Shrink label: features, production technology and reviews

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Shrinkable label is an element of the product that is placed on the shell, and then cooled, which allows it to take the shape of the surface. They are simply indispensable in cases where the product has a complex curved surface of the shell.

General information

The label performs several useful functions when worn. It significantly increases the strength of the package on which it is worn. In addition, the shrink label does an excellent job of protecting the product from moisture, ultraviolet radiation. Another important function of this element is the selection of products from possible fakes. The original labels often have a variety of signs that confirm that the product is the original, and not a fake. Well, and, of course, it is worth saying that the appearance of the package, on which such a wrapper is applied, has an excellent appearance that attracts the attention of potential customers.

Application

Shrink sleeve is the best choice when you need to wrap a product that has a curved surface, any bends, etc. It is worth noting that applying this element can help to cope with such a problem as packing defect. Using the label, you can easily close all the bad places on the container.

The most widely used shrink label is in the chemical industry. It is also very often used in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. The reasons why the label has become most successful in these industries is that it helps to distinguish genuine from counterfeit products, and also helps to determine whether packaging has been tampered with. Since the resistance of the label to moisture is quite high, it is used with great success in the manufacture of hygiene products. Such products include shampoos, balms, etc.

Lifetime

Another important point in using this cover. Many large manufacturers of aluminum cans have recently abandoned the costly operation of printing on such containers. They prefer to apply a shrink label to a bottle, can or other container made of aluminum, as it is cheaper and the wrap is 100% fit to the shape of the package.

It is worth noting that in order to maintain high competitiveness, it is necessary to constantly improve your product, make it eithercheaper, or tastier, etc. Changes affect both the appearance of the container and its composition. However, what remains unchanged is the label. More often than not, dramatic changes can alienate the buyer. However, changes to a shrink wrap detail can be so original that they give something new to the product without making too many changes. In other words, the life of the label is very, very long.

Pros

The first important advantage that the application of a shrink label provides is the ability to take a shape that 100% matches the topography of the container surface. This quality allows using this element as the main packaging for storing several types of goods. It should also include the fact that this part is characterized by great rigidity, which helps prevent any damage during transportation.

The second advantage is the way the image is applied to the label. Shrink equipment, with which the application process is carried out, displays the image on the inside of the film. This method allows you to greatly increase the duration of saving the image on the label. The outer layer of the film reliably protects the inner one from all the adverse effects of the external environment. Another advantage is that the stored goods are protected from direct exposure to ultraviolet rays.

Production of heat shrinklabels

What to pay special attention to? The main material is PVC heat shrink film. The thickness of the original raw material is from 35 to 70 microns. The production technology of this element is such that the application of the image, letters and other things is carried out on the inside, which allows you to leave the outer layer unchanged. Thanks to this application method, it is possible to keep the appearance of the entire label in its original form for quite a long period of time.

There are several ways to print on a label. The most common is offset printing, gravure printing, as well as a combination of these two types. It is worth noting that, if you use the second printing method, it opens up opportunities such as applying hot glue, the possibility of selective varnishing, as well as printing with different types of inks.

After the printing process is completed, a piece of roll material is taken from which a cylindrical sleeve is formed. After that, a shrinkable PVC label, which has the shape of a sleeve, is put on the container. And after that, under the influence of pressure and temperature, it fits snugly against the container.

Applying labels to packaging

It is important to note here that the technology for applying this element may differ depending on the performance requirements of this process. The type of container and the label material itself will also greatly affect.

The simplest application technology is divided into several stages. At the first stage, roll material is taken, on which alreadyall the necessary images are printed, and cut into the necessary copies. This is followed by the process of placing the label on the container itself. Shrinkage in the thermal tunnel is considered the final stage of applying this element.

It is worth adding that the label can be applied both to the packaged product and to the empty container. The price of a shrink label per bottle varies from 50 to 700 rubles per roll. It is very important. The labels are not sold in singles, twos, threes, etc. They are sold directly in rolls, the cost of which varies depending on the length.

Varieties

Today, there are three most common types of labels.

The first type is half-sleeve labels. The peculiarity of this variety lies in the fact that it allows you to provide a modern and progressive look of the container. This is the simplest type of this element, which allows you to improve the appearance of products in order to draw more attention to them.

The second type is sleeve labels. This type is already considered to be of higher quality, since it is able to withstand mechanical stress, and also tolerates the negative impact that the environment can create. It is also worth adding to the pluses that this type provides a long-term and high-quality display of the image that is applied to the label.

The last type is polyethylene shrink films. This type is the easiest to determine, since they are more oftenare transparent, allowing you to see the contents clearly. However, this category of labels also resists all negative influences well.

PET labels

The advantages of this type of packaging include the following:

• provides a large number of label design possibilities as it can cover all 100% of containers;
• film shrinkage reaches up to 78%, which allows processing bottles, cylinders and other containers with the most complex surface shapes;
• The thickness of this type of PET label is 45 microns, which reduces the cost of the material, and also affects the simplification of the shrinkage process;
• the circulation of such items is often small, which is perfect for the release of limited products.

You can use the film on a variety of materials - metal, glass, plastic, polyethylene. Most often, this category of labels is of interest to manufacturers of alcoholic beverages, since the shape of the bottles is quite complex - a narrow neck and a wide bottom.

In everyday life, these films are almost always bought to wrap eggs for Easter. There are many reviews about this product on the network, but if you combine them all into one, then all buyers attribute the advantages to the fact that they are quite beautiful, and it is very easy to put them on. Among the shortcomings, everyone highlights the fact that after the eggs dry out, it is rather problematic to remove this film from the shell.