Shrink Sleeves

Working on new technologies and innovation is easy. We just have to invest time and money to use them. However, real innovation comes when we create opportunities with existing assets in situations that were lacking before.

I have dealt with many of these situation in my career. And every time, I experience such issues, I realised I have learnt a significant lesson from it. In my 18 years of career and experience as an author, I realised that designing of recyclability is far more important and easier step than recyclability itself. I have mentioned this aspect in my book and planning to include this more in my work.

Designing shrink sleeve packaging for recyclability and reusability is a thoughtful consideration. Before I start discussing recyclability and reusability, I want to make sure you don’t confuse it with “Sustainability and Recycling” techniques. Reusability is the fundamental addition to the features that promote the long-term usage of the product by consumers.

Here’s a list of things you can do to improve the reusability while designing shrink sleeve packaging.

Resealable features: Incorporating resealable closures or openings into the shrink sleeve design to allow easy access to the product while maintaining freshness and usability is a smart idea. This could include zip-lock closures, tear strips, or perforated openings that can be resealed after each use. These features are gaining trends in today’s world to promote recycling.

Reinforced edges and seams: Reinforcing the edges and seems in shrink sleeve packaging design will prevent tearing and fraying for repeated use. Heat sealing, stitching, or adhesive bonding are a few ways to extend usability. With push from various governments, many companies are now considering using the same family of plastics in their packaging, whether rigid or flexibles. The idea is that having the bottle, label, cap all from the same family can avoid the need for separation or mixing of different plastics. However, this approach is not completely successful or adopted in the industry yet, but it’s a work in progress.

Same family plastics: Another development in this regard is using the same family plastics for flexible packaging. Using all layers of a laminate to be mono-material or simply mono-layer plastics is gaining attention. Of course, the challenge now remains that the functionality or cost of the alternates might not always be as desired, and compromises might be required. But packaging professionals and brands are aware of this, and it’s another such future scenario that is inevitable.

Do you find this article relevant? Or you still have confusion regarding its applicability? You may connect with us for any guidance. We are not only your printing packaging partner but also your trusted ally who is supporting you in trouble time.

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Sustainability now-a-days can be termed as global . Obviously, with flexible packaging, sustainability plays a crucial role. With global norms and trends, sustainability is no longer a choice of action but the future. In order to follow sustainability, I have experienced that key features sometimes go subdued. This is often seen with sustainable substrates, which tend to show less performance compared to their previous replacements.

Sustainable replacement materials or substrates might sometimes lack functionality.

I have noted down a few new substrates, and we will discuss the functionality of each substrate in terms of productivity and efficiency.

Polylactic acid (PLA): PLA is a plant-based plastic made from fermented starch. It is a comparatively new plastic material compared to other shrink sleeve materials in the industry. PLA is mostly manufactured from corn, though in some regions it is also made from sugarcane. The usage of PLA shrink labels is very low in developing economies. Needless to mention, it is biodegradable and compostable, but only industrial compostable as of now, which is probably limiting its usage. PLA is a little demanding in storage facilities. It must be maintained below 25°C.

PETG: It is considered a sustainable substrate since it’s not toxic like PVC. It is a high-density film that gives less yield. PETG is one of the substrates that can be used as a first step when transitioning from PVC to more sustainable ones.

As mentioned, PETG is more suitable for steam tunnels, but alternatives like NEXT PETG are now delivering good results in traditional hot air tunnels as well. However, text distortion can occur with PETG.

Trucycl: Trucycl is the first truly recyclable shrink film. It can be recycled with PET bottles in the recycling stream. Its usage has increased significantly in the last couple of years and it is expected to be the shrink film of the future.

Floatabel: Floatabel is another wonderful and futuristic shrink film designed for PP/PE/PET jars. It can be recycled with PP/PE containers and can be separated from PET using the floatation process.

LDPET: LDPET, or Low-Density PET film, and as the name suggests, it has a 21% higher yield compared to PET or PETG. This gives the advantage of reduced plastic consumption. LDPET in itself is suitable for both steam and hot air tunnels.

As we have seen above, replaceable sustainable materials might sometimes lack certain functionalities as the infrastructure is still improving to adopt sustainable films. Many packaging professionals I have come across understand this and suggest that deviations must be allowed for active industrial evolution in sustainability. We must be willing to accept some deviation from functionality. Sometimes, when we try to combine functional efficacy with sustainability, it is heavy on pockets.

Brand owners and packaging teams want sustainable substrates, but the price factor often becomes a deterrent.

You may connect with me for any support for Sustainable Shrink Sleeve packaging.

Leave your query to info@tauruspackaging.com or +91 96674 00924.

It is said that nothing in this world is new. Everything is inspired and ultimate source of ideation is “Nature”. From architecture to astrophysics, everyone is seems to be inspired by nature. In Packaging industry, both flexible and rigid packaging projects sometimes get influenced by this source. This is also known as biomimicry.

