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Co-Pak Packaging Corporation > Co-Packaging Featured Posts > Think About These Factors Before Picking Out Shrink Wrap

Shrink wrap is a great way to secure your products in their packaging and ensure protection

Shrink wrap is a great way to secure your products in their packaging and ensure protection during transport. In addition to its durability, shrink wrap protects your products from the outside elements, increases shelf life, and makes your product tamper-proof. To gain these benefits, however, you need to think about the following factors when selecting shrink wrap for your packaging needs:

  • Shrink force—This refers to the amount of force the shrink wrap will exert on your product following application. If, for example, you’re trying to package multiple products within one unit, shrink wrap can keep the items tightly contained without damaging them as long as the force level is appropriate.
  • Shrink orientation—Most shrink wrap is either preferentially oriented or bi-axially oriented. Bi-axial shrink wrap shrinks equally coming from both directions while preferentially oriented film can shrink in either direction. The main benefit of preferentially oriented film is that it prevents product distortion and usually requires less material.
  • Resistance to puncturing—The resistance level of the shrink wrap refers to how difficult it is to break the film, as well as how hard it is to tear it after puncturing. In most cases, shrink wrap that resists puncturing has a lower tear resistance and vice versa, so you will need to choose the characteristic most important.
  • Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate—This characteristic measures how much moisture will or will not get through the shrink wrap. If low moisture transmission is important, pay close attention to this factor to improve the shelf life of your product.