Abstract: A substantially opaque printed heat sealable composite sheet material suitable for use as a packaging material and including a front film of a transparent oriented heat stable polymer, a layer of printing underlying the front film and visible on the outer surface thereof, a rear film of a pigmented polymer of a predetermined color having a readily heat sealable outer surface, and an intermediate film of a substantially opaque pigmented polymer tightly bonded to the inner surface of the front film and to the inner surface of the rear film and serving to increase the opacity of the sheet material and to enhance the brightness and purity of color of the layer of printing.

Abstract: Successive pouches are formed from a web of plastic film by advancing the web through a folding station and folding the web along a longitudinal fold line to form a two-ply portion and a single ply portion adjacent thereto. At a sealing station, confronting surfaces of the two-ply folded portion of the web are sealed together along longitudinally spaced apart seal areas extending transversely across the two-ply portion to define a series of successive pouches interconnected by the seal areas. At a flap forming station predetermined waste areas are severed and removed from the single ply portion of the web to form the same into a series of successive flaps extending alongside each of the pouches and adapted for being folded over the pouches to close the same.