The short answer to this question is "yes there is". We have been selling shrink and stretch films for decades. While there are a ton of benefits to packaging your products in shrink and stretch film, this packaging doesn’t have an unlimited shelf life.
Unfortunately, we have had customers experience premature expiration and expired shrink and stretch film. Our goal in this article is to inform companies that purchase these products on the expiration date of shrink and stretch films as well as other issues that can cause your film to expire sooner. You’ll also find advice on how to prevent said premature expiration.
Yes, There Is An Expiration Date On Shrink And Stretch Films
As a general rule, the expiration date of your film is one year from the time that you receive it. Typically, it is usable after that but if too much time passes, your seal range narrows and/or the film could become blocked. Some films may change color from white/clear to yellow. If you see this color change, it’s a result of air trapped during the winding process that escapes over time.
Climate And Storage Dynamics That Can Expire Your Film Sooner
Extreme heat and cold will cause issues with the shrink and stretch films if stored in these conditions over extended periods of time. High heat levels will lead to your films shrinking, which can cause problems on your machinery as they will become more prone to jamming.
Packaging your products with films that have been exposed to extreme heat for extended periods of time will make for complications when packaging your products (melting, sticking, and so on).
On the other hand, intense cold will cause films to crack if left in said conditions for long periods of time. If you are lucky, under these conditions, the films MIGHT still run OK on your packaging line, however, the films may fail due to the symptoms mentioned above.
Films that are exposed to dust can also produce issues. Excessive dust build up on stretch film reduces its ability to stretch properly. If stretch film does not stretch correctly from dust build up, this can lead to moderate to severe problems for your machinery and products.
Another important consideration would be the amount of time your films remain in storage. Unused shrink and stretch wrap sitting for a long period of time may result in varied issues as mentioned above. When films sit for extended amounts of time with extreme temperature fluctuations, it is more likely your films are to be compromised.
Often times this results in slack edges and unwanted bagging. If using films that have sustained a shelf life in these conditions, it is likely that the wrapping process will take notably longer and could potentially produce excessive waste.
