Work out shrink wrap film usage instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
A shrink sleeve must wrap the pack girth with overlap and cover the ends, so film width is set by half the girth plus clearance and film length by the pack length plus twice the height plus seal allowance. Multiplying area by thickness and polyolefin density of about 920 kg/m3 gives the weight consumed per pack.
Shrink film size
Centre-fold width = 2 x (pack width + height) + clearance; film length = pack length + 2 x height + seal allowance
Film weight
Weight (g) = area (m2) x thickness (micron) / 1,000,000 x 920 x 1000
12-15 micron for light multipacks, 19-25 micron for general retail packs and 30-50 micron for heavy or sharp-cornered products. Over-specifying thickness is a common and expensive habit.
Film comes in fixed centre-fold widths. Choosing the next width up wastes film on every pack forever, so matching the width to the pack girth is the single biggest saving.