Shrink films taught UV barrier tricks

Shrink-film printer Gilbreth (Croydon, PA) now offers a new brand of opaque shrink films that can block up to 99% of visible and UV light to safeguard and extend product shelf life. Two coats of black ink on a label’s reverse side are used to create the light barrier, while not affecting the label’s white-colored front.    

Gilbreth uses glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PET-G) for the labels, which it brands as PETG-HY. Food, beverage, nutraceuticals, vitamin waters, supplements, wine, spirits, and other light-sensitive consumer packaged products are some of the  applications for which the labels could see use.

Speaking of these new labels, Theresa Sykes, director of commercial development, said, “Additional cost savings can be computed if you consider that most clear label films typically require two coats of opaque white ink. With the already-white PETG film, the customer eliminates the extra cost of preparing a white foundation layer.”

Decorative, promotional, and brand-reinforcing 360-degree color graphics are surface-printed and can be protected with an overprint varnish layer. Sykes notes that brand owners can control the gloss level and are able to achieve a progressive matte-to-gloss effect, or to create gloss (or matte) highlights in select areas of the label.

The film has a shrink ratio of up to 76%. —[email protected]