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The terms stretch wrap and shrink wrap are often used interchangeably but are very different. Each is a type of plastic film commonly used to protect products but the materials are very different. Here’s a breakdown of the differences between the films and what applications they are used in.
Stretch wrap is a plastic film most commonly used to secure boxes or products on a pallet. It can also bundle multiple items together to make transportation easier and protect products from dirt, dust, and moisture during storage.
Materials
It’s most commonly made from polyethylene plastic and adds extra protection for products during storage and transportation. There are two types of stretch film, blown and cast, which refer to how the film was manufactured. Stretch wrap is available in various lengths, widths, and gauges to accommodate specific load shapes and weights. Stretch wrap is also typically clear to easily scan and see what is on the pallet. It is also available in various colors, such as blue or green, so you can quickly identify and color code products to keep distribution centers and warehouses organized.
Hand Stretch Wrapping
Stretch wrap can be applied by hand or using a stretch wrap machine. Hand-grade stretch film is shorter and lighter and is applied manually around a pallet, commonly with a handheld dispenser.. A roll of hand stretch film is typically 1,500 feet long and weighs 5 to 9 pounds.
Machine Stretch Wrapping
Machine wrap rolls are longer and wider than hand rolls and are applied with a pallet wrapping machine. Rolls of machine stretch film can weigh over 100 pounds and range from 20" to 80" in width. Stretch wrappers are recommended if you are wrapping more than 15 loads per day as they help reduce film waste and labor costs and increase overall packaging efficiency.
Shrink wrap is the tight, clear plastic film wrapped around consumer products when appearance is important, such as water bottles, food, books, toys, and other retail items. The film is an extremely versatile and durable polymer material, available in various thicknesses, strengths, and shrink ratios.
Materials
There are two main types of shrink wrap: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Polyolefin (POF). PVC is less expensive but is not widely used due to the health dangers it poses during creation and disposal. PVC is created from a combination of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine, which gives off a strong, harmful odor when heated. It's also a #3 recyclable material, so it isn't widely recyclable.
Polyolefin is by far the most commonly used of the two and is the preferred shrink film. This type of shrink film is extremely durable, clear, and an FDA-approved food material. POF shrink wrap is available in thicknesses ranging from 35 (.35 mil) to 100 (1 mil) gauge. It's created from 100% recyclable materials and is more resistant to temperature changes.
Shrink Wrap Equipment
Shrink film can be applied in a variety of ways, such as using heat guns, L bar sealers, and heat tunnels. A shrink wrap machine closes the open ends of the shrink film, then the heat source applies heat to the material to shrink it down to the product. Low-output operations typically use heat guns or tabletop heat sealers while high-output productions use heat tunnels or L bar sealers.
Stretch wrap and shrink wrap have different uses and cannot be used in place of each other. Stretch film wraps protect pallets of products for shipment and storage, while shrink film wraps protect consumer goods for storage and shelving. Contact our packaging specialists for assistance in selecting the right type of film for your packaging application.
