How to Select the Right Shrink Film Thickness and Size
Finding the right size and thickness of shrink film to match what you’ll be wrapping helps to enhance your packaging experience. The market presents a wide selection of films, and while most of them can be used interchangeably, specific tasks or products may need specific film.
Shrink film is a material that’s designed from a polymer plastic film. It tightly shrinks to the product that’s being wrapped when heat is applied. Shrink films are measured in gauge number; with the thin ones having the least value. A 75 gauge film will suffice a range of general applications; however, applications that require strength, like heavy and bulky multi-packs or large baskets and so on will need a 100 to 150 gauge film. Experts recommend that you use a 75 gauge shrink wrap for products weighing 12 pounds or less. If your product is weighing up to 30 pounds, then you should go for the 100 gauge shrink wrap.
PVC heat shrink tubing is a heat shrink with seamless sides. They have more than 40% shrink rate in either direction and will seamlessly exert pressure on the package while you’re shrinking it. They also allow you to make your shrink bag with your preferred length and are ideal for sealing jewel cases, CDs, gift baskets, software programs, toys, printed materials, paper, album, crafts, frames, kindles, soaps and all kinds of retail products. Film shrinks have low shrink temperature of between 200 and 250F, so you can use a heat tunnel, heat gun or a blow dryer to shrink it. This makes them convenient for the day to day use. Two kinds of shrink films dominate the market, namely PVC and Polyolefin.
Traditional PVC is characterized by its crystal clear, crisp and glossy look. It has high clarity and reflective shine for an enhanced appeal and comes in either Tubular or Centerfold form. The tubular film has open ends but is sealed on the sides, while the Centerfold film has two layers that are open on one side and folded on the other. A PVC film is ideal when you don’t want your product to color bleed or loose scent after packaging and can be used for wrapping candles, bath bombs, and soaps.
Measuring the shrink film
Calculating the size of the PVC heat shrink tubing is pretty simple. However, it’s entirely dependent on the product you’re planning to wrap.
Use this formula to get the Centerfold shrink film:
((Depth + width) X (2 X 1.1))/2
You can add an extra 1 to 2 inches in length. This will provide for sealing. If you do not find the exact size of film you wanted, you can go to the next size up.
Measuring the shrink wrap:
Get the measurements of the widest point of the product that you’re planning to shrink wrap, then add 10% to that number and divide your answer by two. What you’ll get is the width of the shrink film you need.
Then get the top to bottom (all the way around) measurement of your product, add 10% to the number and divide by two. This will give you the length.
