Shrink Wrap Guide

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Which gauge should I use?

Product Weight:

Light

Heavy

Product Weight, Recommended Gauge

Recommended Gauge:

55 Gauge

100 Gauge

200 Gauge

  • Gauge is a measure of film thickness. 55 gauge is thin and 200 gauge is thick.
  • Thinner gauges shrink more easily and wrap more packages per roll.
  • Thicker gauges are for wrapping heavy products or items with sharp edges.
  • Thicker gauges give a more premium feel to your packaging and offer stronger protection.
Which Shrink Wrap should I use?
FEATURE Shrink Film Bundling Shrink Film
PVC Economy Polyolefin Deluxe Polyolefin Polyethylene
Clarity Excellent Good Good Fair
Texture Crinkly Soft, Flexible Soft, Flexible Soft, Flexible
For Direct Food Contact No Yes Yes No
Shrink Temperature 121°C
(250°F)		 149°C
(300°F)		 149°C
(300°F)		 129°C
(265°F)
Amount of Shrink
  • 35% of film length
  • 50% of film width
  • 67% of film length
  • 64% of film width
  • 80% of film in all directions
  • 15 - 20% of film in all directions
Puncture Resistance Fair Good Excellent Excellent
Suggested Use Books, Games,
Office Supplies		 Toys, Gift Baskets,
Stationery		 Candles, Soaps,
Medicine Bottles		 Canned Goods,
Water Bottle Packs
Helpful Hints

SHRINK FILM

  • All film is centerfold, so film comes folded in half lengthways on rolls.
  • How to find the film width you need:

CENTERFOLD

For rectangular items:

  1. Add the width and height.
  2. Add 2" for shrinkage.
  3. Round up to the next whole number.

Example: 12" L x 8" W x 3.5" H box

  • 8" W + 3.5" H = 11.5"
  • 11.5" + 2" = 13.5"
  • 13.5" rounds up to 14"

Result: 14" film width is required.

For round items:

  1. Multiply the diameter by 3.14.
  2. Multiply by 1.1 to add 10% for shrinkage.
  3. Divide the result by 2.
  4. Round up to the next whole number.

Example: 5.5" diameter candle

  • 5.5" diameter x 3.14 = 17.27"
  • 17.27" x 1.1 = 18.997"
  • 18.997" ÷ 2 = 9.4985"
  • 9.4985" rounds up to 10"

Result: 10" film width is required.

  • Centerfold film must be sealed on 3 sides around the product before shrinking.
  • To determine mil thickness, divide gauge by 100.
    • For example, 75 gauge ÷ 100 = 0.75 mil
  • PVC – The smallest amount of shrink and lowest sealing temperature make PVC easy to work with.
  • Economy Polyolefin – Best value. FDA compliant for direct food contact and puncture resistant.
  • Deluxe Polyolefin – Best for odd-shaped items. It shrinks in all directions and offers the finest presentation.

BUNDLING SHRINK FILM

  • All film is single wound, so film comes unfolded on rolls.
  • Use to bulk pack heavy goods, such as cleaning supplies or water bottle packs.
  • Widely used with automated packaging equipment with integrated heat tunnels.
  • All of Uline's bundling film is 200 gauge polyethylene, which is up to 3 times stronger than standard shrink films.

SINGLE WOUND
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