Overview
EN ISO 6590-1:2025 - Packaging - Vocabulary - Part 1: Paper sacks (ISO 6590-1:2025) is a CEN-adopted international vocabulary standard that defines terms commonly used in paper sack manufacture. It covers single- and multi-ply sacks made of paper or paper combined with other materials where paper is the principal component. The document standardizes language for components, construction methods and features used in industrial sacks; it does not apply to bags for retail trade. EN ISO 6590-1:2025 supersedes EN 26590-1 and aligns with ISO/TC 122 and CEN/TC 261 work.
Key topics
The standard organizes and clarifies terminology across many technical areas relevant to paper sacks:
- General construction terms: paper sack, ply, tube, gusset, flat/gusseted tube, flush-cut, stepped-end and notched tubes.
- Air-permeability and perforation: air permeability perforation, micro‑perforation and sack perforation - important for controlled air release during filling.
- Pasting and sealing: pasting, longitudinal and cross pasting, pasted closures, and methods such as heat sealing and ultrasonic sealing (frequencies typically used are noted).
- Sewing and closures: sewing (stitching) terms, bottom sewing and continuous transverse stitches.
- Bottoms and closures: bottom, bottom overlap, bottom pasting, flush-cut and stepped-end bottom pasting, and bottom caps.
- Additional sections (listed in the standard): valve types for sewn and pasted hexagonal bottom sacks, sack descriptions and construction details, types of sacks and types of sack paper, and other manufacturing terms.
- The document is a vocabulary (no normative references) and includes updated figures, added modern terms and alignment with related standards (e.g., ISO 21067‑1 referenced for heat sealing terminology).
Applications and who should use it
EN ISO 6590-1:2025 is practical for professionals who need consistent terminology and clear specifications:
- Paper sack manufacturers and converters - for design, production and quality control communication.
- Packaging engineers and designers - to document sack construction and select appropriate closure and perforation methods.
- Quality managers & testing laboratories - to harmonize reporting and test descriptions.
- Procurement and specification writers - to create unambiguous purchasing specs and tender documents.
- Standards bodies, trainers and technical translators - to ensure consistent multilingual usage across Europe (standard exists in EN/FR/DE).
Related standards
- ISO 6590 series (other parts) - for related vocabulary or performance requirements.
- ISO 21067-1 (referenced for heat sealing terminology).
- EN 26590-1 (superseded by this edition).
Keywords: EN ISO 6590-1:2025, ISO 6590-1:2025, paper sacks, packaging vocabulary, paper sack manufacture, micro‑perforation, pasting, sack bottom types.