Packagers need printed film applications that suit their product distribution and storage needs. Choosing from the different types of printed film applications can seem overwhelming, as each has its strengths and weaknesses.
A thorough understanding of their capabilities will ensure packagers can best protect their products and longevity in warehouses or on the road. Read on to learn about the different types of printed film applications, as well as how Stretchtape can help you make the right decision.
Printed Pallet Wrap
At its most basic level, printed pallet wrap is much like traditional pallet wrap, but adding a design allows packagers to put logos or information on their wrapping.
Advantages include:
- Appeal: Custom designs improve the appearance of a pallet, transforming it from a packaged good to a marketing effort.
- Protection: Wrapping pallets protects them from the elements, while custom designs give an additional layer of protection by making it easy to identify tampering.
- Edge: The right design will help pallets stand out from the competition.
- Awareness: Custom designs act as free marketing during transit or storage, as images and information are displayed to consumers constantly.
Learn more about printed film applications for pallets in our blog: Printed Pallet Wrap: Promoting Brands While Providing Protection.
Paving and Landscaping Wrap
With the hardscape industry booming, the packaging industry needs pallet stretch wrap that provides both outdoor protection and advertising.
For packagers, that means considering the type of stretch wrap chosen for their paving and landscape product wrapping needs. The stretch wrap material must withstand rain, heat, ultraviolet radiation, and more. It should be durable in a way that products stored primarily in indoor warehouses might not be.
During transport, paving and landscaping products act as moving billboards, so printing logos and designs on the pallets helps generate brand awareness. This means paving and landscaping wrap can simultaneously protect goods and increase sales.
Learn more in our blog: Outdoor Protection and Advertising with Pallet Stretch Wrap
Barricade Tape
Unpredictable surges in shopping activity can be dangerous for retailers, such as an influx in shoppers during Black Friday. To combat this, retailers use barricade tape to block off dangerous areas or enforce safety guidelines.
Think of barricade tape as a cost-effective way to control crowds and keep them safe, with custom designs helping shoppers understand essential information at a glance. In short, barricade tape allows retailers to:
- Manage the flow of traffic
- Section off dangerous areas
- Define hot-selling items
- Organize the checkout area
Learn more about barricade tape in our blog: Custom Caution Tape Saves Big Box Retailer during Black Friday Prep – StretchTape Inc.
Poly Bags
One of the most common types of plastic is polyethylene, which is used to make polybags. These are usually transparent plastic bags used to ship common consumer goods such as:
- Clothing
- Magazines
- Pillows
It’s a cost-effective way to ship smaller goods, providing a layer of resistance to minor sources of damage such as shifting during transit, all helping to ensure products arrive in good condition. Poly bags can be enhanced further with designs and logos that help identify them for both shoppers and packagers during transit.
Poly Tubing
When it comes to packaging products of differing lengths, few printed film applications are as suited to the task as poly tubing. The term is used for various polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyurethane.
Packagers widely use polyethylene poly tubing because it is the least expensive of all available resins. Because poly tubing is so effective for products that vary in length, it’s used widely in industrial or food service industries.
Learn more about poly tubing here: Printed Poly Tubing – Polyethylene Tubing
Form, Fill, and Seal Bags
For industries such as retail, having a quick, effective packaging solution that can display different designs and reduce human error is ideal. Form, fill, and seal (FFS) machines fit this bill.
The process of an FFS machine is to:
- Take a large roll of film
- Print a design on it if needed
- Form it into the shape of a bag
- Fill the bag with the product
- Seal the bag either vertically or horizontally
The process can be more complicated, but the effect is to produce a large number of custom-sized and designed bags efficiently.
Learn More About Printed Film Applications
Having the right application for your packaging needs will allow you to stand out from the competition while safeguarding products or services from the weather, human error, shopping surges, and more.
Stretchtape stands ready to help you find the appropriate application for your goods and services. Speak to our printing experts and materials technicians to create eye-catching packages with industry-leading product performance.