Shrink wrap – referred to as ‘heat shrink wrap’ – is a plastic film that shrinks when exposed to direct heat, conforming around the product it covers to provide secure and hygienic packaging.
It is commonly used in packaging projects where the wrap needs to fit tightly around products and is popular due to its strength, durability, and lack of open seals.
Shrink wrap can be used to package and protect just about any item. Commonly shrink-wrapped products include food like frozen pizzas, retail items like books and gadgets, and even larger storage projects like household items, palletized loads, and boats can be protected with thicker shrink wrap and a propane heat gun.
Stretch film is a plastic film made from linear low-density polyethylene used to secure, bundle, and stabilize products. The film is pulled and stretched around products during application to create tightly secured loads. Stretch film comes in various widths, thicknesses, and colors for different applications. The tight, conforming look of stretch film leads it to be frequently confused with heat shrink wrap. However, the differences are significant: Heat shrink wrap requires a heat source, is rarely used in pallet wrapping, and is not waterproof. Heat shrink wrap also tends to be more transparent and can notably extend shelf life.
The name stretch film is derived from the film characteristics. Some films can stretch up to 300% during application. The more stretch during the application, the less film used. The less film used equals less cost and environmental impact.
Stretch film has numerous benefits, including corrosion and puncture resistance, simplified load containment, and various equipment types to meet every need. An in-house stretch wrap machine will maintain an even and consistent stretch rate during film application. The increase and consistency in stretch rates.
