Eastman Chemical Company launches light-locking shrink film

Eastman Chemical Company has launched a light-blocking resin for shrink film. The Embrace High Yield (HY) copolyester is claimed to preserve products, reduces packaging resin and boosts on-shelf appeal.

Embrace HY shrink sleeves are said to have gained market acceptance in North America due to the white opaque shrink film that blocks intrinsic and UV light for superior product conservation and protection. The material, which is now available for the first time in Europe, also delivers up to 30 percent more film per kg of resin compared to other polyester shrink film materials, reducing the overall amount of film needed to embrace each container.

Suitable for packaging beverage, dairy, food, cosmetic, personal care and pharmaceutical products, Embrace HY is said to enable European brand owners to deliver optimum shelf impact and enhanced customer experience through ‘eye-catching 360 degree full-body labels with a unique soft texture’.

The material, a combination of the company’s Embrace LV copolyester and Embrace HY compound, also presents sustainability advantages due to its low density – 30 percent lower than other copolyesters – and high shrinkage rate – up to 70 percent – which means less material is required for the same application.

With a soft touch for a slip-resistant grip and noise-free capabilities for squeezable products, Embrace HY offers functional packaging for consumers’ favorite products. This, coupled with excellent printing capabilities and the ability to shrink tightly around contoured containers, helps producers achieve a high quality packing finish and increased brand loyalty. Moreover, the original opaque white pigmentation of the copolyester material enables brand owners do not need to apply extra white printed coating on the film to enhance colors.

The sleeves also have an ‘easy tear’ capability for tamper evidence band removal, allowing effective full label removal, which improves the recyclability of the bottle material.

Pictured: The light-blocking resin for shrink film on a bottle

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