The demand for shrink sleeve labels have seen a significant growth in the last decade and its use is increasing in the global market of labels every day.

The rise in demand for this label is mainly attributed to its benefits in terms of brand identity, marketing and visual appeal to the customers. There is an improvement in the definition and quality of these labels on a regular basis. New developments are also taking place in the manufacturing processes and forms of shrink sleeve labeling.

The other factors affecting the demand for shrink sleeve labels are retail trends, economic influences and increasing demand from the consumers for the convenience products. Several studies on market research have shown that use of customized shrink sleeve labels can increase the sales by around 20% as compared to the age-old ‘pressure sensitive’ labels.

Shrink sleeve labels have a smooth finish, brilliant graphics and are considered as the most durable labeling products. Since these labels are printed on the polyester or plastic material, so they are most suitable for products that are exposed to friction or moisture.

There are several advantages of shrink sleeve labeling. Let us discuss them in details.

• They are available in full color with a design coverage of 360 degrees.
• They can be fitted onto most containers and can be contoured to other special shapes.
• They are abrasion and moisture resistant.
• No adhesive is required; hence the containers remain usable.

Using shrink sleeve labeling maximizes the marketing space on the products, thus providing more ways to impress the customers. Apart from providing a greater coverage than the regular labels, shrink sleeves are also a better option for those products that confront moisture heavy or humid environments. Such products include refrigerators and showers. The designs on the products do not get damaged in spite of rough handling or friction. This is because the printing of the graphics is done on the inside portion of the sleeve.

Generally, for full body labeling, the shrink sleeves fit into most of the containers. However, shrinking sleeve can be difficult on those shapes that get narrower downwards. This is because the sleeves will not be able to have a grip on the bottom of those containers. The other consideration that needs to be taken into consideration is the heat inside the steam tunnels. This means the shrink sleeve labels have to be made in such a way that they can withstand a certain degree of temperature, otherwise, the containers can get damaged.

We can also use shrink sleeve labels as tamper evident seals. This is very simple. We just need to add a perforation (horizontal of course) near the container’s cap. Thus, there is no need to purchase and apply 2 label products. Instead, our limited resources and time can be utilized in doing something productive.

Similarly, you must have heard of combination packaging. They use these labels for packaging and promoting multiple containers as a single unit. With ‘form-fitting’ shrink sleeve labels, combo-packs can be packaged in the easiest way. Later, these combo packs can be easily converted back into separate units be removing the external sleeve.

At Anchor Printing, we take pride in offering our clients cut & stack labeling, pressure sensitive labels, roll-fed labeling, shrink sleeves as well as flexible packaging options. Contact us today at http://anchorprinting.com for all of your product label design, printing and packaging needs.

Every new product or a revamped product aims to deliver to its customer a lasting impression of the product through its label, within a few seconds. In order to create this impact, custom designed product labels should be made keeping in purview the objective of the product and the competitor’s outlook. The label should be designed as such that it affects the buyer emotionally and compels the buyer to try the product. The little label carries a lot of burden on its shoulder, so it becomes extremely vital for brands to display the product information beautifully on its label.

Important tips for a perfect label

The brand gets represented through its logo, the custom designed product label should be designed as such that it holds its logo distinctly, and use of white color is desirable around the logo to create lasting impact. The size of the logo doesn’t matter much, but the location does matter. The name of the product should be unique and it should define the product. The detailing of the product should be precise and clear, so that the customer can identify what exactly the product offers. The government rules and precautionary measures should be included wherever necessary. The quantity of the product should be mentioned. Proper barcoding should be done on each label.

Getting Noticed

It is always said that a product which is packaged nicely has the higher probability of being picked up by the customer. A product which clearly states its purpose through its label is always the first choice of customers. The custom designed product label which is presented in an artistic manner signals the message the product wants to convey. Colorful labels portray the product to be lively, and crisp design suggests purity with sophistication. The customer buys; product based on the label and the label provides the overall outlook of the particular brand. So, it becomes vital to portray a powerful artwork in the label, in order to make the customer aware about the brand message.

Plan of Action to formulate Alluring Label

With the market being extremely competitive, the brands need to walk that extra mile to stay abreast with changing buying pattern. Branding these days is all about creating unique stories. Although the space in the label doesn’t allow for long stories, one can provide one liners followed by QR code to kindle interest among the customers, so that they can enjoy the entire story back home. The brand has also the option to try out different images in their label keeping the distinctive brand details intact. This way the customer will be happy to keep bottles, with all different labels. The trend these days also focuses on ideating messages, facts and jokes on the labels along with awarding contests which raises the curiosity among the consumers of the product. Finally, the competitors can provide very good learning about what is working and what is not working. The label which is designed tactfully will surely catch the eye of the customer and earn profit for the brand.

At Anchor Printing, we take pride in offering our clients cut & stack labeling, pressure sensitive labels, roll-fed labeling, shrink sleeves as well as flexible packaging options. Contact us today at http://anchorprinting.com for all of your product label design, printing and packaging needs.

