What is shrink wrap

Shrink wrap is a term used to describe a variety of products and materials. In order to correctly describe what shrink wrap is, it is important to start by pointing out what shrink wrap is not.

See the images below to see what products are often mistaken for shrink wrap. Stretch Film - Common terms for stretch film are: pallet wrap, stretch wrap , and shrink wrap.

Though often called shrink wrap, pallet wrap is technically a stretch film. The film stretches around products creating a "shrunk look" around the products being wrapped. Vacuum Packaging - Vacuum packaging creates a tight-fitting appearance like shrink wrap. Vacuum packaging uses an air vacuum to remove air from the packaging.

The removal of air creates a shrunk look to the package resembling shrink wrapping. Cling Wrap - Cling wrap Saran Wrap is a food grade plastic wrap that has tact on one or more sides. The cling enables users to pull film tightly around an object and adhere the film to itself. This tight fit often is mistakenly called shrink wrap. Now that we know what shrink wrap isn't, let's look at what shrink wrap is.

For industrial shrink wrap, shrink wrap packaging, and shrink tubing, the most distinguishing factor is heat.

When heat is applied to a shrink wrap material, the film shrinks down and conforms to the product being wrapped. Shrink wrap can be made from different materials and varies dramatically based on the intended use. The four most common materials shrink wrap is made from is PVC, polyolefin, polyethylene, and polypropylene.

Polyethylene and polypropylene shrink wrap are most often used for heavier shrink wrapping applications. PVC and polyolefin shrink wrap are most often used within the retail packaging industry. It usually comes on a roll similar to other films but is more of a net that offers breathability to the products it wraps. While similar to high-density polyethylene, LDPE has a lower density as the name suggests. This means that it has less mass compared to its volume.

LDPE is highly resistant to impact, moisture, and chemicals. LDPE is commonly used in applications for which heat-sealing is necessary, as well as in the manufacture of some flexible lids and bottles, and in wire and cable applications. This is one of the most commonly used films in the packaging industry. It doesn't shrink as well as other films, but is great for stretch-wrapping pallets and protecting heavy loads in transit. This film is most often confused for shrink films like a plain polyolefin because it is visually similar on the roll.

Nonetheless, it performs very differently for packaging protection. The benefits of using Low-Density Polyethylene over other forms of shrink film packaging include added strength and durability for heavier, larger items e.

These films are also printable. Clear graphics can be added while maintaining the image and the strength required. These thicknesses are used in Marine industrial applications, like shrink wrapping a boat for storage. Shrink film and stretch film are often confused, as they look very similar and as mentioned above, can both be made of polyethylene. However, they each perform very differently:. When PE is used in a shrink film application, it is loosely placed over a single item or multiple items around which it will shrink when heat is applied, creating a tight, tamper-resistant seal of protection.

When PE is used in stretch applications, it is formulated differently to be able to stretch around items. The elastic memory of the film, along with its ability to cling to itself, keeps a tight layer of protection around the items. Stretch film is generally used for palletizing, or unitizing multiple items on a pallet to keep them from shifting during shipment.

The advantages of employing shrink wrap film in your packaging process are numerous. Its flexibility, strength, recyclability and visual capabilities make it the ideal option for so many types of products and applications. Here are some of the most notable benefits :. Cross-linked films work well for items with sharp edges, as they offer higher tear and puncture resistance, thereby reducing the chances of a package being compromised during shipment.

They are also a means of tamper reduction. If you are packaging thousands of items per day and using automatic or semi-automatic wrapping machines, a cross-linked shrink film will help reduce product damage and packaging waste.

Polyolefin shrink can be customized to the product you are packaging. For added versatility, there are formulations of shrink film perfect for packaging meats or frozen foods. These formulations include barriers to reduce fog anti-fog and moisture vapor transmission rate MVTR.

Shrink film can add a glossy shine to improve visual appeal with your product packaging , and you can print high-quality graphics to gain that much-desired retail visibility. Polyolefin films are optimal for printing a wide array of colors and designs to wrap your product in style or include nutritional information right on the package. By taking advantage of shrink film's strength and durability, many brands have been able to remove corrugated packaging from their multi-pack products altogether.

