Definition and Principle: Shrink sleeve labels are usually made into a tubular shape, placed over the product container, and then heated to make the label tightly adhere to the container surface, creating a 360° full coverage packaging effect.
Common Materials: The main materials include PVC (polyvinyl chloride), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PETG (modified polyethylene terephthalate), and OPS (oriented polystyrene). Among them, PVC film is low-cost but difficult to recycle and not environmentally friendly; PET film is an internationally recognized environmentally friendly material with excellent performance; OPS film has good shrinkability and is environmentally friendly, but high-quality products rely on imports; PETG film is beneficial to the environment, but its excessive heat shrinkage rate may limit its use.
Advantages and Characteristics:
Strong Decorative Effect: It can achieve 360° full-body decoration, providing a larger printing area, capable of displaying rich patterns and information, and having a strong visual impact.
Wide Applicability: It is suitable for various container shapes, including irregular bottles, curved bottles, and other packaging that traditional labels have difficulty adhering to, as well as standard bottles, cans, etc., and is compatible with containers made of various materials such as plastic, glass, and metal.
Good Durability: Usually made of PETG or PVC and other materials, it is flexible and highly durable, not easily damaged, and since the printing is inside the shrinkable material, the patterns are not easily worn or faded.
Good Environmental Performance: Some shrink sleeve labels can incorporate recycled materials and have convenient recycling solutions, such as LDPET® and Crystal Wash® solutions for PET containers, which facilitate material classification and recycling.
Anti-counterfeiting Function: Some shrink sleeve labels can add warning information and product codes during heat shrinkage, serving as an anti-counterfeiting measure, and are often used in food and pharmaceutical packaging.
Application Fields: Widely used in industries such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and personal care products, such as beverage bottles, condiment cans, cosmetic bottles, beer bottles, etc.
Production Process: Printing is usually done using rotary gravure or flexographic printing methods, mostly inside printing. The semi-finished shrink sleeve labels are generally in roll or sheet form, placed on the container by hand or automatic devices, and then enter the heating tunnel to shrink and deform, tightly adhering to the container.
