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Shrink Wrap, also known as Shrink Film or Heat Shrink Film, is a plastic packaging material that shrinks tightly around a product when heat is applied. It creates a secure, protective and professional-looking finish and is widely used for packaging retail products, food, gift hampers, printed materials and industrial goods.

Shrink Wrap is generally manufactured from three main materials: Polyolefin (POF), Polyethylene (PE) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). Each type of shrink film offers different properties, including strength, clarity, flexibility and shrink performance, making it suitable for different packaging applications.

Shrink film is available in various widths, thicknesses and formats, including centrefolded rolls, single-wound film, shrink sleeves and heavy-duty shrink wrap.

How Does Shrink Wrap Work?

Shrink wrapping involves placing a product inside or around shrink film, then applying heat with a heat gun, shrink chamber, or heat shrink tunnel. As the film is heated, it contracts and conforms to the shape of the product.

The process generally involves placing the product in shrink film, sealing the film around it and applying controlled heat to produce a tight, fitted package.

Shrink wrapping can be done manually with an L-Bar Heat Sealer and heat gun, or automatically with specialised Shrink Wrap Machines.

What Are the Different Types of Shrink Film?

There are three main types of shrink film, each designed for different packaging requirements.

1. Polyolefin (POF) Shrink Film

Polyolefin Shrink Film is one of the most popular types of shrink wrap, providing excellent clarity, strength and flexibility. It produces a smooth, glossy finish that enhances product presentation while helping protect goods against dust, dirt and handling damage.

Polyolefin shrink film is particularly suitable for retail packaging, food products, books, printed materials, cosmetics, stationery and multipacks.

Compared with PVC shrink film, polyolefin is generally softer, more flexible, and more tear-resistant. Suitable food-grade polyolefin films can also be used for direct food contact.

Get Packed supplies a range of Cryovac Polyolefin Shrink Films, including high-performance presentation films designed for both manual and automatic shrink wrapping applications.

2. Polyethylene (PE) Shrink Film

Polyethylene Shrink Film, commonly called PE Shrink Wrap, is a durable, heavy-duty packaging film designed for wrapping larger, heavier or bulkier products.

PE shrink film is particularly suitable for bundling multiple products together, including bottles, cans, cartons, timber, building materials and industrial goods.

It is generally thicker than polyolefin or PVC shrink film and provides greater strength and puncture resistance for demanding packaging applications.

Polyethylene shrink wrap is commonly used with sleeve wrapping machines, bundle wrappers and industrial heat shrink equipment.

Get Packed supplies Polyethylene Shrink Film and Heavy-Duty Shrink Wrap for industrial packaging, bundling and product protection.

3. PVC Shrink Film

PVC Shrink Film (Polyvinyl Chloride) is a traditional shrink wrapping material known for its clarity, firm finish and relatively rigid texture once shrunk.

PVC shrink wrap is often used for gift hampers, baskets, printed materials, and other lightweight retail products that require an attractive, crisp packaging finish.

Although PVC shrink film can be economical and suitable for certain applications, polyolefin is increasingly preferred because it is generally more flexible, less brittle and produces fewer irritating fumes during shrinking.

Use PVC shrink film with appropriate ventilation and compatible shrink-wrapping equipment.

Get Packed supplies PVC Shrink Film in centre-folded rolls suitable for a variety of packaging applications.

Other Types of Shrink Wrap

In addition to the three main shrink film materials, specialised shrink wrapping products are available for particular applications.

Shrink Sleeves: Heat shrink sleeves are placed around bottle caps, jar lids and container openings to provide tamper-evident protection. They are commonly used in food, beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging.

Heavy-Duty Shrink Wrap: Thicker polyethylene shrink film protects large equipment, machinery, boats, building materials, and other bulky products from weather, dust, and handling damage.

Pallet Shrink Bags: Large shrink film bags designed to cover palletised goods before heat is applied, creating a secure covering for storage or transportation.

Black or Opaque Shrink Film: Opaque shrink wrap conceals packaged goods, providing additional privacy and security during distribution.

These products are available within Get Packed's Shrink Wrap and Heat Shrink Film range.

 

Polyolefin vs Polyethylene vs PVC Shrink Film

Feature	Polyolefin (POF)	Polyethylene (PE)	PVC
Clarity	Excellent	Varies	Very good
Flexibility	High	High	Lower
Strength	High	Very high in heavy-duty grades	Moderate
Finish	Soft, glossy	Flexible, robust	Firm, crisp
Typical Uses	Retail and food packaging	Bundling and industrial packaging	Gift hampers and retail goods
Food Contact	Suitable grades available	Suitable grades available	Not generally recommended
Common Machinery	L-Bar sealers, shrink tunnels	Sleeve and bundle wrappers	Manual and compatible shrink wrappers

 

What Is the Difference Between Shrink Wrap and Stretch Wrap?

Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, shrink wrap and stretch wrap are two different packaging materials.

Shrink wrap requires heat to contract tightly around a product, whereas stretch wrap, also known as pallet wrap, stretches around products to secure them without heat.

Shrink wrap is commonly used to package individual products, bundle multipacks, and create tamper-evident retail packaging.

Stretch wrap is predominantly used to stabilise goods on pallets during storage and transportation.

What Are the Benefits of Shrink Wrapping?

Shrink wrapping offers several advantages across retail, manufacturing, food processing and industrial packaging.

• Product Protection: Protects packaged items from dust, dirt, moisture, and handling damage.

• Tamper Evidence: Provides a visible indication when a shrink-wrapped package has been opened or disturbed.

• Professional Presentation: Creates a neat, tight finish that enhances retail product appearance.

• Product Bundling: Holds multiple products together in a single convenient package.

• Versatility: Suitable for products of different shapes, sizes and weights.

• Packaging Efficiency: Reduces bulky outer packaging and can improve handling and storage efficiency.

How Do You Choose the Right Shrink Film?

Choosing the right shrink wrap depends on several factors, including the size, shape and weight of the product, the required strength and clarity of the film, and the type of shrink wrapping equipment being used.

For lightweight retail products requiring excellent presentation, polyolefin shrink film is generally an excellent choice. For heavy-duty bundling and industrial packaging, polyethylene shrink film is often more suitable, while PVC shrink film remains useful for certain gift hamper and retail applications.

Film thickness, shrink temperature, sealing properties and machine compatibility should also be considered to achieve a consistent, professional result.

Where Can You Buy Shrink Wrap in Australia?

Get Packed supplies a comprehensive range of Shrink Wrap, Heat Shrink Film and Shrink Wrapping Machines for businesses throughout Australia.

From polyolefin and PVC shrink film for retail packaging to heavy-duty polyethylene shrink wrap for industrial applications, Get Packed offers packaging materials and equipment to suit different products and production volumes.

Explore the complete range of Shrink Wrap and Heat Shrink Film or browse Shrink Wrap Machines to find the right packaging solution for your business.