Heat-shrink film packaging: key features
Heat-shrink film packaging has become hugely popular due to the widely recognised practicality and low cost of the material. It is an excellent option for protecting goods, enhancing their appearance, and ensuring they can be stored and transported comfortably. We have long become accustomed to seeing haberdashery and household goods, stationery, magazines and softcover books, bottles wrapped in heat-shrink film, glass jars and various food products packaged in this way. It is interesting to note that abroad, heat-shrinkable film is used for food products in only 5% of cases, but in our country, the use of heat-shrinkable film for food packaging is more widespread. This is particularly relevant during periods of seasonal illnesses and epidemics.
What is heat-shrink packaging used for?
A distinctive feature of this type of packaging material is its ability to shrink under the influence of temperature, moulding itself to the shape of the product. This feature, along with the film’s barrier properties and other characteristics, allows this type of packaging to be used for various types of goods:
- bakery products stay fresh for much longer, are protected from contamination and look appetising;
- meat products are convenient to sell and look appealing, whilst their shelf life is extended;
- semi-finished products and confectionery with a liner retain their integrity and appeal;
- group packaging of boxes in heat-shrink film, and of drinks in soft and rigid containers, is more convenient for transport and stock management.
Furthermore, this material with colour printing is ideal for packaging products in bottles and jars, perfectly conforming to their shape as it shrinks.
Heat-shrink film for packaging is also successfully used for non-food products. Heat-shrink film is in demand as a packaging material for:
- printed products (with a low degree of shrinkage);
- household goods;
- pharmaceutical, chemical and perfumery products;
- any small items (souvenirs, trinkets).
This method is effective for preserving the colour saturation of products on display. Heat-shrink film protects against fading in the sun, whilst not obscuring the product from view.
This method is also widely used for packaging certain building materials.
Film products are constantly being improved, acquiring new useful features for application. For example, heat-shrink film packaging (Dnipro, Eventus Group LLC) can be frost-resistant and used at very low temperatures. And the high strength of thin heat-shrink film significantly reduces packaging material costs.
Features of using heat-shrink film for packaging
When packed correctly with heat-shrink film, absolutely any product will be reliably protected during storage or transport. The absence of air pockets allows for more compact and safer storage of products. By fitting tightly around each item, the heat-shrink film prevents the product from spilling, leaking or smearing, and protects it from potential adverse effects. This includes unauthorised opening. This option is suitable for packaging both individual items and for grouping similar products into a practical bundle. The material is selected based on thickness and shrinkage rate:
- if soft goods (textile items, magazines) need to be packaged, low-shrink heat-shrink film is used;
- high-density heat-shrink film – suitable for group packaging (bundles of PET bottles, boxes, tins).
When packaging different items together in a set (promotional goods), the heat-shrink film perfectly secures their position, as it easily adapts to any product configuration, creating a sturdy shell.
Packaging in heat-shrink film in Kyiv and other cities is carried out using specialised equipment. For food products, the ‘hot table’ technology is used – a tabletop heat-sealing machine. The device constantly maintains the required temperature. The process itself takes place on the machine’s platform. The wrapping material is cut by a hot knife and sealed onto the hot surface.
PVC, PE and POF films are typically used for food packaging. Each has specific applications, differing in their basic characteristics. Polyvinyl chloride heat-shrink film is in the highest demand, thanks to its barrier properties, optical parameters and low price. Its practicality and ease of use have made heat-shrink film packaging highly sought-after and popular in Kharkiv, Kyiv, Dnipro, and other cities and towns across Ukraine.
