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8 Things to Know Before Requesting a Shrink Sleeve Quote
SUMMARY TL;DR: Before You Request a Shrink Sleeve Quote
- • Know Your Project: Quantity, SKU count and sleeve type give us a starting point for your quote.
- • Know Your Container: Shape, dimensions and shrink requirements can affect how your sleeve needs to be engineered.
- • Know Your Finishing Needs: Material, cut or roll-fed sleeves and perforation requirements should be identified early.
Getting an accurate shrink sleeve quote starts with the right information. Quantity and SKU count matter, but so do details like container shape, sleeve dimensions, material, finishing method and perforations. A few measurements and specifications upfront can help avoid surprises later and give our team a much better starting point for evaluating your project. Here are eight things worth knowing before you request a quote.
1. How Many Shrink Sleeves Do You Need?
Start with the estimated quantity you need quoted. Quantity can affect the appropriate production method (i.e. Digital vs. Flexographic) and is one of the first pieces of information needed to properly scope a custom shrink sleeve project.
2. How Many SKUs Are Involved?
If your project includes multiple flavors, varieties, designs or product versions, identify the number of SKUs upfront. Even when the container and sleeve specifications remain the same, each SKU may require its own artwork and production quantities.
3. What Type of Shrink Sleeve Do You Need?
Not every shrink sleeve covers a container the same way. Before requesting a quote, determine the general sleeve format you're looking for:
- Shrink band
- Partial body sleeve
- Full body shrink sleeve (FBSS)
- Multi-pack sleeve
If you're not sure which format makes sense, that's something our team can help determine based on the container and application.
4. What Material Does the Project Require?
Material selection is another important part of the specification. Depending on the application, your project may call for PETG or a light-blocking white material.
If you're unsure, provide as much information as possible about the container, product and intended use so the appropriate material can be evaluated.
5. What Is the Shape of the Bottle or Container?
Container geometry matters considerably with shrink sleeves because the film has to conform to the shape during application.
Common container shapes include:
- Straight cylinders
- Bottles with shoulders
- Complex shapes
- Offset trigger bottles
- Conical shapes
For bottles with shoulders, the shrink percentage around the shoulder can be an important consideration. More complex shapes may require additional planning to make sure the sleeve shrinks and graphics distort as intended.
6. Do You Have the Critical Sleeve Dimensions?
The bottle or container needs to be measured to establish three critical sleeve dimensions:
Cut Length – The finished length of the sleeve. Does the sleeve stop at the shoulder, extend farther up the container or go over the cap?
Layflat – The width of the sleeve when laid flat. Container shape can also affect where the sleeve folds should be located. For example, a square bottle may require specific fold locations so the printed front panel aligns properly with the front of the bottle.
Slit Width – Another critical dimension used when manufacturing the sleeve.
If a previous shrink sleeve template or dieline already exists, provide it with the quote request. That can give the team an important starting point for confirming dimensions.
7. How Will the Sleeves Be Finished and Supplied?
Let us know how the sleeves need to be delivered for your production process:
- Cut sleeves
- Roll-fed sleeves
This is particularly important when the sleeves will be going into an existing application or production system.
8. Does the Sleeve Require Perforations?
If perforations are required, identify both their location and size.
Perforations may be part of the opening, removal or functionality of the finished sleeve, so they should be identified during the quoting process rather than added as an afterthought.
Before You Request Your Quote
You don't necessarily need to have every technical detail figured out before talking with us. But the more information you can provide about your quantity, SKUs, sleeve type, material, container shape, dimensions, finishing method and perforations, the better starting point we'll have for evaluating the project.
If you already have container drawings, an existing sleeve template or dieline, those are helpful too.
Not sure about some of the specifications? That's okay. Our shrink sleeve team can help you work through the details before your project moves into production.
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