Nathan Dube

By: Nathan Dube on March 26th, 2020

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What Is The Best Shrink Film To Wrap Food In?

Packaging Materials | Packaging Design | Food Packaging

When using shrink film to wrap food, not all shrink films are created equally. When it comes to the best type of shrink film to cover food in, polyolefin is the clear winnerAt Industrial Packaging, we have been selling shrink films and shrink machinery for a long time. During that time, we have discovered many of the best applications for each type of shrink film. In this article, we will discuss why polyolefin is the best shrink film to wrap food.

 

Why Polyolefin Is The Best Shrink Film To Wrap Food In

 

 

When it comes to packaging, like anything else, it's always about safety first. While there are several different types of shrink film, not all of them can be used for packaging food.

 

 

Polyolefin shrink film is hands down, the best choice for packaging food. The first and most important reason for this is because it is safe. Not only is it safe to use for food packaging, but it is also FDA approved. You will find various foods at your local supermarket packaged in polyolefin shrink film. Countless food producers package everything from vegetables to meats and cheeses in polyolefin.

 

 

Not only is it safe and FDA approved, but it also has many features that make it an excellent choice for packaging food. The benefits of using polyolefin shrink film for packaging food include:

 

 

 

 

 

  • High quality

Polyolefin shrink wrap is a premium quality film that has extensive applications making it a better choice than many alternatives. Particularly, PVC shrink wrap formulations that contain phthalates, which renders the material not safe for food packaging. While some PVC formulations are FDA and Kosher approved, various formulations are not. Extra care must be taken when choosing the correct formulation when using PVC for food applications.

 

 

This is due to PVC's temperature limitations and moisture vapor transmission rates. In high-speed applications, PVC averages 40% less film per roll. The result for you is more changeovers during each shift. Polyolefin shrink film boasts the perfect formulation for food safety, stretch-ability, and clarity.

 

 

  • High-clarity

Polyolefin shrink film sports ultra-high clarity for applications that can benefit from its visual appeal. Polyolefin retains its clarity for up to a year after purchase. It can be counted on to sustain the visual impact, and glossy sheen people have come to expect for foods packaged in this material. In other words, it has amazing shelf appeal.

 


The glossy sheen and transparent qualities of polyolefin shrink film make it the perfect choice for showing off beautiful foods. Regardless of whether you are packaging meat, veggies, or practically any other type of food, you can be sure that it will catch the eyes of choosy consumers as they peruse store shelves.

 

 

Many people don't know that polyolefin shrink film is a highly recyclable product. Its unique molecular formulation makes it a completely recyclable product, and some companies will even pay you to bale and recycle your used shrink films! That means polyolefin offers a greater ROI and less of an environmental impact for your business.

 

 

  • Shrinks fast and well

Thanks to the chemical formulation of polyolefin shrink film, this material quickly and evenly shrinks as it passes through your heat tunnel. As such, using polyolefin shrink film on your packaging line saves you time while uniformly packaging your products.

 

 

  • Durability

Polyolefin shrink film is a flexible and robust material that can handle finicky foods such as crackers and other items with rough edges. Whether you are packaging frozen pizzas, pies or loaves of bread, you can be sure that your product contained within is well protected. This helps to build your brand as reliable and consistent. A consistent experience means customers know what they're getting and will be happy return customers.

 

 

  • Versatility

Polyolefin shrink film can be used to packaging thousands of different types of food items. This film is used for virtually all types of food including slices of bread and baked goods to meat, fish, poultry, and virtually everything in between. If your packaging food, chances are, polyolefin is an excellent choice for your products.

 

 

  • Low cost

Not only is polyolefin shrink film a durable and versatile material, but it is also very affordable. For example, a 12 inch 45 gauge centerfold roll of polyolefin shrink film is only about $150!

 

 

Unitization is the art and science of bundling products together for shipping and shelf appeal. For example, you will often find items such as tissue boxes and rolls of toilet paper bundled in shrink film. This is a widespread application for polyolefin shrink film, and it truly helps your products to stand out.

 

  • Cross-linked POF

Cross-linked polyolefin is excellent for fast run applications. This resuls in extra strength without negating clarity and prevents build-up on your sealing machinery.

 

 

  • Higher resistance to temperature fluctuations

When compared to other types of shrink film, polyolefin shrink film has better resistance to temperature swings and temporary exposure to extreme temperatures.

 

 

  • High tensile strength and tear resistance

Polyolefin shrink film features excellent tear resistance and better tensile strength than other formulations of shrink film. In this respect, it is a better choice for packaging foods with corners or odd shapes.

 

 

  • Pre-perforated POF 

Perforated polyolefin shrink film is available to help reduce the formation of air pockets and make for a smooth and even shrink surface.

 

 

 

How To Source Polyolefin Shrink Film

 

 

When looking for a vendor to buy polyolefin shrink film from, it is advised to shop around. We recommend comparing 3-4 different companies Do some research and compare prices and other variables such as location, quality of customer service, lead times, and related items.

 

 

Ideally, you will want to source your film from a local packaging company, this will prevent issues with shipping and returns. You will want to be sure that your vendor can quickly and actively respond to mishaps such as defective rolls of film, receiving the wrong size or width of film, returns, and other problems.

 

 

If a local company is not near your location, be sure to research customer reviews from the company you are considering buying from, primarily if they are located far away from you. You will want to be sure that your vendor can quickly and actively respond to mishaps such as defective rolls of film, receiving the wrong size or width of film, returns, and other problems.

 

 

It is also advised to find a vendor with a direct customer service line to a human being rather than a myriad of automated customer service options, which requires you to navigate through push-button options on your phone slowly.

 

 

If you are not sure where to start, feel free to reach out to one of our packaging experts. They will be able to help you find the right packaging materials vendor for your needs, even it is not us.

 

 

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About Nathan Dube

As the Digital Marketing Specialist at Industrial Packaging, I am honored to create content for such a phenomenal company and work with one of the greatest teams in the Packaging Industry. Whether creating a video, writing blog posts or generating other pieces of content and multimedia, I am always excited to help educate and inspire our prospects and clients to reach their highest potential in regards to their packaging processes and needs.