Shrink films

The UK Plastic Packaging Tax introduced in April 2022 imposes a £200 per tonne levy on manufactured or imported plastic packaging materials that contain less than 30% certified recycled content.

Yorkshire Packaging have been working closely with our manufacturing sites for a number of years to develop and bring to market a range of flexible films that contain over 30% and as much as 70% recycled content which are exempt from the tax. Look for the green logo stating 'Also available with recycled content' on our packaging material webpages to identify the conforming products.

We do not recommend the use of biodegradable films. The biodegrading process involves microorganisms breaking down the material, merely transforming it into plastic micro-particles. These tiny plastic fragments can make their way into oceans, are then eaten by plankton and in turn are eaten by fish, then entering our food chain. Furthermore, because biodegradable plastics are designed to break down after consumption, they cannot be recycled, breaking the full circle economy loop championed by WRAP. This means that resources perpetually have to be pumped into the manufacturing stage to ensure a continued supply of the biodegradable material, using fuel and energy whilst emitting CO2 and other harmful emissions.

OPRL is an initiative, in conjunction with WRAP UK, to demonstrate recycling possibilities for packaging more widely and clearly. The On-Pack Recycling Label delivers a simple, UK-wide, consistent recycling message for use on both retailer private label and brand-owner packaging. Unlike other recycling labels, the scheme is based on current local authority recycling services and reflects what can be recycled, and where. This enables more consumers to recycle more material correctly, more often.

A mono-material in shrink film terms refers to films created from a single polymeric family – polyethylene. As a simplified structure, mono-materials are preferable to the use of mixed material products and laminates (polymers are commonly integrated with foils for example) which are notoriously hard and expensive to recycle. The single polymer LDPE shrink films supplied by YPS can be classified as 100% recyclable to SPI code 04.

'PCW' is an abbreviation of the term ‘post-consumer waste’, whilst 'PIW' stands for ‘post-industrial waste’. Although flexible films containing either of one these are greener for our planet, there is a distinct difference between the two. PCW films are composed of material that has been through the stages of manufacture, consumption and recycling before being cleaned and re-granulated to be repurposed into new films. This means that PCW/recycled-content films are a ‘closed loop’ solution.

PIW films by contrast are composed of virgin polymers, albeit virgin materials which would otherwise be classified as a waste by-product of the plastic film manufacturing process or from a production line environment. These PIW resins, which could include trimmed plastic from a master reel in manufacture, for example, are still beneficial for the environment because they prevent unnecessary waste and repurpose material that is still fit for use. In essence, PIW films are a recycled raw material.  

We have consistently achieved 'AA' grade BRC certification in the Global Standard for Storage and Distribution for many years, something which we know is of paramount importance to our customers. Our film manufacturing sites are also BRC certified. Certificates are available upon request.

A call-off order is a fantastic facility we use at YPS to ensure that we always have your film ready for just when you need it! It offers our customers flexibility and freedom by reserving their shrink film in our large 20,000 sq ft warehouse, with the convenience of paying for it as they take it. All that is needed is a purchase order for an agreed amount of shrink film, from which amounts can be taken as and when required, until the purchase order has been completely fulfilled. This call-off facility may help some customers delay price increases due to changes in the market, when arranged with their YPS account manager.

Shrink film is designed to constrict with the application of heat to produce a complete seal around an object. The finished effect is a plastic outer layer that is moulded around the shape of the product within. Stretch wrap (also known as ‘Pallet Wrap’) is used to secure items stacked together on a pallet prior to transportation, in order to provide stability and protection. Stretch film has an adhesive surface that clings to itself as it is wound around a load and the tension that is created maintains the bundled structure.

Overwrapping is a method of display packaging which produces an envelope-fold at each end of the packs. The benefit of this method is that it is very fast, however the disadvantage is that the overwrapping machinery requires very expensive change parts. Shrink wrapping offers more flexibility as there are no change parts required for the machinery. When wrapping multiple pack sizes, not having change parts is a major advantage and makes the wrapping process much easier. The machine operators can run all of the different pack sizes through the machine without having to alter parts. This also saves costs on not only the parts themselves but also down-time from changeovers.

Within the general field of shrink wrapping we typically distinguish between two main areas. Display shrink wrapping is where the aesthetics of the final product is of primary importance and this typically involves the use of Polyolefin (PO) shrink film with the use of 'L' sealers and side sealers. Typical examples would be items such as shrink wrapped calendars, posters, boxed games, DVD’s etc. Transit shrink wrapping is where the primary focus is to protect and help transport the product through the distribution channel and this typically involves the use Polythene (PE) film and the use of sleeve sealers. A typical example would be a shrink wrapped pack of 24 litre bottles of water or flat-packed furniture being put through a carrier network.

Many manufacturers and suppliers are beginning to make the change from cardboard boxes to shrink wrapping. A much more cost effective method than cartons, shrink wrapping usually saves between 50-75% on material alone. Shrink wrapping is also proven to be much more efficient as the equipment has the ability to collate products automatically and an added bonus is that there is no box to erect. Shrink wrapping saves space within the warehouse and distribution process as one pallet of shrink film is the equivalent to 15 pallets of cardboard. It is also considered to be more environmentally friendly as less packaging is used and what is used is 100% recyclable.

The bullseye on a shrink-wrapped pack refers to the open areas or 'holes' at each side. These are created using a polythene film on a sleeve wrapper when total film coverage of the pack is not required. An example of a pack that uses a bullseye is a 12 pack of water bottles in a supermarket.