It is often noticed that the ideas of recycling is complementary in all natural process. Emulation of such natural concept gives us the key to take a leap in the packaging strategy. I am talking about the packaging adaptation in different structure, finish, and processes.

After spending 17+ years rigorously in flexible packaging industry, I have encountered various projects where source seems to be influenced. On observing it closely, it is often confused with the concept of “semantics”, however, it is completely different from this ideology. My article on “Semantics” received quite a readership and I will explain in this article how we have successfully integrated these concepts. I wish to speak on this topic in coming year since this concept is revolutionising yet to be assimilated in normal packaging practices.

• Ideas that create distinction in packaging can be adopted in different ways. First, It can be implemented in the physical design (Forms and Function) of the rigid packaged product. You may have seen the bottom half of beverage bottle which you may easily guess is inspired by capsicum shape. There is a special reference in the capsicum design. It withholds the air pressure inside and give stability. The design can hence give major stability goals to beverage bottles.
• Second best example is adopted in honey comb board. As we have already know that honey comb is hexagon in shape. The unique quality of honeycomb is that each hexagon block is covered by neighbouring block and provide security and protection. Honey comb board is easily seen used in courier to provide cushioning to objects. Snake skin is another example of buffer used in transportation.
• Third, which is my area of interest, printing effects inspired by nature. Pearl finish on the shrink sleeve surface is a emulated from real pearls, wet finish printing is conceptualised from water on lotus leaves. Sand touch is easily relatable with pricky leaves and velvety petals, and finally gloss is usually signifies with shiny leaves.

Apart from above three concepts, Closing the loop is one thing which is unavoidably sourced from nature. From creation of a sapling out of seed to a fully grown fruit, loop is continued and we are trying to implement the same in sustainability, emphasising the circularity in packaging. Isn’t it exciting to know how our minutest of the packaging application is coming out of nature. Semantics, however focussed on relating the product’s packaging with accessories. We must explore other scope of packaging from nature and trust me, sky would be the limit for this.

With this, I am closing the article. I hope you would relate with every example I have mentioned. Share me your feedback on info@tauruspackaging.com or you can also asked your query on +91 96674 00924.

Every time, I am asked about the futuristic innovations and technologies in packaging industry, I give answer differently. There is a reason for this. Innovation can be revolting but it depends on how easy can you adapt it? Hence, answer varies with context and adaptability. How dynamic is your market and your organisation is the key.

Do you remember the term “Chain Reaction”? We used to study that process in our academic years. A Dynamic industry is a perfect example of the chain reaction. One thing leads to another and creates a different situation which can propel new growth in other dimensions. Any change in such market will lead to a situation that trigger the use of next best option.

With 4 books and 17+ years of experience, my tryst with packaging industry is now going ahead in experimental mode. I was never convinced with unexplained technical concepts and hence, writing triggered as my understanding grew.

Let me give you examples of the most crucial aspects of packaging, focusing on the innovations that have revolutionised the situation afterwards.

Shrink sleeves have created a demand that has benefited various industries and ultimately become a basic requirement within a decade.

• Digital print: It is one such innovation that seemed almost impossible a few years ago. Request for mock-ups previously pushed multiple important factors like production of cylinders/plates/test proofs, budgets, and print limits beyond permissible boundaries, posing a huge challenge. The whole procedure used to delay the deadlines by weeks. But now, with digital print, such mock-ups are available within minutes.
• Counterfeit protection: This packaging innovation secures your product from “Me-Too” brands. The market was previously flooded with duplicate and substandard replacement products that defamed the original brand. With counterfeit packaging technology, brands can now secure their products from being replaced by cheap imitations, thereby building consumer trust.
• Decoration: As the market develops, the concepts of design, aesthetics, and semiotics have evolved a lot. Branding plays a pivotal role in packaging design. Decorative elements within these frameworks connect with consumer’s psychology. Special effects like – Gold Finish, Silver finish, Sand, and Soft touch are textures used to highlight specific features of the product through packaging.
• Sustainability: This is an unavoidable topic with a major impact on the world. Discarded plastic has become a nightmare for nature and all living beings. I don’t need to explain the problem, but we can definitely talk about the solution. Sustainability and Recycling are two methods by which the situation can be contained. Using substrates or films that are sustainable or support recycling is the solution that can create a valid change.
• Cost reduction: This is one such criteria which is omnipresent in all industries. Budgeting or Cost-cutting happen in packaging too. Usually, Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) is the one that contributes to the cost. Apart from this aesthetics, substrates, printing quality, and complex shapes add to the cost. Yet, most of these can be managed within the budget through technology. Taurus’ HIP framework is known to provide the fastest and best results within budget.
• Consumer use application: Portable and convenient packaging that is easy to use, interactive packaging like QR codes and RFID tags, sustainable packaging for health and environmental impacts, and smart packaging for food safety are exceptional application-based packaging innovations that reduce consumer inconvenience at certain levels.Above mentioned highlights are the triggered points for more innovation in the packaging industry.