There are "specialty" products that can be used to vacuum-pack
(e.g.) foodstuffs. But, AFAICT, they all use "special" media
to do so -- special bags (that you are now dependent upon
for continued use of said product).

Does anyone make a vacuum sealer that can be applied to
more generic media? Or, does the medium need special
characteristics (e.g., air channels) to be useful?

E.g., when shrink-wrapping to a "card", you draw air
*through* that card (perforations) to pull the plastic
film down onto the card (and "set" it with heat).

Could you, for example, have a device that just took regular
plastic bags (Ziploc, "baggies", etc.) and use them for this
function?