How are Shrink Sleeve Labels Applied?

If you’re starting out in the beverage industry or wanting to change directions for your labels, chances are you’ve thought about the sleek designs, bold colors, and unique feel of shrink sleeve labels, and how they differ from traditional labels.

Unlike traditional, or pressure-sensitive, labels that are often applied adhesively, shrink sleeves are formed to cans and bottles using a specialized heating process. Read our blog ‘Shrink labels vs adhesive labels’ to learn more. 

However, a shrink sleeve label must undergo an extensive digital design and measurement process as well. We’ll be talking about different types of shrink sleeves, how they’re designed and applied, and the benefits of finding a company that labels and co-packs, like Wildpack!

What Are Shrink Sleeve Labels? 

Shrink sleeve labels are used on a variety of packaging, not just beers and hard seltzers. These labels can be found on everything from food bottles and household cleaners to cosmetic items like mascara and blush. They can also be used for canned cocktails, wine spritzers, and sports drinks.

Through a heating process, shrink labels can perfectly conform to any size or container shape, making them a great way to solidify your branding, whether you’re selling heart-shaped wine bottles or compact seltzer cans for on-the-go adventuring.

Generally, there are four different types of shrink sleeve labels you can apply to your products:

• Full-body – Full-body shrink sleeves adhere to the entire container to give your brand a 360-degree spotlight. A full sleeve makes your brand easy to recognize and helps build initial interest in shoppers. Additionally, the seams of shrink sleeve labels are relatively nonexistent, meaning that your full-body design is smooth and visible.
• Partial-body – Partial-body sleeves are used more often for larger containers like laundry detergent or bleach. This cuts down on cost because you’re only producing a label that covers the middle or upper portion of your container, rather than the entire container.
• Neck bands/Tamper-proof – Neck bands can function individually or work together with full-body sleeves to increase the level of safety for drinks and food products. These types of tamper-evident shrink bands cut down on the need for heavier plastic pieces that do the same thing but at a higher cost
• Bulk shrink packaging – Many food and beverages are packaged together when they’re sold in stores. These bulk packages are often shrink-sleeved so that information about the product, including nutritional information and branding, can be seen clearly without having to open the package and find an individual item to read, such as the case with ramen packets or bottles of water.

The Shrink Sleeve Labeling Process

The shrink sleeve labeling process might not be quite as simple as slapping a sticker on a can or bottle, but its complexity is worth it for the results experienced—bright, draw-you-in designs and stand-out brand messaging. 

But how are shrink sleeves applied? The shrink sleeve labeling process is as follows:

• Step #1: Container measurements are taken – The company printing your labels will need to take detailed measurements of the size and shape of your product’s can or container. For our purposes, we’re mostly talking about alcohol, but shrink sleeve labels are also used for products like lip balm, sunscreen, sports drinks, and more. 

Because shrink-sleeve technology is so flexible, companies can make products in a unique container shape that is easily identifiable on well-packed shelves of grocery stores and convenience markets. Shrink sleeve labels can be glossy, satin, or matte in texture, too, differentiating your product from traditional 12 and 16-ounce cans. 

However, for most beer products, copacking companies have templates that are made for various can sizes already in place.

• Step #2: Artwork design – A labeling company will take your vision and bring it to life using digitally designed artwork. Artwork design is a crucial element in the shrink sleeve process since most companies are looking for a stand-out design to match their stand-out beverage.

Bright colors are a key asset of shrink sleeve labels. In fact, a brand can become 80% more recognizable based on its colors.¹ Since most shrink sleeve labels are printed digitally, companies have more color options than they would with a printed aluminum can. Additionally, all shrink sleeve designs are printed on a white background for additional pop, which would cost extra when using print labels.

When designing beer products, the artwork is typically placed on a template. Once the art is approved, it’s printed, applied with a machine, palletized, and shipped back to the client.

