How to know which gauge to use for your product?

Whether you are new to the shipping industry, or your business is growing and you now ship to customers locally or inernationally, using shrink wrap is a must to protect your goods. Choosing the right gauge for your machinery and to wrap your products is also equally important. 

What is a shrink wrap gauge ?

When talking about shrink wrap, the gauge refers to the thickness of the film. The thickness goes from light to heavy and has a range on both spectrums. The higher the gauge, the thicker the film. The most common thicknesses are the 60 gauge (light), 75 gauge, 80 gauge and 100 gauge (heavy). 

What is the best function for each gauge?

Different gauges or thicknesses are best for wrapping different products. Thinner gauges are able to wrap more packages per roll, and heat shrink a lot easier. While thicker gauges are great for more heavy duty wrapping and products with sharp edges. They also have a more premium, stronger feel and help to protect your fragile packages better. 

How do you choose the best shrink wrap? 

Choosing the right shrink wrap for your products isn’t just about the gauge. The type of shrink film, texture and puncture resistance are additional factors to consider. Here’s a quick breakdown to help:PVC - This shrink wrap material has excellent clarity and a wrinkly texture. It shrinks at 250°F, and has a fair puncture resistance. However, it is not recommended to use PVC to wrap food or food products. Instead they can be used to wrap other items like books, games, and office supplies.

• Polyolefin - There are some major differences between PVC and Polyolefin. The clarity of polyolefin is good, but the texture is soft and flexible. It shrinks at about 300°F and has excellent puncture resistance. The biggest difference is that it is FDA approved for wrapping food and food products. 

The weight, shape and fragility of your product must also be taken into consideration when considering the right shrink wrap. For small products weighing less than 10 pounds, we recommend the 60 gauge wrap. 

If your product weighs between 12-15 pounds, a 75 gauge wrap is recommended. And for products weighing 20-25 pounds, the 100 gauge wrap is best. 

Additional factors to consider when choosing shrink wrap

Knowing the best shrink wrap for your product is one thing, but you also need to know which film will work best with your machinery. Some gauges will not produce the best results in some machines. It is recommended that you get regular audits of your packages and machinery in order to determine the best film to purchase. 

You also need to consider which wrap works best for your business. Will you need clear shrink wrap, printed, or both? Think about all the aspects of your business - the type of product(s), weight, and the marketing elements and this will help to guide you to the correct one. 

Picking the right shrink wrap can sound complicated, but with the right guidance and quality product to work with, it really can be a breeze.