full definition: Digital printing in the printing and prepress glossary

Edge crush test (ECT)

The edge crush test (ECT) measures the force needed to crush a short strip of corrugated board standing on its edge, in kN/m or lb/in, and is the best single predictor of a box's stacking strength.

Full definition: Edge crush test in the testing, quality and defects glossary

EPR (extended producer responsibility)

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) makes the business that places packaging on a national market responsible for financing its collection, sorting and recycling, usually through registration, tonnage reporting and fees to a scheme.

Full definition: EPR in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

FBB (folding boxboard; GC1/GC2)

FBB (folding boxboard, GC1 or GC2) is multi-ply virgin-fibre carton board with bleached chemical pulp outer plies and a bulky mechanical or CTMP pulp middle, giving high stiffness per gram for food and consumer cartons.

Full definition: FBB in the packaging materials glossary

Flexography (flexo; DE Flexodruck)

Flexography prints from raised, flexible photopolymer plates inked by an engraved anilox roll and is the dominant process for paper bags, wraps, napkins, plastic film and corrugated packaging.

Full definition: Flexography in the printing and prepress glossary

Flute (flute profile)

A flute is the wave formed in the corrugating medium, and the flute letter, such as A, B, C, E, F or N, indicates its height and pitch, from about 0.5 mm for N-flute to about 5 mm for A-flute.

Full definition: Flute in the packaging materials glossary

Food contact material (FCM)

A food contact material (FCM) is any material or article intended to come into contact with food, including packaging and the inks and coatings on it, governed in the EU by Framework Regulation (EC) 1935/2004.

Full definition: Food contact material in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)

FSC is a voluntary international forest certification scheme whose FSC 100%, FSC Mix and FSC Recycled labels require chain-of-custody certification for every company that takes ownership of the material.

Full definition: FSC in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

Golden sample (master sample)

A golden sample is the approved, signed physical sample, held by both buyer and manufacturer, against which production and inspections are measured.

Full definition: Golden sample in the testing, quality and defects glossary

Grammage (gsm, g/m²)

Grammage is the mass of one square metre of paper or board in grams (gsm or g/m²), the value paper is traded on and the main driver of material cost, but not a measure of thickness.

Full definition: Grammage in the packaging materials glossary

Gravure (rotogravure; DE Tiefdruck)

Gravure prints from metal cylinders engraved with ink-holding cells, giving rich, very stable colour, but its expensive cylinders make it economic mainly for long runs of unchanged designs, mostly on film.

Full definition: Gravure in the printing and prepress glossary

Greaseproof paper (DE Pergamentersatz; NL vetvrij papier)

Greaseproof paper is intensively refined, dense paper, typically 30-60 gsm, that resists fat through its structure rather than a coating and is rated for grease resistance by the KIT test.

Full definition: Greaseproof paper in the packaging materials glossary

Incoterms 2020 (ICC trade terms)

Incoterms 2020 are the International Chamber of Commerce's eleven standard trade rules, such as EXW, FCA, FOB, DAP and DDP, that define where the seller's costs and risks end and the buyer's begin.

Full definition: Incoterms 2020 in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

KIT test (TAPPI T559; ISO 16532-2)

The KIT test rates the oil repellency of a paper surface from 1 to 12 using numbered mixtures of castor oil, toluene and heptane, as a fast screening test for grease resistance.

Full definition: KIT test in the testing, quality and defects glossary

Kraft paper (DE Kraftpapier)

Kraft paper is strong paper made from long-fibred chemical pulp produced by the kraft (sulphate) process, supplied brown, white or with recycled content in MF, MG and sack kraft finishes.

Full definition: Kraft paper in the packaging materials glossary

Laminate (multilayer structure; DE Verbund)

A laminate is a material of two or more bonded layers, written from outside to inside such as PET/PE, in which each layer adds print surface, barrier, strength or sealability.

Full definition: Laminate in the packaging materials glossary

Make-ready (set-up; DE Einrichten)

Make-ready is the set-up of a press or converting machine for a job, from mounting plates or tools to running waste until saleable product comes off, and its largely fixed cost is a main reason for minimum order quantities.

Full definition: Make-ready in the converting and manufacturing glossary

Mineral oil barrier

A mineral oil barrier is a layer, coating or inner bag that blocks the migration of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH/MOAH) from recycled-fibre board or inks into food.

Full definition: Mineral oil barrier in the packaging materials glossary

Mono-material

Mono-material packaging is made predominantly from one polymer family, such as all-PE or all-PP, so it can be recycled in that material's stream; it does not mean single-layer.

Full definition: Mono-material in the packaging materials glossary

Offset lithography (offset, litho; DE Offsetdruck)

Offset lithography prints from flat plates via a rubber blanket, using the repulsion between greasy ink and water, and is the standard process for folding cartons, cup blanks and litho-laminated corrugated liners.