• Step #3: First test run – Generally, the first test run will help designers fit the product’s branding, nutritional information, and other important text and images onto the can. This is typically done with grid-patterned sleeves. The images are then transferred to computer software.
• Step #4: Art manipulation – After the first test run, the designers will then go back to the board to address any issues they saw with the label. Because words and shapes look different on a three-dimensional object than they do on paper or on a computer screen, the art department must manipulate the labels to fix inconsistencies before reprinting the design. This mitigates the potential for distortion to the product’s entire batch.
• Step #5: Full test run – Before going through with the entire run, the label must go through a final checking process to ensure that the artwork is properly wrapped and that the label fulfills the brand’s design concept.
• Step #6: Sleeve printing and cutting process – Some businesses like to apply shrink sleeve labels by hand, and if so, they’ll be cut to accommodate that. With considerations to things like run size and cost-time benefits, it’s more common for labels to be applied by a machine. If that’s the case, the labels won’t be cut. 
• Step #7: Application of shrink sleeve label – If not being done by hand, a machine drops a loose-fitting label over a can. Then, that can and others are moved down a conveyor belt and into a heat tunnel that shrinks the film around the can’s body. (Whether the labels themselves are applied by hand or by a machine, when it’s time to actually shrink the label to the can, a specialized heat tunnel is required to ensure that the sleeve is shrunken to the bottle properly without damage.) Cans are then sent on their way for packaging. 

Benefits of an All-in-One Label Provider

When looking for a partner, like Wildpack, to imbue your cans in bright, bold, can’t-miss-it designs, it’s beneficial to find a provider that can design, test, and apply your labels, as well as package your products for shipment. It’s a one-stop-shop for fly-off-the-shelf success, providing ample benefits, including:

• Less risk of heat damage – Because shrink sleeves are activated by heat, they can sometimes shrink before they’ve made it onto your can if conditions are hot enough. By choosing a printer that’s involved in other parts of your process, specifically the application of your sleeves, there’s less risk of this damage, as the sleeves won’t be on a hot truck awaiting delivery to you or your copacker. 
• Improved cohesion – When you have a design team, a copacking team, and a printing team all rolled into one, your company benefits. This is because there’s an increased level of communication and understanding of the design objectives to make sure your final products are high-quality and pleasing to the eye.

Why Choose Cans for Your Beverage Instead of Bottles?

We’ve discussed comparisons between aluminum prints and shrink sleeves a great deal up to this point, but it’s also worth mentioning the benefits of cans compared to bottles when it comes to packaging your beverage. Here are some reasons to consider cans over bottles: 

• No chance of “skunking” – “Skunked” or light-struck beer is a beer that has been negatively affected by light, giving it a foul taste.² That’s because the hops in beer are extra sensitive to light. Clear bottles don’t do anything to prevent that taste from occurring, but aluminum cans provide total coverage to your hoppy brews.
• Recyclability – If you’ve ever tried to pull a sticky adhesive label off a bottle out of boredom or just to see what’s underneath, you know how difficult it can be. This makes removing the label and recycling the bottle that much more of a hassle since they’re so difficult to clean. With cans, you don’t have that issue and they can be more easily reused.
• Easier to transport – Glass bottles are far easier to break than aluminum cans are to damage.³ This is an important factor to consider when it comes to shipping your products. Glass bottles require much more protection than aluminum cans during their delivery journey, which may increase shipping costs. Additionally, cans are stackable, providing you or your shipper with more space.

Wildpack Brings Professionalism and Speed to Shrink Sleeve Printing

Shrink sleeve labels have improved a great deal over the years. For those of us in the beverage industry, it’s important to consider all of the factors at play, from choosing your vessel to fulfilling your dream logo and brand messaging.

One of the best decisions you can make when designing your labels is to choose the right provider. To that end, Wildpack has your back.

We care about the people behind small and medium-sized beverage companies and love helping them to carry out their visions for the future. Our all-in-one printing and shipping process will leave you feeling heard, respected, and ready to attract customers near and far.

Plus, we’ll knock it out of the park in no more than eight weeks. So you can get your cans on the shelf and your drinks in the mouths of customers faster than you can say Wildpack.

Elevate your branding with Wildpack today. 

 

Sources: 

1. Fabrik Brands. Show Your Colours: The Psychology of Colour and Design in Branding. https://fabrikbrands.com/the-psychology-of-colour-and-design/ 
2. Live Science. Why Does Beer Skunk? https://www.livescience.com/33718-beer-skunks.html 
3. Family Fare. 4 Reasons Why Beer Cans Are Better Than Bottles. https://www.shopfamilyfare.com/blog/4-reasons-why-beer-cans-are-better-bottles