Is it time to consider shrink sleeve labels for your product?
If you’re as obsessed with labels and packaging as we are (is that even possible?), you’ve probably noticed how ubiquitous shrink sleeve labels are on products today, everything from food and beverage bottles to personal care and nutraceuticals packaging.
Unlike conventional pressure-sensitive labels, shrink sleeves provide full-color, full-product coverage around a container, delivering a 360° top-to-bottom branding opportunity. For this and other very good reasons, shrink sleeve labels continue to gain tremendous steam in the label industry, with the segment forecasted to grow at 8.3 percent for the next 10 years, according to Industry Research.
How are shrink sleeves different from adhesive labels?
Shrink sleeves are reverse printed on a variety of film substrates, such as PE, PET-G, PVC, then adhered to the container with a heat shrinking method. No adhesive is used in the label application process. The wrap-around nature of shrink sleeves means that one label does it all, eliminating the need for additional labels on the back of the product or package.
Intrigued? Here are four more good reasons to consider shrink sleeves for your product labels:
- Bolder branding – Because shrink sleeves wrap around the entire product, they provide 360° of graphic real estate for companies to catch the consumer’s eye and provide vital product information. Whether printed on a digital or flexographic press, shrink sleeve labels reproduce beautifully maintaining the vibrance and detail of their intended design. In the health and beauty sector, bold, attention-getting packaging is especially important.
- Durable and tamper-evident
Shrink sleeve labels are durable and will hold up to scratching, tears, liquids, moisture, or dirt that may come into contact with the product. Brands also can incorporate tamper-evident and compliance features into the design, making it a very effective and efficient package solution. These are particularly attractive benefits for the CBD industry’s tincture and oil-based products. - Better inventory management
Rather than printing and applying conventional pressure-sensitive labels to unfilled bottles or cans, then running the risk of obsolete graphics on your inventory, you can keep your unlabeled packaging on hand, then apply shrink sleeve labels as needed with your most current artwork. This is ideal for the craft beer brewers who are constantly introducing limited and seasonal releases - Refresh and reuse package inventory
If you’re sitting on an inventory of outdated pre-printed containers, shrink sleeve labels provide the perfect cover. It’s a smart way to keep packaging costs down by re-using existing stock and giving it a boost with new graphics.
Shrink sleeve labels might not be for everyone, but you’ll never know until you ask an expert printer experienced in this popular label trend, like you-know-who. Contact us for your next label packaging project and we’ll run a free estimate for you.