The Complete Guide to Shrink Film

It's important to identify some specifics about your product to be packaged before diving into the details of the films available to you. Without question, a packaging supplier is key to selecting the appropriate film for your needs. Their industry experience and ability to understand your needs gives them the expertise to ascertain which types of films will and won’t work for your product.

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Some of the packaging considerations  you’ll need to be aware of include:

• What type of product you are packaging

• The product’s weight, shape, and dimensions

• Your objectives for color and labeling

• Whether the film can be printed to meet your needs

• How the product will be packaged into the flexible film (manually or via machine, and what type of machine

• The product’s journey from creation to shipment to the shelf and beyond

• Whether it will be handled often and/or subject to rough handling

• The types of climates/environments it will experience

• Whether it requires specific film additives to keep it fresh (e.g., oxygen or moisture barrier)

• Requirements for anti-tampering and security of the finished good

  
  

With so many types of flexible packaging film available, you are sure to find the right packaging for your product. Whether you need an option with a high melting point, one that emphasizes durability, or one that prioritizes recyclability and sustainability, there is a shrink film product available to suit your needs. With all of the opportunities for a custom finish to any product, it’s always important to do your research and consider your specific needs to determine the best options.

Also, you’ll need to do some homework regarding equipment. If you have an automatic shrink wrapper or are planning to purchase one in the future, it’s important to keep an eye on your bag length and running speeds. Sometimes operators adjust the bag length from the original specs to make running the line easier. This is particularly more noticeable on older pneumatic shrink wrap equipment. Running your film at just 1" larger than necessary can equate to 2,000 extra feet of film used per day. That’s approximately 118 wasted rolls of film.

Be sure to think about how capable your internal maintenance technicians are. Adding a shrink film wrapper to your packaging line will require technical support on a regular and as-needed basis. Assess your internal maintenance team’s comfort level with working on the new machine(s), and make sure you have a backup technician for when service is needed and your internal team can’t handle the repair.  

Before purchasing and storing shrink film, make sure you know its storage requirements. You don’t want to try to work with climate-compromised packaging. Your supplier should have this information available if you’re unsure what your material requires. Overall, shrink packaging is best stored in temperatures between 30 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Naturally, summer and winter are the seasons that require you to be most attentive to your storage environment.

Summer:

Your facility will likely be subject to high heat in the summer, if not during springtime. If shrink sleeves are kept in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, they may prematurely shrink and compromise their ability to protect your goods. During these hot months, keep your shrink materials stored in the coolest areas of your facility without subjecting them to refrigeration.

They should be kept cool, but not too cold. The coolest spots in your warehouse are typically close to the floors – on the lowest part of your pallet racks – and away from windows or places that are subject to a lot of sunlight. You’ll also want to keep your shrink films away from high-traffic doors because the temperatures in these areas tend to fluctuate greatly.

Additionally, try to schedule your shrink film deliveries early in the day. That way, the materials won’t sit in the back of a hot trailer when traveling from warehouse to warehouse. Not only will you avoid the harshest hours of the sun, but you’ll also give yourself more time to store them before the temperature reaches its peak.

Winter

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As mentioned, packaging films tend to become especially brittle in cold temperatures, which greatly reduces their stretching and shrinking properties. While the PVC may crack, it can even shatter like glass if left in extremely cold conditions for too long.

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As in the summer, store your rolls away from doors to avoid temperature fluctuations. You also want to ensure rain or snow won’t create unwanted moisture in the rolls. If you’ve been using PVC shrink film to package frozen foods or other products that spend time in a freezer truck or refrigerator, consider switching to a polyolefin film. This is a more durable, food-safe, and recyclable material that will keep your package intact during transit and packaging.

When you take shrink film out of storage, you may not know how to tell if it’s been compromised. One key sign is sticky rolls. If PVC rolls stick together, they were likely exposed to too much heat. Don't risk downtime on the packaging line by trying to use them anyway. Skip over the rolls that are stuck together. Bagging and sagging are also signs of overheated film. The rolls may begin to sag on the edges or show bagging within their layers. Using these rolls can interfere with the tracking on your machines, so avoid using these compromised rolls as well.

