Shrink Sleeve Labels
Most consumers take just three to five seconds to make a purchasing decision. That means manufacturers only have a few seconds to make an impression with their products. The best way to do so is through eye-catching packaging.
Shrink sleeve labeling allows vendors to convey the maximum information on their products while enticing potential buyers with attractive graphics and designs. These labels offer retailers a full-coverage method of brand awareness for products that include cans, bottles, and other commercial containers.
Learn more about shrink sleeve labels and how they can benefit your business.
What Are Shrink Sleeve Labels?
Shrink sleeve labels are 360° labels with text and images printed on plastic or vinyl film, which is formed into a tubular shape. The tube is slid down over a finished product and heat is applied to shrink the film so that it conforms to the container.
Shrink sleeves continue to grow in demand due to their flexibility and adaptability. Current estimates note that shrink sleeves offer a 150% increase in label real estate. This extra space allows manufacturers to add more imagery, regulatory information, or brand story to each product.
In addition to providing more marketing real estate, shrink sleeves can also function as tamper-evident packaging. Food packaging, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, and medication bottles currently utilize this technology to ensure product freshness and security to consumers.
How Do Shrink Sleeve Labels Work?
Traditional pressure-sensitive labels stick to containers with adhesive material, while shrink sleeve labels rely on heat to conform and adhere to containers. Traditional labels feature ink printed on the outside of the label, which is usually a paper-like material. This means the labels are vulnerable to moisture and abrasion, and they are often impossible to remove from the container without destroying them.
On the other hand, shrink sleeve labels are printed with flexographic or digital presses on the inside of plastic film material. Thus, the label is protected from moisture and abrasion, and it can be removed more easily because it lacks adhesive material.
How Are Shrink Sleeve Labels Made?
Creating shrink sleeve labels begins with printing the roll stock material and converting them into tubes, with an adhesive converter closing the seams. Openings are left at the top and bottom so that they can slip over the product container. Since the sleeve conforms to every contour of the container, it is normal for the design to distort accordingly. An expert shrink sleeve manufacturing partner can adjust your design to accommodate these distortions, ensuring your labels are fully functional and legible.
Finally, the sleeve is applied by running the products through heat or steam machinery, where the film will shrink to the exact shape of the containers. Before this process, it’s important that the labels are not exposed to excessive heat or cold, as these conditions can negatively affect the labels and ink. A knowledgeable shrink sleeve manufacturer can safeguard your labels in optimal conditions until it’s time for application.
Shrink Sleeve Applications
Because of the added versatility of shrink sleeve labels, they are optimal choices for branding and protecting household cleaning items as well as nutraceutical and pharmaceutical products. Because shrink sleeves use plastic or vinyl instead of paper, they enhance the longevity of detergent, cleaner, hair care, and soap labels, which are often subject to chemicals, moisture, and abrasion.
Tamper-evident packaging for medications offers a more cost-effective solution compared to drop-band enclosures or other tamper-evident options, which add to the overall weight of each product. With lightweight shrink sleeve tamper-evident labels, you can use lighter bottles and transport more in each shipping container, saving on overall costs.
Benefits of Shrink Sleeve Labels
Shrink sleeve labels can fit uniquely shaped plastic, glass, and metal containers with ease. They can feature eye-catching designs and utilize every millimeter of label real estate to convince buyers to purchase your products. Shrink sleeve designs include full-body and cap, full-body, middle, or multipack sleeves.
Shrink sleeve technology also offers manufacturers easy and ergonomic tamper-evident seals. This is a band of film wrapped around the neck and cap of a product. If broken, it tells consumers someone has opened the product. They can be applied as independent bands or incorporated into the overall label. Companies can even add perforated lines to help consumers open the product.
These sleeves are made from very durable materials, so they will not disintegrate when exposed to moisture, friction, or extreme temperatures.
Shrink Sleeve Labels from FOCUSales
FOCUSales specializes in custom shrink sleeve labels. We offer digital printing and gravure printing for cut sheet sleeves. We also offer digital printing, gravure printing, and flexographic printing for continuous shrink sleeves. For more information about our services, products, and capabilities, contact us or request a quote.