Shrink sleeves are a cost-effective packaging method available for labeling and decorating the consumer products. The packaging enables better utilization of space and outlines the details of the product. Consumers are often attracted by the labels and details cut out on the product. Shrink sleeves give justice to the consumer by highlighting the minute details of the product.

Shrink Sleeve Manufacturing:

Shrink sleeves are available in different materials:

• Polypropylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG): PETG is the most expensive shrink sleeve material. It has excellent coherence and print standards. It is recyclable and most opted material for shrink sleeve packaging.
• Polylactic acid (PLA): PLA Packaging comes from biodegradable waste and is a current trend to choose PLA packaging.
• Expanded Polystyrene (EPS): EPS is also made from the recyclable thermoplastic material. It is highly resistant to heat.
• PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC): PVC is the most commonly used and cost effective shrink sleeves material compared to other materials. Shrink sleeves made from PVC have good coherence and print standards. It is less environmentally friendly and hence not preferred in the recent age.

Shrink sleeves made from any of the above materials can be applied on the products by two methods: manual application method and automated application method.

Manual Application Method: Shrink sleeve is manually placed over the product. Heat waves are given using a heat gun/ a dryer to adapt the preferred shape. This type of application is suited for sample models in small numbers.

Automated Application Method:  Diversified machines are used to slip the shrink sleeve on the product and a heat treatment is given to form a perfect fit for the product.

Perforations: Shrink sleeves provide perforations, it helps consumers to simplify the removal of the packaging done on the product. This ensures the consumer that the container is not used earlier. Different types of perforations are available on the need basis.

Colors and printing styles: The number of colors chosen on the shrink sleeve for the product design is directly proportional to the cost of packaging. Different printing styles are available on shrink sleeves, like digital printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing and the web offset printing. One can easily select the print style based on the cost estimate and quality of the graphics. Gravure is the costliest style of printing and digital is the most reasonable style of printing.

Types of Shrink sleeves: Shrink sleeves are available in different types, like full body shrink sleeves, shrink sleeves to cover only a portion of the product, shrink sleeves to avoid tampering and shrink sleeve for combination packing of products.

An illustration of the Shrink sleeve process:

1. The initial step is to accumulate the sample container and the graphics on the container.
2. Appropriate strength material is selected for the container and an alluring graphics to obtain the desired end product.
3. Application of the shrink sleeve can be done manually on the product or done by machine. In the machine application process, appropriate heat has to be provided to avoid shrink sleeve damage. After a proper fit of the shrink sleeve package on the container, the finished product is ready.

Advantages of shrink sleeve packaging:

• Sleeves allow complete utilization of the container body. Utilization, when paired with exceptional graphics, is a hit in the market.
• Sleeves undergo a heat treatment to perfectly fit the container body. Hence, any shape of the container can be selected to contour and outgrow in the market.
• Sleeves are applicable for all kinds of materials like metal, glass, and plastic. The sleeves give a perfectly smooth finish on the container.
• To avoid tampering of the product, sleeves can be used on the cap of the container. This ensures trust and safety of the product.
• Shrink sleeves are all moisture resistant. This makes it usable in any place, like product placed in a refrigerator.
• Shrink sleeves are abrasion resistant. This quality of the sleeves helps during shipping of the products.
• The sleeves do not use adhesive and hence no sticky mess available on the container. Containers are reusable and the sleeve can be cleanly torn away.
• Re-branding of the products using shrink sleeves gives an exceptional edge in the marketing end.

At Anchor Printing, we take pride in offering our clients cut & stack labeling, pressure sensitive labels, roll-fed labeling, shrink sleeves as well as flexible packaging options. Contact us today at http://anchorprinting.com for all of your product label design, printing and packaging needs.

Shrink sleeves are a cost-effective packaging method available for labeling and decorating the consumer products. The packaging enables better utilization of space and outlines the details of the product. Consumers are often attracted by the labels and details cut out on the product. Shrink sleeves give justice to the consumer by highlighting the minute details of the product.

Shrink Sleeve Manufacturing:

Shrink sleeves are available in different materials:

• Polypropylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG): PETG is the most expensive shrink sleeve material. It has excellent coherence and print standards. It is recyclable and most opted material for shrink sleeve packaging.
• Polylactic acid (PLA): PLA Packaging comes from biodegradable waste and is a current trend to choose PLA packaging.
• Expanded Polystyrene (EPS): EPS is also made from the recyclable thermoplastic material. It is highly resistant to heat.
• PolyVinyl Chloride (PVC): PVC is the most commonly used and cost effective shrink sleeves material compared to other materials. Shrink sleeves made from PVC have good coherence and print standards. It is less environmentally friendly and hence not preferred in the recent age.

Shrink sleeves made from any of the above materials can be applied on the products by two methods: manual application method and automated application method.

Manual Application Method: Shrink sleeve is manually placed over the product. Heat waves are given using a heat gun/ a dryer to adapt the preferred shape. This type of application is suited for sample models in small numbers.

