Difference between Different Types of Shrink Wrap Film

There are three main types of shrink wrapping film, i.e. polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), and polyolefin (POF). All of the films have specific properties which make them different from each other. And therefore, each of these films is used to fulfill different requirements.

In this article, we are going to discuss all of these films briefly.

PVC Shrink Film

PVC packaging film was once the mostly used shrink packaging solutions across the world. However, this type of shrink wrap has now become the second option after PE and POF due to a number of reasons which mainly include risk to health and lack of sustainability.

When this film is in the rigid form, it can be used in a number of applications such as construction projects and houseware products. And since it is highly reactive to the temperature changes, you have to make sure that it is being used in the best form. And it can be recycled with certain conditions applied.

POF Shrink Film

Polyolefin shrink is a high quality premium shrink film. It is now being used in place of PVC film in a number of applications. Due to the level of safety it can provide, it is approved by FDA. There are different characteristics of this film. The major one is that it is a crossed linked film which is capable of providing high-tensile strength and incredible clarity for high-speed packaging applications.

This added strength of the film allows longer rolls of the film to be used with thinner gauge settings.  This is the reason that this film is highly productive and efficient. Polyolefin shrink film has great resistance against punctures and it provides excellent seal strength. This is the reason that irregular shaped items can be wrapped using this film without any major issue. Moreover, this film is 100% recyclable.

PE Shrink Film

Another type of film is the polyethylene, or PE, film. This film is formed with the help of the addition of ethylene during polymerization. This film is used in several forms of protective flexible packaging including shrink film and stretch film. Although there are many forms the PE films can take, the major ones include Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE).

The main benefit of Low-Density Polyethylene over other forms of films is the added strength which allows the film to be used for packaging of heavier and larger items. While this film is stronger and more reliable than any other form, it comes with a disadvantage that it doesn’t shrink as much as other types.