Heavy products can be securely wrapped in shrink without the need for a corrugated tray. Lightweight items like single-serve chips can be packaged in a polybag. This not only helps to reduce the cost of packaging but also minimizes your shelf footprint and opens up space in your facility.

With new technologies becoming available almost daily, you can further optimize your packaging for cost reduction by down-gauging or selecting a lower-width film. The first step in understanding and evaluating the cost of implementing shrink wrap film into your process is asking yourself some essential questions.

These will help determine what your priorities are and which shrink wrap film packaging line is right for your company. Here is a video including some questions we are often asked about shrink film. Knowing your price per roll is great, but knowing your price per package is even better. Understanding what each package costs, how to calculate it and how you can save money will put you in a much better position to budget appropriately and maximize cost efficiency.

The math starts with a determination of your actual film usage and then leads into your actual cost per package:. Film length divided by film cut-off, minus the rewrap percentage, equals your film usage. Converted to inches, that is 52, Assume the film cut-off is 11 inches. If you divide this, it comes to roughly 4, packages per roll. We created a calculator to help you understand how many packages you can achieve per roll, along with your ideal package length your cut-off. Determine this length and cut-off here , or check out some more math below:.

Divide this number by 4, and then multiply by 1, Use these calculations to formulate a solid expectation of your shrink wrap package price. Then consider the following tips for reducing that number. Talk with your packaging provider to see if there are ways to get a better price per roll for your shrink film needs. Buy in larger quantities to get a bulk discount. Doing so can also save on shipping costs and delivery fees. Many companies are not aware that PVC shrink film and other shrink wrap films are available in all sorts of sizes, not just full-inch increments.

Reducing your film width from 12 inches to 11 inches would save you 4. Understand your ideal shrink film width with this easy-to-use shrink film width calculator! It's important to note that custom-sizes will have a higher cost, but when using high volumes, packaging millions of products per year, you will see savings regardless.

It is essential to understand what film cut-off is and how to measure it. Film cut-off is the amount of film that you take off the roll for each package, and it can be determined by using these steps:. If you can reduce this number from 11 inches to 10 inches, for example, you will save 9.

This cut-off and packages-per-roll calculator can help you understand this easily! In the old days, the shrink film used was only offered in , 75, 60, and 45 gauges.

New technologies go as far as achieving the same integrity at 38 gauge. It's important to understand what gauge thickness of shrink film is ideal for your product.

This is not only for costs but for protection throughout its lifecycle. A different formulation may reduce your re-wraps. What many companies often overlook is that there could be more than one kind of shrink wrap film that works for a particular product. Run a high-level audit of your packaging line. Send a product type through as an example. Do runs as a test and check how many rejects you get out of Create a spreadsheet with different criteria for failure e.

Perform a specific equipment assessment with the goal of finding your weak areas so you can fix them. These are just a few of the many ways to save on your shrink film packaging line.

Talk to your packaging supplier, perform research, and test new materials. You will likely be amazed at how much you can save by making the slightest tweaks. Understand what other items are important to review when utilizing shrink film for product protection, beautification, cost savings, and more. 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. 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. 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, extra feet of film used per day. Be sure to think about how capable your internal maintenance technicians are. Browse the different types and styles of shrink wrap and their most common uses below. Take a look at what the benefits are of each kind of shrink wrap below:. PVC shrink wrap is also known as polyvinyl chloride shrink wrap and was at one point the most commonly used shrink film around the world thanks to its affordability and versatility.

PVC shrink wrap has a higher tear resistance, however, it is more susceptible to becoming brittle after shrinking so it is not recommended to wrap multiple products or for use in high or low-temperature environments. Polyolefin POF shrink wrap has recently taken the title for the most popular and commonly used shrink wrap.

Additionally, polyolefin shrink wrap is FDA-approved and safe for use with food products. Common uses for POF shrink wrap include printed and paper goods, baked goods, frozen food items such as pizza, small toys, candies, and much more.

Polyethylene or PE shrink wrap is a stronger and more durable type of film that is typically used for industrial applications. While polyolefin and PVC shrink wraps are typically maxed out at gauge thickness, polyethylene wrap can reach a gauge thickness of up to The most common uses of PE shrink wrap include wrapping beverage multipacks, wrapping boats for storage, and pallet wrapping.