Shrink sleeves · stretch labels · flexible packaging films · laminates — engineered for brand owners, converters and co-packers who cannot afford to compromise on consistency.
Sleeve label films · flexible packaging rollstock · laminates · compostable structures. Trial roll to full container.
| Material | Thickness mic / mil | Width mm / in | Length/roll m | Shrink / Stretch | Core mm / in | Primary Application | Food Safe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PETG | 30–60 / 1.2–2.4 | 250–1300 / 10–51″ | 6–10,000 | 76 / 152 (3″ / 6″) | Shrink sleeve labels | Yes | |
| OPS | 35–55 / 1.4–2.2 | 250–1300 / 10–51″ | 6–10,000 | 76 / 152 (3″ / 6″) | Shrink sleeve, wrap-around | Yes | |
| PET | 30–60 / 1.2–2.4 | 250–1300 / 10–51″ | 6–10,000 | 76 / 152 (3″ / 6″) | Shrink sleeve label, packaging, lamination | Yes | |
| LDPE | 30–50 / 1.2–2.0 | 250–1300 / 10–51″ | 6–10,000 | 76 / 152 (3″ / 6″) | Stretch sleeve labels | Yes | |
| PLA | 30–60 / 1.2–2.4 | 250–1300 / 10–51″ | 6–10,000 | 76 / 152 (3″ / 6″) | Bio shrink sleeve, compostable packaging | Yes | |
| PO | 40–50 / 1.6–2.0 | 250–1300 / 10–51″ | 6–10,000 | 76 / 152 (3″ / 6″) | Polyolefin shrink sleeve, stretch labels | Yes | |
| PP | 15–80 / 0.6–3.2 | 300–1500 / 12–59″ | 3–8,000 | 76 / 152 (3″ / 6″) | BOPP flow wrap · CPP sealant · PPWR laminates | Yes | |
| PA | 70–200 / 2.8–7.9 | 200–1200 / 8–47″ | 1–5,000 | 76 / 152 (3″ / 6″) | PA/PE vacuum pouches · meat · cook-in · thermoforming | Yes |
* Custom thickness, width and core available on request. PP = BOPP/CPP grades. PA = PA/PE coextrusion. Full flexible packaging range including EVOH, MDO-PE, PBAT/PLA — see Materials hub.
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Technical guides, regulatory analysis and procurement intelligence for label converters, brand owners and co-packers.
2021-03-09 · 7 min read · Polimex Team
Perfect shrink sleeve application touches six key areas: container selection and shape, film choice, design, ink selection, slitting and seaming, sleeve application and shrinking. When something goes wrong, the root cause almost always falls into one of these categories. Here are the 14 most common defects and how to fix them.
Cause: Shrink force too high for the container stiffness.
Solutions: Add heat-activated glue · Switch to OPS or POF substrate with lower shrink force.
Cause: Insufficient film shrinkage at the neck — film cannot conform to the container geometry.
Solutions: Use the correct substrate with +2% shrinkage margin · Specify PETG high-shrink film.
Cause: Barcode placed in a high-curvature zone or in horizontal orientation.
Solutions: Always place barcodes in vertical orientation · Position on the least-curved area of the container.
Causes: Poor-quality ink · Too-fast shrink in steam tunnel · Insufficient slip characteristics · Tunnel temperature too high.
Solution: Work with a qualified ink supplier and validate ink performance at target shrink speeds.
Cause: The container surface and inner film surface come into close contact, creating adhesion.
Solution: Separate the two surfaces by using white ink or a varnish layer on the inner face of the film.
Cause: Excessive ink coverage in a high-shrink area — ink cannot stretch with the film.
Solutions: Remove excessive ink from high-shrink zones · Adjust ink dosage in design stage.
Causes: Incorrect slitting · Use of razor or crush slitters that deform the film edge.
Solutions: Move solvent application slightly back from the very edge · Use wrap or tangential shear slitting · Adjust cant angle, blade profile and knife sharpness.
Causes: Poor-quality solvent · Ink contamination at seam · Fountain solution in seam area · Insufficient solvent delivery · Mechanical seaming issue.
Solution: Improve solvent control and delivery system; validate seam strength before full-run production.
Cause: Ink pools along fold lines, creating a brittle layer that cracks when the film expands.
Solution: Maintain a U-fold at all times — never allow a sharp crease to form in the sleeve before application.
Cause: Black ink absorbs significantly more heat in hot-air and radiant tunnels than lighter colours.
Solutions: Reduce tunnel heat in black-dominated areas · Decrease black ink percentage in high-shrink zones.
Cause: Film contacted a cold surface or glass prior to shrink application, causing localised pre-shrink.
Solution: Pre-heat containers before applying the sleeve when using hot-air or radiant tunnels. Steam tunnels are less sensitive to this issue.
Cause: Tunnel too hot — film shrinks too rapidly, generating excessive radial force on the container neck.
Solution: Shrink slowly from the bottom upward to distribute the force progressively.
Causes: No clear (ink-free) area at the top of the label · Film shrinks faster than the ink layer can follow.
Solution: Leave a clear lay-flat band at the top of the label design to allow the film to anchor.
Cause: Wrong film substrate chosen for the container profile — uneven shrink forces across the label height.
Solution: Select the correct substrate matched to the container geometry and shrink tunnel type. Contact our technical team for a substrate recommendation.
14 shrink sleeve defects covered: HDPE relaxation, flower effect, barcode distortion, ink colour change, adhesion, whiteness, raised edges, burst seams, ink cracking, black over-shrink, fish eyes, neck collapse, curl back and smiling/frowning. Each with root cause and solution. For technical support contact web@polimexgroup.com