Shrink Sleeve Label Printing and Application

There are different ways to apply a shrink sleeve onto a product, most notably by machine or hand.

Shrink sleeves applied by hand are done using a shrinking-specific hot air gun or heat tunnel.

Consolidated Label can manufacture single cut sleeves or provide sleeves on rolls for machine application. Mechanical application is generally preferred over hand application because it’s less labor intensive and quicker. Mechanical shrinking equipment like radiant heat tunnels, hot air tunnels, steam tunnels and hybrid tunnels (combines heat and steam) are some of the most popular methods for shrinking sleeves onto containers.

Consolidated Label uses a steam tunnel for internal quality checks and prototyping. We recommend that customers use a steam tunnel for their shrink sleeve applications because it uses less energy to run than other types of tunnels, produces better results and is easier to configure. Steam tunnels are becoming the label industry’s standard method of shrinking sleeves onto filled product containers because its relatively low temperatures (usually between 170-180 degrees) make it safe for filled products to pass through.

Steps of Shrink Sleeve Label Printing

1. The label design is mirrored and printed on the inside of the shrink sleeve material using a flexographic or digital printing press.

2. The printed material is checked for quality control by machine and human inspection.

3. The printed material is seamed together by machine using a small amount of a heated adhesive to create the sleeves for application.

4. The roll of sleeves goes through an air inspection machine to ensure the integrity of the seam.

5. The sleeves are wound up on a roll or cut into individual sleeves depending on the order.