Everything You Need To Know To Find The Best shrink film rolls wholesale

For more information, please visit shrink film rolls wholesale.

The phrase shrink film for sale can cover many materials and styles. Before purchasing the wrong shrink film, read some tips you should consider. First, determining the type of shrink film you need is essential. There is heat shrink film in various styles for packaging applications and industrial covering. This post is specific to shrink film for sale to package products.

The style of shrink film you need

 Shrink film for packaging comes in many varieties and styles; determining the right style is crucial. See some common shrink film packaging styles below.

Single Wound/Flat Shrink Film: Shrink film that comes off the roll flat is called a single-wound shrink film. Single wound is common in drink packaging; thicker shrink bundling film comes single wound or flat off the roll.

Centerfold Shrink Film: For many shrink wrap sealers, centerfold shrink film is the most popular. The material is folded in half lengthways and placed on the roll. The crease on one side of the roll can be used to create a pocket for the product to be placed in. Sealing with an L bar sealer will close the open ends of the material in one seal.

Neckbands: Neck banding is widespread across many industries. They are used to secure the lids of many different bottles and containers. Neckbands provide quick and easy tamper-evident packaging. It is essential to measure correctly and size banding to fit the container being used.

Shrink Sleeves and Tubing: Shrink sleeves and tubing are both found in cylindrical forms. The sleeves are pre-cut and popular for packaging drinks and other items in rigid containers. Shrink sleeves are affordable for companies to brand and provide nutrient info. Tubing, unless perforated, comes on a continuous roll and must be cut to length.

Which Material Will Work Best? 

Once you know the style of shrink film needed, it is essential to look at the materials available. Some materials will perform differently than others in machines and overall packaging performance. 

Popular shrink film materials include PVC shrink film, polyolefin shrink film, PETG, polyethylene, and polypropylene shrink film. Each material will perform differently; the product being wrapped will determine which material will be best suited for the application.

Shrink film will also require machines that can shrink and package the material. Some require higher temperatures or a specific heat source. PETG shrink sleeves need steam to shrink around a container properly. Choosing suitable materials and machines is crucial when looking for a shrink film for sale. If you already have equipment but need help with the correct materials, look up what will work with the machine you have. 

Thickness of Shrink Film Needed

Determining the correct thickness of shrink film will ensure proper protection and reduce customer frustration when opening. Some materials are made to be stronger than others, while other shrink films can be thin and easy for customers to open.

Most shrink sleeves and neck banding are a minimum of a one mil thickness. The thicker shrink film will require more heat or a specific form of heat to shrink the material properly. Single-wound polyethylene is also found in heavier materials. Most shrink bundling film for bottles and other containers are a minimum of a two-mil thickness, requiring a substantial amount of heat to conform to the products being wrapped.

Centerfold shrink film can range from thin materials requiring minimal heat exposure to thicker materials requiring more extensive heat. Common centerfold PVC and polyolefin heat shrink film rolls are up to one or one-and-a-half mil thickness. Recirculating heat tunnels or heat guns can adequately shrink most centerfold films.

If you are still determining the thickness of the wrap you need, select the size and weight of the product and what will happen to it after it is wrapped. Products with shrink film exposed during shipping will require thicker materials than smaller products case packed after shrink wrapping. Feel free to call 1-800-441-5090 and let us know what you are wrapping, and we will gladly recommend the correct shrink film for sale to meet the application. There may be some we do not offer, but we should be able to help steer you in the right direction.

Discounts for quantity

This is less important of an issue if buying one roll at a time, but if purchasing in volume, it is essential to know price breaks and where better deals can be obtained. Some suppliers offer free shipping over a specified amount of film. Over the year, volume discounts can save thousands on film costs. If operating a fully automatic shrink wrap machine, pallet quantity discounts should save enough to pay for shipping or more.

Consistent supply

It is not as important if sparsely purchasing shrink film, but crucial if production depends on having the film in stock. Some suppliers only offer the cheapest material, and the quality will change over time. It is essential to have a consistent supply of material from order to order. It also helps to have a supplier with film on hand to ship if needed quickly.

Conclusion

When searching for shrink film for sale, re-ordering is easy if you know the material, thickness, and style. Even if you are looking for a replacement supply, knowing what you previously ordered is a tremendous help in finding the proper film.

When new to shrink wrapping and looking for a shrink film for sale, it is essential to test if you are on the fence. Some shrink film materials, thicknesses, and styles will perform better than others. If you are wrapping standard products that are commonly shrink-wrapped, the proper film and machine to accomplish the task is one call away (1-800-441-5090). We can assist and recommend machines and shrink film for packaging your product.

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

  Are you interested in learning more about pet aluminum sticker? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

• 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.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of plastic film wholesale. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.