10 Things to Consider When Buying Heat Shrinkable Films

It's essential to pinpoint some specifics about your packaging product before diving into the details of the films available to you. A packaging supplier is crucial for selecting the appropriate film for your needs. Their industry experience and ability to understand your requirements equip them to identify which types of films will and won’t work for your product.

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Some 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 various types of flexible packaging films 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 prioritizing recyclability and sustainability, there is a shrink film product available to suit your needs. With all the opportunities for a custom finish, it’s always important to research and consider your specific needs to determine the best options.

You’ll also need to do some homework regarding equipment. If you have an automatic shrink wrapper or plan to purchase one, you must monitor 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 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.

Think about your internal maintenance technicians’ capabilities. Adding a shrink film wrapper to your packaging line will require technical support regularly and as needed. Assess your maintenance team’s comfort level with working on the new machine(s) and ensure 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, ensure 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 between 30 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Naturally, summer and winter are the seasons that require the most attention 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.

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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 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

As mentioned, packaging films become especially brittle in cold temperatures, reducing 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.

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 subjected 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 must 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.

A Guide to Heat Shrink Film

Shrink Film is a material made of polymer plastic film. When heat is applied, it shrinks tightly over whatever it is covering. There are a variety of uses for Shrink wrap and shrink film. Some typical shrink wrap applications are for wrapping food, gift baskets, boxes, toys, books, soaps, etc. Below is a breakdown of the two most commonly used types of shrink.

PVC Shrink Film - A type of shrink wrap used for various applications. The PVC stands for Polyvinyl chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most-produced plastic in the world. PVC shrink wrap was the most commonly used shrink film until it was replaced several years ago by polyolefin (POF) shrink wrap.

Common Uses of PVC Shrink Film - PVC shrink wrap includes packaging boxes, CD and DVD packaging, software, small canisters, and other non-edible items.

Drawbacks of PVC Shrink Film - Sealing Strength, storage issues, and sealing by-products are common drawbacks of PVC Shrink Wrap. The plasticizer in PVC Shrink wrap hardens in cold conditions and softens under hot conditions, compromising the strength of the seal and the plastic. PVC shrink wrap also releases small quantities of hydrogen chloride into the air and carbon deposits onto the sealer. Proper ventilation is required when sealing PVC shrink wrap.

Polyolefin Shrink Film - A type of shrink wrap that has become the preferred choice for packaging products, both edible and non-edible. Polyolefin Shrink wrap is preferred for a variety of reasons, including fewer odors when sealed, stronger seal, and more flexible storage. Polyolefin shrink films do not have any chlorine; therefore, they do not produce hydrogen chloride gas. Polyolefin shrink wrap does not have any plasticizers, so the temperature is not an issue. Polyolefin can be stored in a wide range of temperatures and does not harden and soften in different environments like PVC shrink film.

Common Uses of Polyolefin Shrink Film - Polyolefin shrink film is used for almost every kind of application. Applications include toys, sporting goods, printed wrap, foods, stationery, and cards, to name a few.

Drawbacks of Polyolefin Shrink Film - Cost and machine compatibility are the two significant drawbacks of Polyolefin shrink film. Polyolefin is commonly more expensive than PVC shrink wrap. Many packagers prefer PVC because of this reason. There are types of polyolefin shrink wrap that are more compatible with machines, but Polyolefin machine compatibility has always been an issue for packagers.

Cross-Linked Polyolefin Shrink Film - Irradiation is applied to standard polyolefin shrink film to make the film stronger and capable of better seal strength. Cross-linked shrink film is sterile and FDA-approved for direct food contact. It offers excellent clarity to display packaged products. To view in detail about making and the history of cross-linked shrink film, view our blog post titled What is cross-linked shrink film.

Cross-linked shrink film also leaves less residue on sealers, promoting longer sealing blade or wire life. Cross-linked shrink film is made for use with high-speed machines and high output operations.

Common Uses of Cross-Linked Polyolefin Shrink Film - Cross-linked shrink film is used with the same products as standard polyolefin shrink film. The cross-linked film is often used in high output operations. It can also be used for heavier products; a conventional polyolefin shrink film can not correctly package.

Drawbacks of Cross-Linked Polyolefin Shrink Film - Cross-linked shrink film requires higher seal and shrink temperatures than standard polyolefin shrink films. Higher temperatures can damage and deform products sensitive to heat. Higher seal and shrink temperatures also require higher energy costs.

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