Overwrap
An overwrap or wrap is a method of sealing a contained product, typically as part of retail packaging. It is often made of plastic film (sometimes called polywrapping) or paper.[1] The wrap is applied over the bare product or can be applied over another form of packaging. It is typically used to protect products, but can be used decoratively.
Functions
An overwrap can be used for several purposes or functions:
- Combine two or more smaller packages into a larger multi-pack
- Keep a package or item clean
- Help prevent package pilferage or premature opening of the package
- Help provide a tamper indicating seal
- Help keep insects out of a package[2]
- Obscure a package for distribution, sale, or gifting
- Help provide an authentication seal
- Help provide grease resistance or water resistance
- Keep an item, such as magazines, clean and intact during shipment; provide an address label that does not damage the item
- Provide graphics, advertising, warnings, instructions, bar codes, etc.
- Provide odor control by preventing odor leakage and cross-contamination.
Types of overwraps
Shrink wrap
Shrink wrap is a material made up of polymer plastic film. When heat is applied it shrinks tightly over whatever it is covering. Heat can be applied with a hand held heat gun (electric or gas) or the product and film can pass through a heat tunnel. Most shrink films are polyethylene.
Film wrap
Plastic films, usually polyethylene or polypropylene, can be wrapped around an item and attached with adhesive, PSA tape, or heat seals. Sometimes the film is in the form of a plastic bag which is sealed around the item.
Decorative wrap
Wraps can be either exclusively for visual appeal (decoration) or be protective in nature but encompass a decorative element such as a printed design.
Paper wrap
Kraft paper and a variety of other papers can be used to overwrap items in a package or to overwrap a package. Some papers provide abrasion protection for packaged items. Sealing can be by adhesive, tapes, heat seals, etc. Some papers also have grease resistance or are saturated with volatile corrosion inhibitors, etc.
See also
References
- Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, 2002, ISBN 1-930268-25-4
- Yam, K. L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009, ISBN 978-0-470-08704-6
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topics
- Active packaging
- Child-resistant packaging
- Contract packager
- Edible packaging
- Modified atmosphere/modified humidity packaging
- Overpackaging
- Package delivery
- Package pilferage
- Package testing
- Package theft
- Packaging engineering
- Resealable packaging
- Reusable packaging
- Reuse of bottles
- Shelf life
- Shelf-ready packaging
- Shelf-stable
- Sustainable packaging
- Tamper-evident
- Tamper resistance
- Wrap rage
packages
- Alternative wine closure
- Ammunition box
- Banana box
- Beer bottle
- Box wine
- Case-ready meat
- Coffee bag
- Cosmetic packaging
- Currency packaging
- Disposable food packaging
- