<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-04-05</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000914156</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>UFP TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UFPT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001373894</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Smith W David</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O UFP TECHNOLOGIES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>100 HALE STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEWBURYPORT</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01950</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-04-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1345</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>21.67</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13896</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-04-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1345</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>31.12</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12551</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>21.67</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-04-05</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1345</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-09-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock, $.01 Par Value</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>1345</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>28655</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. The shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $32.05 to $32.30, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide UFP Technologies, Inc., any security holder of UFP Technologies, Inc., or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within such range.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The sales reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on March 13, 2018.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The option became exercisable with respect to 7,500 shares on 9/12/13 and with respect to an additional 7,500 shares on each of the three anniversary dates thereafter.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Patrick J. Kinney, Jr. as attorney-in-fact for W. David Smith</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-04-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
