55 Shrink Wrapped Items All Around You

As you walk through any local stores, you may or may not notice items packaged in shrink wrap. Companies choose to use shrink wrap for packaging because it is affordable and works well for its many intended uses. Shrink wrap is everywhere! The most common reasons to shrink wrap items are:

• Protect the items from moisture, dust, and other contaminants,
• Bundle items in units of two or more, or keep extra parts attached to the main unit
• Preserve freshness and prevent lid removal
• Provide an efficient way to prevent tampering.
• Add an additional surface to label and attach theft prevention devices.

55 shrink wrapped Items all around you:

1. Air filters for the home: often priced per bundle of three filters shrink wrapped together for easy packaging.
2. Air fresheners: shrink wrap is used around spray triggers and nozzles to prevent premature spray.
3. Air hoses: wrapped with shrink film to keep coiled during transportation.
4. Animal chew toys: shrink wrapped to preserve freshness (Chew bones or treats).
5. Automotive Air-filters: typically packaged with a stronger 100-gauge film.
6. Bakery items: from muffins to croissants, multiples are packaged together against a cardboard base with shrink wrap.
7. Batteries: held with shrink film to a cardboard backing. Often times batteries included with products are shrink wrapped on a backer board to enable them to be easily found.
8. Beauty supplies: two or more products are often shrink banded together for promotion, also used for nozzles and lid caps.
9. Beef jerky sticks: shrink wrap is used with one side label printed.
10. Pots and pans: often times the lid is placed upside-down and a shrink band around the top of the pot to prevent movement or separation from the lid.
11. Macaroni and Cheese: Multiple boxes are often found bound together with printed shrink wrap. Kraft commonly uses printed shrink wrap to bundle boxes together.
12. Butter container lids: shrink banded around the lid to prevent unintentionally opening the product before purchase.
13. Calendars: typically lighter weight (60-gauge) shrink wrap used to keep the pages together.
14. Candles: individual candles are shrink wrapped to prevent scratches and other damage during transportation.
15. CDs: 60-gauge shrink bags are primarily used to deter tampering and protect the products from exterior elements.
16. Charcoal: multiple bags are shrink wrapped together with the 150-200-gauge film.
17. Cheese: FDA approved polyolefin shrink wrap used to preserve freshness.
18. Cleaning supplies: extension hoses and other parts are often held to the bottle with shrink wrap.
19. Condom packages: Yes condom packages are even shrink wrapped. Boxes are shrink wrapped primarily for security reasons and provide tamper evidence.
20. Cutting boards: cutting boards are typically wrapped in clear 75-gauge shrink wrap to prevent excess contamination and provide a surface to place the product sticker.
21. Diet drinks: the shrink wrap is often printed upon to make the packaging look more appealing. Slim-fast and other weight loss items use the printed shrink film to help appeal to customers.
22. Disposable cups & plates: packages are shrink wrapped together for transportation and bundle sales, generally in packages of 50-100 units.
23. Duct tape: is shrink wrapped individually or in multiples and then sticker labeled.
24. DVD: 75-gauge shrink bags are used primarily for tamper evidence as well as protection from exterior elements.
25. Fishing bait: multiple products are often bundled together with shrink film. Trout bait Powerbait is a common fishing bait bundled together.
26. Folders: legal documents are often shrink wrapped for storage preservation the shrink film helps to protect from dust and moisture.
27. Frozen items: FDA approved polyolefin shrink wrap is used for packaging a large variety of frozen items (i.e. frozen pizzas).
28. Fruit baskets: domed shrink wrap bags conform tightly over the basket handle to secure product and preserve freshness. Fruit baskets are popular during the holiday season and domed shrink bags sales tend to pick up during that time of year.
29. Gift baskets: domed shrink bags for the basket and some time the use of flat shrink bags used upside down. We have seen basket makers use the flat shrink bags upside down, tie the open part by the handle with a ribbon and hit the bottom part of the bag with a shrink gun.
30. Golf balls: new and recycled boxes are wrapped for tamper evidence.
31. Kleenex boxes: shrink wrapped to bundle multiple products together.
32. Laundry room items: everything from ironing boards, to hampers, and several other laundry room storage items are shrink wrapped.
33. Halogen lights: packages of 3 or 4 are often bundled together with a cardboard end piece and then shrink wrapped.
34. Orange juice lids: shrink band around the cap to prevent unintentional opening and tamper evidence.
35. Outdoor cushions: wrapped for protection from weather conditions before the sale. Wal-Mart often times stores these items in the outdoor section, the shrink wrap is great packaging to help protect the products.
36. Over the counter meds: two or more items bundled for promotion, also shrink banding around caps.
37. Painting kits: trays are wrapped to hold otherwise loose items. If you buy a paint kit, the brush and roller are typically in the paint tray then the tray is shrink wrapped to help hold the loose items within the tray.
38. Photo Albums: shrink wrap is used to keep them from opening during transportation and before the sale.
39. Picture frames: shrink wrap is used to protect appearance integrity.
40. Plaques and awards: after engraving, to protect against exterior elements, a light gauged film is used to allow for easy opening.
41. Boat and Marine: thick colored (typically white or blue) shrink wrap protects a vehicle from the weather; film used for winterizing.
42. Printed post cards: 60-gauge film is used for bundling multiple cards to sell as a single unit.
43. Rope and twine: items are coiled, and then shrink banded to hold the coil.
44. Rugs: a wide shrink band keeps rugs rolled for transportation and sale. The size of the rug determines the size of the shrink film needed.
45. Seasonal supplies: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and other seasonal and holiday products are bundled and protected with shrink wrap.
46. Seasonings: a printed shrink band is used around seasoning lids.
47. Sheet sets: 75-100-gauge shrink wrap is used around the box to allow easy display of the product, but help protect from exterior elements.
48. Skateboards: used to protect board graphics, wheels and trucks against exterior elements during transportation and storage.
49. Small auto parts: otherwise loose parts are kept bundled together with shrink wrap for shipping.
50. Soap: lighter gauge shrink wrap is used to prevent moisture degradation, scratches or marks.
51. Tiki torches: the tops are held on to the base pole with shrink bands.
52. Toilet seats: the lids are held closed with 100-gauge film or higher.
53. Tuna cans: printed shrink wrap keeps packs of 6 cans bundled together.
54. Video games: 75-gauge shrink bag is used for tamper protection and to create a surface for the security tag.
55. Bottled Water: cases of water are bound to a cardboard flat with 150-200-gauge shrink wrap that includes a large number of plasticizers.

Centerfold shrink wrap is the most common type of film purchased for high-speed machines and low output operations. The most common types of centerfold film are PVC and Polyolefin centerfold shrink film. Both of these shrink films are ideal products when used properly.

Many types of shrink wrap are blended with plasticizers. plasticizers allow the shrink wrap to be flexible and resilient like the plastic used for cases of bottles of water. Lower levels of plasticizers make more brittle plastic that is less malleable.

If you have any questions about shrink wrap supplies or and shrink wrap film mentioned in the article, call us at 1 (800) 441-5090 or visit our website. One of our sales associates will gladly assist you with your inquiries.