Why Use Shrink Sleeves For Your Canned Beverages?
The use of aluminum cans in the beverage industry has skyrocketed in recent years as many non-traditional products such as kombucha, water, coffee, cocktails, and wine have started to use them for their primary packaging.
With more products being packaged in aluminum cans, brands have to decide between direct print, pressure sensitive, and shrink sleeve labels.
In this blog, we’ll specifically focus on why brands should consider shrink sleeve labels for their aluminum canned beverages.
For more information about direct printing on aluminum cans, check out our blog The Pros & Cons of Direct Printing vs Shrink Sleeves
Why Shrink Sleeves for Aluminum Cans?
Shrink sleeves are thin, seamless, plastic labels that are applied on the can like a sleeve and then shrunk to fit tightly via heat application.
Since shrink sleeves cover the entirety of any style aluminum can - standard, sleek, tall, etc. - they have an obvious advantage over pressure sensitive labels, which can only cover a portion of the can.
With more label real-estate, brands get more space for artwork, brand information, and attention-grabbing elements, all while achieving a cleaner look.
While shrink sleeves are great for any size company, they’re especially appealing for small-to-medium sized brands who can’t keep up with the MOQ requirements of direct printing, which typically fall between 100,000 to 150,000 cans.
The average shrink sleeve MOQ is 1,000 sleeves.
While lead times for screen printed aluminum cans can fluctuate drastically, shrink sleeve lead times are typically 4-6 weeks, sometimes quicker if they are digitally printed.
Shrink sleeves also allow brands to adapt quickly to ever-changing consumer demands. After ordering generic silver cans, simply apply the appropriate shrink sleeve label for the SKU being filled in real time. Cans do not need to be committed to a specific SKU until they are filled.
Lastly, shrink sleeves offer incredibly unique and beautiful effects such as matte, glossy, metallic, luminescent, or raised textures which give a 3D feel.
These effects virtually guarantee that a product will be noticed on a shelf full of competitors.
Implementing Shrink Sleeves on Current or Future Canned Projects
Want to explore shrink sleeve labels as an option for your canned products?
We can help with that.
Step 1. Schedule a complimentary packaging consultation with one of our packaging experts. We will walk you through the practical side of implementing shrink sleeves for any current or future projects.
Step 2. We’ll send you sleeve samples to test on your cans.
Step 3. Once samples are approved, we’ll provide you with a quote.
Simply fill out our contact form, email us at info@tangopackaging.com, or call (844) 33-TANGO [82646].