Automated Application Method:  Diversified machines are used to slip the shrink sleeve on the product and a heat treatment is given to form a perfect fit for the product.

Perforations: Shrink sleeves provide perforations, it helps consumers to simplify the removal of the packaging done on the product. This ensures the consumer that the container is not used earlier. Different types of perforations are available on the need basis.

Colors and printing styles: The number of colors chosen on the shrink sleeve for the product design is directly proportional to the cost of packaging. Different printing styles are available on shrink sleeves, like digital printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing and the web offset printing. One can easily select the print style based on the cost estimate and quality of the graphics. Gravure is the costliest style of printing and digital is the most reasonable style of printing.

Types of Shrink sleeves: Shrink sleeves are available in different types, like full body shrink sleeves, shrink sleeves to cover only a portion of the product, shrink sleeves to avoid tampering and shrink sleeve for combination packing of products.

An illustration of the Shrink sleeve process:

1. The initial step is to accumulate the sample container and the graphics on the container.
2. Appropriate strength material is selected for the container and an alluring graphics to obtain the desired end product.
3. Application of the shrink sleeve can be done manually on the product or done by machine. In the machine application process, appropriate heat has to be provided to avoid shrink sleeve damage. After a proper fit of the shrink sleeve package on the container, the finished product is ready.

Advantages of shrink sleeve packaging:

• Sleeves allow complete utilization of the container body. Utilization, when paired with exceptional graphics, is a hit in the market.
• Sleeves undergo a heat treatment to perfectly fit the container body. Hence, any shape of the container can be selected to contour and outgrow in the market.
• Sleeves are applicable for all kinds of materials like metal, glass, and plastic. The sleeves give a perfectly smooth finish on the container.
• To avoid tampering of the product, sleeves can be used on the cap of the container. This ensures trust and safety of the product.
• Shrink sleeves are all moisture resistant. This makes it usable in any place, like product placed in a refrigerator.
• Shrink sleeves are abrasion resistant. This quality of the sleeves helps during shipping of the products.
• The sleeves do not use adhesive and hence no sticky mess available on the container. Containers are reusable and the sleeve can be cleanly torn away.
• Re-branding of the products using shrink sleeves gives an exceptional edge in the marketing end.

At Anchor Printing, we take pride in offering our clients cut & stack labeling, pressure sensitive labels, roll-fed labeling, shrink sleeves as well as flexible packaging options. Contact us today at http://anchorprinting.com for all of your product label design, printing and packaging needs.

What are shrink sleeves?

Though the name may suggest otherwise, shrink sleeves are actually a form of labels that are fast becoming popular. Indeed, it is one segment that’s growing fast in the label industry. More and more brands want to ensure that their packaging is aesthetically appealing to the customers. In a highly competitive world, it is important for them to make a mark and be distinctive. And they adapt shrink sleeve labels to achieve this end.

The industries that are adapting shrink sleeves are food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, household products etc.

It is the age of cheap duplicates. There are many companies that copy a more popular and established brand and use similar labels in order to sell their products. This is where shrink sleeves come in and offer a big advantage for brands. The design choices are multiple and flexible, allowing brands to stand out and be recognized.

Advantages

Shrink sleeves are more durable, allow having full body designs on the container, are water and abrasion resistant as well. The most important part is that the labels can be removed and the containers can be reused. This makes for an ecofriendly option and saving in cost. Though shrink sleeves are slightly more costly initially, in the long run, this works out better.

Since you can have full body designs, you have scope for more color and graphics choices that are impactful and capture attention. These can be used on a wide variety of container materials like plastics, glass and metal. They are seamless and fit into any shape of containers, giving it a different look accentuating the shape of the container.

Another important aspect is to have the barcodes on the product. Shrink sleeves allow you to have this, but with a rider. Scanning of bar codes is sensitive and hence bar codes should be strategically placed on the container. It should be put vertically in a place where the bar code can be scanned as is without any curves of the container interfering with the scanning.

Shrink sleeves are durable to store and transport and are mostly damage proof. However, they should be kept in a cool environment of temperatures of 30 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit as otherwise higher temperatures may cause it to shrink prematurely rendering it useless.

Materials used

Shrink sleeves are mostly manufactured using two materials, namely Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-modified (PETG) and Polyvinyl chloride (PVC). PVC is most cost effective of the choices as it’s per unit cost is less and is better to use in few cases than PETG. PETG however, has the highest shrink percentage and is also recyclable, which is a big plus making it the most popular of the choices. It is also readily available.

It is important to get the sleeve size, slit width, lay flat size, cut length, print width and height correct. It is best to share sample containers with the shrink sleeves manufacturer and they also offer prototypes.

The shrink sleeve industry is growing at a fast paced 20% and is here to stay. With so many advantages, this is something that brands cannot choose to ignore.

At Anchor Printing, we take pride in offering our clients cut & stack labeling, pressure sensitive labels, roll-fed labeling, shrink sleeves as well as flexible packaging options. Contact us today at http://anchorprinting.com for all of your product label design, printing and packaging needs.