Are Shrink Sleeves Recyclable?

SHRINK SLEEVE LABEL RECYCLABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Shrink sleeve labels are a great option for many products and many business operations. They are easily adaptable, offer great flexibility, and feature full 360-degree color artwork. But for their many attributes, traditional shrink sleeve labels have drawbacks to their recyclability. However, recent developments in recyclable substrates for shrink labeling and ingenious solutions for removing shrink wrapping prior to recycling have improved the sustainability of this label option. Read on to find out if shrink sleeves are recyclable and to gain more information about shrink sleeve label recyclability and their environmental impact. 

RECYCLABLE SHRINK LABEL MATERIALS

The biggest factor in shrink sleeve label recyclability is the substrate with which the shrink label is produced. PVC, or poly-vinyl chloride, is the most common substrate used in shrink sleeve labels. It is not recyclable and, for this reason, the development of alternative shrink label options has expanded over the years. PETG, or glycol-modified polyethylene terephthalate, is another choice when looking to produce shrink labels. It is recyclable and very user friendly, creating high-grade shrink wrap labels while improving the overall recyclability of the product packaging. The two substrate options, PVC and PETG, do have some disparities in price with the PETG being the more expensive option for shrink label production. However, the trade-off in recyclability is a huge advantage to this choice of material.

PERFORATION STRIP FOR SHRINK SLEEVE REMOVAL

Another option besides changing the shrink label substrate is to add a perforation strip to the shrink label so that it is easily removable from the product container. By making the shrink wrap easy to separate from the product, you can ease the recycling process. A great deal of the issues that arise in recycling products with labeling on them is the removal of the label. Different types of product packaging need to be disposed of or recycled separately. With the addition of a perforated strip on your shrink wrap label, you can help your consumers to remove a non-recyclable shrink label from a recyclable container, or you can perforate a recyclable sleeve to increase the efficiency of the recycling process. No matter the substrate, this perforation option can really help to facilitate the most convenient disposal and recycling of your products.

NON-ADHESIVE LABEL OPTION

One of the greatest benefits of choosing a shrink label versus a traditional adhesive label is that there is no adhesive with shrink wrap labeling. Adhesives are one of the trickiest parts when it comes to recyclable labeling solutions. During the process of recycling, the label may need to be removed from the product and the adhesive may need to be removed from the label. With a shrink sleeve that is perforated, you can easily remove product labeling, making sure that each part of the product container can go directly into separate waste streams. With this option, there’s no glue or residue that must be removed before the recycling process can begin, making it a great choice for those who want to ensure easy recyclability and disposal of their product containers.

Now that you know about shrink sleeve recyclability, you can find answers to other labeling queries like this one on the Derksen Co. blog! To learn more about shrink label printing as well as shrink sleeve label recyclability and environmental impact, contact our team at Derksen Co. Call us at 920-685-4000, email us at team@derksenco.com, or use our contact page.