Shrink sleeves are a relatively recent invention considering their popularity on store shelves, dating back to the 1960s, where they were used mainly as a tamper-evident remedy. Technology progressed rapidly, and by the 1990s, we started to see full-length, professionally crafted bottle shrink sleeve labels. And we've seen the introduction of bright shrink sleeves, microwaveable films, and a rise in options for finishing only recently.

Recognizing the shrink sleeve labeling obstacles

As shrink sleeve packaging technology develops and grows, shrink sleeve bottle labels are being leveraged for improved shelf appeal and quality safety by more and more premium soda brands, personal care products and value nutraceutical brands. It is a highly useful labeling technique that has been proven to create ties at the point of purchase with customers and most notably, generate demand. 

But the labeling of shrink sleeves does not come without its difficulties, namely the design of sleeves without any shrink distortion for specific bottle shapes. It is a dynamic process that requires a high degree of precision and experience, and when choosing to partner with a supplier of shrink sleeves, this risk must be taken into account.

Your label supplier should supply striking labels that are more than just a supplier, ideally matched with your brand vision while keeping up with the ever-changing demand for and of your product lines. The label manufacturer you select and the quality standards to which they hold themselves will determine the quality of your branding on the shelf, with sufficient space for error.

For consumer goods, why marketers prefer shrink sleeves

In the current economy, with improved abrasion resistance, moisture resistance and chemical resistance, we are able to bring almost any design ideas to life and eye shadow to almost any bottle shape. And within the shrink sleeve category, there is a great variety: full-body sleeves with tamper-evident seals over the cap, sleeves wrapped in a campaign around many items, smaller sleeves and more. 

There's enough space for brands with shrink sleeves to test their ingenuity and tailor their mark to the practical and branding needs of their product. Here are a few reasons why food, drink, personal care, nutraceutical brands and more have tried to shrink sleeves to separate their product bottles on the shelf: 360 degrees to tell the tale of your brand and create customer confidence.

By adding additional strength to the container, shrink sleeves may also protect the product, allowing packagers to lower the wall thickness of plastic or glass bottles while still preserving the contents. And tamper-evident elements of shrink sleeves further shield your items from pilfering before sale. Both of these advances not only add value to the mark of the product, but also reduce the overall cost of the packaging of the product.

Shrink sleeves have full-color and full-body branding, making the brand standing out on the shelves against competition. And good packaging means good sales.

Choosing the right supplier for your shrink sleeves

Your labels are needed exactly when you really need them. Look for a film manufacturer that enjoys working with you to ensure that, regardless of season or demand fluctuations, you always have enough material. 

Our producing capabilities at Polimex include high quality shrink films: PETg, OPS, PLA. We can overcome any material obstacle for any brand with an established record of delivering high-quality, personalized materials for a variety of industries.