page_title: Shrink wrap
section_title: Use
hierarchical_section_title: Shrink wrap / Use
caption_attribution_description: English: A 24 pack of plastic bottles of water shrink wrapped. The open ends form a hole or "bulls eye" which can be used as a handle.
context_page_description: Shrink wrap, also shrink film, is a material made up of polymer plastic film. When heat is applied, it shrinks tightly over whatever it is covering.
  Heat can be applied with a handheld heat gun, or the product and film can pass through a heat tunnel on a conveyor.
context_section_description: Shrink wrap is applied over or around the intended item, often by automated equipment. It is then heated by a heat gun or sent through a shrink tunnel or oven for shrinking.
  Shrink wrap can be supplied in several forms. Flat rollstock can be wrapped around a product, often with heat sealing to tack the film together.  Centerfolded film is supplied on a roll with the plastic pre-folded in half, product is placed in the center portion, the remaining three edges are sealed to form a bag, and the package then heated which causes the bag to shrink and conform to the product. Pre-formed plastic shrink bags have one end open, the product is placed in the bag, sealed, and sent for heat shrinking.
  Shrink wrap can be used to wrap buildings. It can wrap roofs after hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and other disasters. Shrink wrap can be used for environmental containments to facilitate safe removal of asbestos, lead and other hazards.
  Shrink wrap is sometimes used to wrap up books, especially adult-oriented ones and premium comics and manga, mainly to preserve their mint condition, as casual previewing prior to purchase wears or damages stock, rendering it unsaleable.
  Vegetables such as cucumbers can be individually shrink wrapped to extend the shelf life.
  Software on carriers such as CDs or DVDs are often sold in boxes that are packaged in shrink wrap. The licenses of such software are typically put inside the boxes, making it impossible to read them before purchasing. This has raised questions about the validity of such shrink wrap licenses.
  Shrink wrap is commonly used as an overwrap on many types of packaging, including cartons, boxes, beverage cans and pallet loads. Foam cushioning can be held securely in shrink film, eliminating use of a traditional corrugated box. A variety of products may be enclosed in shrink wrap to stabilize the products, unitize them, keep them clean, or add tamper resistance. It can be the primary covering for some foods such as cheese, meats, vegetables and plants. Heat-shrink tubing is used to seal electric wiring.
  Shrink bands are applied over parts of packages for tamper resistance or labels. It can be used as a Tamper-evident band.
  It can also combine two packages or parts into a Multi-pack.
  Shrink wrap is also commonly used within more industrial applications using a heavier weight shrink film. The principles remain the same with a heat shrinking process using a hand held heat gun. The following shrink wrap applications are becoming more widely used and accepted:
  Industrial shrink wrap containment of large plant equipment/components,
  Scaffold wrap containment of buildings/bridges,
  Building temporary shrink wrap structures for storage or other business operational uses,
  Marine shrink wrapping of boats and other vehicles,
  Shrink wrapping of palletized freight
  Disaster contingency and relief projects such as damaged buildings/roofs.
caption: Shrink wrapped pack of bottles with ends (bulls eyes) as handles
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