Full definition: Offset lithography in the printing and prepress glossary

PE extrusion coating (PE-lined)

PE extrusion coating applies molten low-density polyethylene as a thin continuous film onto paper or board, typically about 12-20 g/m² per coated side on cupstock, to give water resistance and heat sealability.

Full definition: PE extrusion coating in the converting and manufacturing glossary

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances)

PFAS are a large group of fluorinated chemicals historically used to grease-proof paper and board, restricted in EU food-contact packaging by PPWR Article 5(5) from 12 August 2026.

Full definition: PFAS in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

PPWR (EU; Regulation (EU) 2025/40)

The PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40, is the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, generally applicable from 12 August 2026, with EU-wide rules on substances, recyclability, recycled content, reuse, labelling, conformity documentation and EPR.

Full definition: PPWR in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

Recyclable

A recyclable claim means the packaging can be collected, sorted and reprocessed in existing streams at scale in the market where it is sold; under the PPWR, EU packaging must reach recyclability grade A, B or C from 1 January 2030 at the earliest.

Full definition: Recyclable in the regulation, sustainability and trade glossary

SBS (solid bleached sulphate; SBB; GZ)

SBS (solid bleached sulphate, also SBB or GZ) is dense carton board made of bleached chemical pulp in all plies, white throughout and used for premium cartons that need deep embossing, fine foil and crisp die-cutting.

Full definition: SBS in the packaging materials glossary

Spot colour (Pantone colour; DE Sonderfarbe)

A spot colour is a pre-mixed ink, usually specified from the Pantone Matching System, printed in its own unit to reproduce one specific colour more cleanly and consistently than a CMYK build.

Full definition: Spot colour in the printing and prepress glossary

WLC (white lined chipboard; GD2/GT; US CRB)

WLC (white lined chipboard, GD2 or GT; US CRB) is recycled-fibre carton board with a white top liner, the economy choice for non-food cartons and used for food only behind a suitable functional barrier or with separately packed product.

Full definition: WLC in the packaging materials glossary

Other packaging terms

A few pack formats and commercial terms, plus the informal label food-grade, do not sit in any of the five topic glossaries. They are defined here and link to the guide that owns each topic.

Clamshell (hinged-lid box)

A clamshell is a one-piece box with a hinged lid that closes over the base, typically locked with a tab or slot; it is the standard burger box format. Clamshells are made from folding boxboard or micro-flute corrugated, depending on the stiffness and delivery conditions required.

See: burger box structural designs

FEFCO code (also ECMA code for cartons)

A FEFCO code is a four-digit number from the international case code of FEFCO, the European federation of corrugated board manufacturers, that identifies a standard corrugated box style; 0427, for example, is the common die-cut mailer with a tuck-in lid. Folding cartons use the comparable ECMA code system, but a dimensioned dieline remains the binding reference.

See: corrugated board grades for mailer boxes; folding carton styles

Fluid ounce (fl oz; oz cup sizes)

A fluid ounce is the volume unit used to name cup and container sizes. Conversions normally use the US fluid ounce of 29.57 ml, so 8 oz is about 237 ml, 12 oz about 355 ml and 16 oz about 473 ml; the UK imperial fluid ounce is about 28.41 ml. Nominal oz sizes are labels, and brim-full capacity is usually higher.

See: paper cup sizes

Food-grade (informal term)

Food-grade is an informal trade term, not a defined legal status in EU, UK or US law, for material described as suitable for contact with food. What counts legally is compliance with the applicable rules for the intended food and conditions of use, documented in a Declaration of Compliance in the EU and UK or by reference to the relevant 21 CFR sections in the US.

See: food-contact packaging compliance

Lead time

Lead time is the period from order confirmation or artwork approval to delivery, made up of proofing, tooling, material supply, production and transit. In custom packaging it depends on the print process, material availability, order size and shipping route.

See: packaging lead times

Mailer box (FEFCO 0427 style; DE Versandkarton)

A mailer box is a die-cut corrugated box, typically E-flute, with an integral tuck-in lid and dust flaps, used for e-commerce and subscription shipping; FEFCO 0427 is the common style. It ships flat and folds up without tape.

See: custom printed mailer boxes

MOQ (minimum order quantity)

MOQ (minimum order quantity) is the smallest quantity a manufacturer will produce of one design or item. In custom packaging it is set mainly by fixed per-job costs: plates or cylinders, make-ready waste, cutting dies, material minimums, machine format and set-up time.

See: what determines MOQ

Reverse tuck end (RTE; also straight tuck end, STE)

A reverse tuck end (RTE) carton closes with tuck flaps at both ends, the top tuck hinged from the back panel and the bottom tuck from the front. On a straight tuck end (STE) carton both tucks hinge from the same panel, giving a cleaner front face; RTE blanks nest more efficiently and are generally cheaper to produce.

