A sterilizable pouch comprising: front and back sheets (12, 14) of a flexible film joined to each other along opposite side and bottom edges (22, 24, 28) to define a pouch having an interior space for receiving an article therein, said flexible film being a multilayer film; an opening formed in at least one of the front or back sheets, the opening for providing communication between an exterior environment of the pouch and said interior space; a breathable material comprising an uncoated fibrous material that is impervious to microorganisms, but pervious to gases, overlying and covering said opening, and being directly joined to an outer surface of said front or back sheet with a continuous heat seal, and wherein the flexible film comprising the front or back sheet having said opening includes an outer heat seal layer defining an inner surface of the pouch and a layer having a peel feature such that the breathable material can be peelably removed from said outer surface without tearing of the breathable material, and wherein said peel feature comprises: a) an outer layer of said flexible film that is comprised of a blend of polymeric materials that are selected so that the peel strength of the continuous heat seal, measured by ASTM test F88, is less than 700 N/m (4 lbs./in.); or b) an intermediate rupturable layer disposed adjacent to an outer layer of said flexible film, said intermediate rupturable layer having a peel strength that is less than the peel strength of the continuous heat seal joining the breathable material to said outer surface, such that the breathable material can be removed by peeling the breathable material away from the outer surface of said front or back sheet which causes the intermediate rupturable layer to rupture along said heat seal; the outer layer having a lower melting threshold than the outer heat seal layer. front and back sheets (12, 14) of a flexible film joined to each other along opposite side and bottom edges (22, 24, 28) to define a pouch having an interior space for receiving an article therein, said flexible film being a multilayer film; an opening formed in at least one of the front or back sheets, the opening for providing communication between an exterior environment of the pouch and said interior space; a breathable material comprising an uncoated fibrous material that is impervious to microorganisms, but pervious to gases, overlying and covering said opening, and being directly joined to an outer surface of said front or back sheet with a continuous heat seal, and wherein the flexible film comprising the front or back sheet having said opening includes an outer heat seal layer defining an inner surface of the pouch and a layer having a peel feature such that the breathable material can be peelably removed from said outer surface without tearing of the breathable material, and wherein said peel feature comprises: a) an outer layer of said flexible film that is comprised of a blend of polymeric materials that are selected so that the peel strength of the continuous heat seal, measured by ASTM test F88, is less than 700 N/m (4 lbs./in.); or b) an intermediate rupturable layer disposed adjacent to an outer layer of said flexible film, said intermediate rupturable layer having a peel strength that is less than the peel strength of the continuous heat seal joining the breathable material to said outer surface, such that the breathable material can be removed by peeling the breathable material away from the outer surface of said front or back sheet which causes the intermediate rupturable layer to rupture along said heat seal; a) an outer layer of said flexible film that is comprised of a blend of polymeric materials that are selected so that the peel strength of the continuous heat seal, measured by ASTM test F88, is less than 700 N/m (4 lbs./in.); or b) an intermediate rupturable layer disposed adjacent to an outer layer of said flexible film, said intermediate rupturable layer having a peel strength that is less than the peel strength of the continuous heat seal joining the breathable material to said outer surface, such that the breathable material can be removed by peeling the breathable material away from the outer surface of said front or back sheet which causes the intermediate rupturable layer to rupture along said heat seal; the outer layer having a lower melting threshold than the outer heat seal layer.