Bottle shrink and multipacks — choosing film for beverages
Multipacking water and soft drinks with shrink film. Nylon shrink vs PVC, matching the film to your tunnel, and rolls factory-direct.
Bottle multipacks are usually wrapped in nylon shrink (LDPE): tough, economical and suited to heavier loads such as 6- and 12-bottle water packs. PVC shrink comes in when clarity and appearance are the priority. Stretch film secures the finished pallet.
One note that saves buyers a lot of time: search for "bottle shrink pack" and most results are shrink **machines**, not film. If you are after the roll itself — the consumable, not the machinery — search "shrink film" or "nylon shrink roll". This page is about the film.
Which shrink for bottles
| Nylon shrink (LDPE) | PVC shrink | |
|---|---|---|
| Load strength | Higher — the standard choice for bottles | Lower |
| Clarity | Medium | Highest |
| Shrink temperature | Higher | Lower |
| Cost | More economical | Higher |
| Typical use | 6- and 12-bottle packs, cartons | Display packs and window products |
Your tunnel is the deciding number
The most important thing to tell us is the working temperature of your heat tunnel and the line speed. Material and gauge are matched to them: film made for a slower, cooler tunnel will not shrink on a fast line, and thin film burns through in a hot one. That one number solves most shrinkage problems.
Two layers in beverage packing
- **Layer one — the sales pack**: nylon shrink turning several bottles into one selling unit. If you have a brand, this is the film that carries the print.
- **Layer two — the pallet**: stretch film securing the shrink-wrapped packs for storage and transit. It sees no heat and works by tension.
Send your tunnel temperature, line speed and bottles per pack and we will propose material and gauge.
Request a shrink film quoteWhich film for a 6-bottle water pack?
Usually nylon shrink (LDPE), because it carries the weight of filled bottles and takes impact in transit. PVC shrink suits packs where clarity and appearance come first.
Do you sell shrink packing machines?
No. We are a film producer, not a machinery supplier. We make shrink rolls in custom widths and thicknesses, sold by the kilo factory-direct.
What is the difference between shrink and stretch on a beverage line?
Shrink contracts with heat and forms the multipack; stretch is wrapped cold around the pallet to secure those packs for transit. Both are used on the same line for different jobs.