See: folding carton styles

RFQ (request for quotation)

An RFQ (request for quotation) is a buyer's formal request for a price against a defined specification: product, dimensions, material, print, finishes, quantities, packing, delivery terms and compliance documents. A complete RFQ lets suppliers quote like for like.

See: packaging RFQ guide

Single wall cup

A single wall cup is a cup made from one layer of coated cupstock. It is the lowest-cost construction and suits cold drinks, or hot drinks served with a sleeve.

See: single vs double vs ripple wall cups

Stand-up pouch (Doypack)

A stand-up pouch is a flexible pouch with a bottom gusset that lets it stand on a shelf when filled; Doypack, originally a trade name, is widely used for the classic format. Related formats include the flat-bottom (box) pouch, the side-gusset pouch and the flat pouch.

See: custom printed stand-up pouches; pouch formats

Tamper-evident seal

A tamper-evident seal is a closure that shows visibly when a pack has been opened, such as a seal label, peel-and-seal adhesive strip or perforated tear strip. On delivery bags it shows customers and delivery platforms that food has not been touched in transit.

See: tamper-evident takeaway bags

Tooling (one-off costs; plates, cylinders, dies)

Tooling is the set of design-specific items made once for a job, such as printing plates, gravure cylinders and cutting dies. It is usually quoted separately from the unit price and can be reused on repeat orders if artwork and size do not change.

See: packaging cost drivers; what determines MOQ

Vest bag (T-shirt bag)

A vest bag is a plastic carrier bag whose two handles are formed by cutting out the top centre of a gusseted tube, giving a T-shirt shape. It is usually made from thin HDPE and is the standard low-cost, high-volume grocery-style bag where plastic carrier bags are permitted.

See: plastic bag handle types

A-Z index of all terms

All 709 entries across the five topic glossaries and this page, in alphabetical order. Each term links to its full definition; where a term is defined on two topic pages, the second link is shown in brackets.

How packaging is made: production guides

The glossary defines terms one at a time; the production guides show how they fit together on a real job, from material and print process through converting, quality checks and packing. Start with how custom printed packaging is made, then go to the guide for your format:

For decisions rather than definitions, the key guides are packaging paper grades explained, flexo vs offset vs gravure vs digital printing, packaging sampling and quality control, food-contact packaging compliance, the PPWR explained and sourcing packaging from Türkiye.

Turning glossary terms into a specification

Most of these terms belong on one line or another of a packaging specification. A request that states material grade and grammage, board or flute, coating, print process and colour references, finishes, food-contact conditions, quantities, pallet standard and Incoterm can be quoted like for like by any supplier. The packaging RFQ guide sets out the full checklist, and all packaging guides and buyer resources are listed in the knowledge base.

9 Packaging is an Istanbul-based manufacturer and exporter of printed packaging for business customers, with experience supplying fast-food and chain-style foodservice operations. If a term on an existing specification or a competing quotation is unclear, send it with your enquiry through our contact page and it will be clarified during technical review.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between gsm and caliper?

Gsm (grammage) is how much a square metre of paper or board weighs; caliper is how thick it is, in micrometres or US points. They are related but not interchangeable: a bulky board can be thicker and stiffer than a denser board of the same gsm. Quote gsm for cost and EPR weight, and add caliper whenever stiffness, machine feeding or the feel of the pack matters.

What does "food-grade" packaging mean legally?

Nothing precise. No EU, UK or US law defines food-grade as a status. The legal test is whether the material complies with the applicable food-contact rules for the specific food, temperature and contact time. In practice, ask for a Declaration of Compliance stating those conditions for EU and UK supply, or the relevant 21 CFR references for the US, rather than accepting the word on a data sheet.

What do FSC and PEFC logos on packaging require?

Every company that takes legal ownership of the certified material, from mill to converter, needs its own chain-of-custody certificate, and the brand needs permission to use the trademark, with label artwork approved under the scheme's rules. Writing "made from FSC paper" without that chain is still treated as using the mark. Plan certification and label approval before artwork is finalised.

Does a PE-lined paper cup count as plastic?

Under the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, yes: Commission guidelines treat paper with a plastic lining or coating as a single-use plastic product, which is why PE-lined cups carry the "Plastic in product" marking. Under the PPWR, the Commission's guidance notice of 5 June 2026 treats paper-based packaging containing 5 % or more plastic as single-use plastic packaging for the Annex V restrictions from 1 January 2030 (dine-in use); that guidance is not legally binding. UK and Dutch rules also cover plastic-lined paper items.

Why do suppliers in different countries use different names for the same paper?

Trade names grew up locally and drifted. In the US, parchment paper usually means silicone-coated baking paper; in Germany, Pergament is acid-treated vegetable parchment and greaseproof is Pergamentersatz; in the UK, greaseproof covers a broad wrap category. The safest approach is to specify by properties, such as grammage, KIT level and coating, rather than by name alone.

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Packaging Glossary: Paper, Board, Print and Compliance Terms