A binding machine comprising: a feeding device for feeding a binding element (3) in the form of a wire or strap in a loop around one or more objects to be bound and subsequently retracting the binding element to draw it tightly around said objects; and a laser welding device for forming a welded joint between a section at the leading end of the binding element and an adjoining section at the trailing end of the part (3a) of the binding element fed in a loop around said objects to thereby secure this part of the binding element in a loop around the objects. The laser welding device is configured to apply an identification marking on an outer surface of the binding element by means of a laser beam (14) emitted from a laser welding head of the laser welding device.

A tubular casing has a package design (la) printed on an original fabric film (1) with transparent no-print zones (2, 3) formed along left and right end edges (2a, 3a). Best before date characters (4) are inkjet printed on the no-print zone (2). The fabric film (1) is bent to place the no-print zone (2) with printed characters on a lower side and form the fabric film (1) in a cylindrical shape. A heat seal portion (H) is formed including the date characters (4), in the no-print zone (2) located on the lower side. The heat seal portion (H) is formed up to the end edge (2a) of the no-print zone (2) and a no-heat seal portion (S) is formed on the end edge (3a) side of the no-print zone (3) located on an upper side to form a casing portion. Both ends of the casing portion are sealed.