Are you a seasoned veteran in packaging or a start-up getting ready to package your products? Either way, finding the appropriate packaging for your products, is essential.
With competitive price and timely delivery, Yuanlong Packaging sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Today, there are thousands of packaging materials to choose from. You have rigid packaging, flexible packaging, and specialized options in between. There are countless packaging supplies to consider.
You will likely have more than a few reasons for looking into using shrink film (also known as shrink wrap). There are many reasons why you would want to choose shrink wrap. Shrink wrap (which is different from stretch film) is commonly chosen over other materials.
Industrial Packaging has sold hundreds of thousands of rolls of film. We&#;ve coached thousands of happy customers on how to select the right type of film.
It may seem like a simple process to buy rolls of shrink wrap. But, there is a lot to consider before choosing shrink wrap as your packaging material. This article will help you understand why you would want to package your products in shrink film.
First, we&#;ll dive into three primary considerations. These are things you need to be thinking about when it comes to using shrink wrap. Then, we&#;ll talk about the pros and cons and where it&#;s best to buy this material.
The Cost Of Shrink Film
Shrink wrap often comes with a lower price tag than other packaging materials. These other materials include glass, cardboard, and rigid packaging.
The material itself is less expensive. And, the associated costs of the film are also lower. The low costs are especially notable when considering shipping costs. Any packaging material's shipping cost will always be higher the heavier the material.
Shrink film is much lighter than metal, cardboard, glass, and even paperboard. Thus, this film costs significantly less to ship than many alternative materials. Is lowering your cost of product packaging materials crucial to your business? Then, you will want to consider using shrink wrap.
When Is Shrink Film More Expensive Than Alternative Materials?
There are some cases in which using shrink film will be more expensive. This is especially true in the case of printed shrink wrap.
Printed film offers various benefits to your product's packaging. For example, shelf appeal, brand-ability, and graphics applications. But, all these benefits come with a higher price tag.
Costly minimum order requirements come with the purchase of printed shrink wrap. A minimum order requirement is the lowest number of rolls required to purchase.
In this respect, printed film is an expensive option. One that may not be the right choice for the budget-conscious company. With all that being said, you can still garner cost savings from printed films. You can do this by choosing to use light gauge printed shrink wrap.
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The Environmental Impact Of Shrink Film
Shrink film is made of plastic. You may wonder why this would be a good choice when choosing earth-friendly materials. Based on science, shrink wrap is one of the most environmentally friendly options.
How is that possible, you may wonder? Simple. It all comes down to the heavy carbon footprint of some packaging materials.
Plastic materials like flexible films have the lowest carbon footprint. This means they are also one of the most environmentally friendly options.
Materials such as glass, metal, cardboard, and paperboard are recyclable. But, due to contamination in recycling, many of those items end up in the landfill.
The Shelf Appeal Of Shrink Film
One of the most sought-after benefits of shrink wrap is shelf appeal. Shrink wrap gives a beautiful glossy sheen to your products. The packaging entices customers to reach for your products.
The film's glossy surface reflects light and shimmers under retail store lighting fixtures. This gives it an upper-hand in the battle for consumers' attention.
For example, as an avid tea drinker, I go through a box or two of herbal tea per week. My two favorite brands are Bigelow and Celestial Seasonings. The latter is not only my favorite brand of tea but also one which uses this type of film in their packaging. The outer barrier of the film on these teas keeps the tea inside fresh longer, and it's easy to open making it a big win for me.
Celestial Seasonings packages their tea in wax paper bags. Then, they are sealed in a paperboard box. Finally, the paperboard boxes are shrink-wrapped in transparent plastic shrink film. The film gives their tea boxes a nice glossy sheen. This separates them from their competitors.
Do you want to use shrink film to help your product stand out? If you want to take shelf appeal to a whole other level, you may want to consider using printed shrink wrap.
Printed film has the same great benefits as transparent shrink wrap. But, it has the bonus of printing and branding capabilities. Printed film allows your product to stand out. It does this while reducing the added costs of printed labeling!
The only downside to adding shrink film to your products is that using additional materials comes with added cost. Adding more packaging may not be something you want to do as a cost-conscious business.
However:
Think of ways you can utilize shrink film to eliminate other types of packaging you are using. In many cases, shrink packaging can replace alternatives altogether!
The Pros And Cons Of Shrink Film
We have touched upon many shrink-wrap packaging elements. It can be a lot of information to keep track of. Do you want to simplify your buying decision and make the right choice for your packaging needs? Then you need to see the good and the bad. Here, we will review the pros and cons of shrink film.
Pros Of Packaging Your Products In Shrink Film:
Lower cost than most of the popular alternatives.
High shelf appeal.
Eye-catching glossy surface.
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The lowest carbon footprint of most popular packaging materials.
Takes up less space in landfills than the other options.
Cons Of Packaging Your Products In Shrink Film:
Hard to recycle.
Not appropriate for ultra-heat sensitive products.
Not suitable for interactive products
.
Not always good for luxury packaging applications.
If used as a secondary packaging material, it will increase the cost of your packaging.
Where Should You Buy Shrink Film?
When it comes to purchasing your film, you have several options. You could buy your film through online vendors with e-com stores such as Amazon. Many people like to buy from online stores to avoid travel and human interaction.
Buying online is also one of the fastest ways to fulfill your orders. But, many e-com stores do not have extensive information about the products. You may not find all the required information necessary to purchase the right film.
You want to make sure you understand the width and the gauge (thickness) that is right for your product. You also need to know how you will package it, and if the film can be run manually or needs to be used on a machine. Also, consider if you are using a single wound or centerfold film.
Buying directly from the manufacturer is another popular way to buy your film. Many buyers prefer to get their films directly from the manufacturer. They will always have a ton of information about each of the formulations of film they offer. And, they can help you choose the right film for your machinery, packaging line, and products.
But, some manufacturers will not sell directly to consumers. In this case, you will have to use an e-com store, brick-and-mortar retailer, or some other vendor.
Finally, there are packaging distributors, such as Industrial Packaging. While we would love to get your business, we may or may not be the right choice for your needs.
Many people will choose a packaging distributor as a shrink-wrap vendor. They do this because distributors sell multiple film brands and film types. Having a diverse product line means they can help you choose the right one for your needs.
Are you on the fence about using shrink film or unsure if it can be cost-beneficial and more eco-friendly than your current packaging? You may want to chat with one of our in-house packaging experts. They will be able to answer lingering questions and help you make the best choice!
For a free, more in-depth guide to shrink film, check out our complete guide below! It has multiple chapters, over 27 pages of remarkable insight, and it is easy to use and download!
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.
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
:
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.
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.
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