Remember, even the highest-quality shrink film and packaging materials are apt to deteriorate when subject to these environmental factors. No matter what quality film rolls you’re purchasing, take the time to assess how you’ll store them to ensure they protect and present your product exactly as you’ve planned.

Audience:

Finally, keep your target audience at the forefront of your packaging design. The type of material you choose is a part of your brand, so any disconnect between that and your brand’s message will confuse consumers and make them lose trust. To appeal to your customers, you have to research and understand them enough before you make these key marketing and branding decisions. Market research is a great way to learn what your target audience values and decide how to pair those details with your budget, transportation, and sustainability needs and goals. Always listen to your key demographic and cater to their needs specifically.

For a quick look at some additional considerations regarding your use of shrink wrap film, check out this free shrink film cheat sheet.

General information:

1. The PVC shrink films are the most difficult of the media’s to achieve a consistent release from the liners. Refer to the “shrink sleeve tips” tech bulletin for getting the film started to release from the liner.

2. All of the shrink films shrink the highest on the width of the rolls, art orientation is very important.

3. The 8507 PVC film is a 60% (approx.) shrink ratio. It is well suited for most applications except high contour shapes and trigger spray bottles.

4. The 8527 PVC film is the same film as 8507 but with a different coating on it and a slightly higher shrink ratio (66%). The 6% extra shrink typically handles higher contour shapes except trigger spray bottles.

5. For very high contour shapes we have a PETG shrink film with 74%(approx.) shrink ratio. It is a little more difficult to work with when shrinking but a hot water bath works much better than a heat gun.

6. Any of the PVC shrink films require at least 4-6 hours     of curing time for the print to “degas” and properly dry. Ideally overnight.

7. The PETG film can be worked with when the print is     dry to the touch.

8. Recommended heater settings:  pre: 36c, print: 36c, post 46c.

Seaming:

1. When seaming, never overlap a seam onto printed ink. The printed ink keeps the solvent from bonding the films. It is a good idea to have at least 3-4mm of clear unprinted film on one end of the sleeve to tuck under the other end. 

2. The seaming pen tip needs to be very wet before using. On a pc of thick paper push the pen down to depress the plunger tip and allow the solvent to flow into the tip. You can seam when the tip makes a small puddle on the paper.

3. When applying the seaming solution to the film, press the pen down to open the plunger while drawing the seam to allow continuous flow. Otherwise you will start out wet but dry out or not deposit enough by the time you get to the other end.  

4. You want to depress the seaming pen plunger tip (#2 above) each time before seaming to flush out dissolved plastic from the pen tip. If the tip becomes clogged with dissolved plastic it will not seam properly and you should replace it.

5, Your other option is to use some sort of “super glue” or cyanoacrylate instant adhesive. One that dispenses drops works best. You place small drops approx. 3-4 mm apart across the seam. When you place the sleeve ends together the drops will flow out and be continuous. Anything that seeps out can be wiped away. It is important to place a scrap of paper under the seam, so the glue does not stick the seam to the inside of the sleeve.

Shrinking:

1. For most application, you can use a heat gun to shrink onto the bottle. The films start to shrink around 170f. 200f is a good heat setting.

2. The PVC films are the most forgiving when shrinking and allow you to touch up irregularities such as “smiles” better than the PETG.

3. Using a hot water bath will give you the fastest and most consistent shrink at 200f.

4. If you make the shrink sleeve as close to the bottle shape as possible and still be able to slide it over the bottle you will maximize the shrink capability. A loose sleeve will waste 3-5% of the sleeves maximum shrink capability taking up airspace.

5. For trigger spray bottles, leaving an extra 1-2” over the top will aid on getting the art to final shape. Trim the excess and touch up if needed.

It can be tricky the first few times but once you have done a few the technique becomes more natural.

For More Information Please Download These Tech Bulletins.

Working With Shrink Media

Shrink Sleeve Seam Sealing & Shrinking Instructions

JetComp Shrink Sleeve Tips 

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Eco Friendly Shrink Film.