01Offset printing: the volume champion
Our Heidelberg CD74 offset line prints commercial-grade color at production speed. Once plates are made, unit cost drops sharply with volume, and color consistency across a 100,000-bag run is effectively perfect.
Offset is the right choice for established SKUs, repeat orders and anything above roughly 5,000 bags per design.
02Digital printing: the low-MOQ door opener
Digital needs no plates, so it makes economic sense from a few hundred bags. It is ideal for startups testing a brand, seasonal limited editions, or multi-SKU programs where each design runs small.
The trade-offs: slightly higher unit cost at volume, and very large solid-color areas can show less ink density than offset.
03How to decide
- Under ~5,000 bags per design, or testing the market: digital.
- Repeat SKUs, volume runs, exact brand-color matching: offset.
- Mixed program: digital for seasonal drops, offset for core SKUs — many of our clients run exactly this split.
Key Takeaway
Printing method is a volume decision, not a quality decision — both are food-safe and photo-grade at Spuntree. Tell us your per-design quantity and we will quote both methods so you can see the crossover point yourself.
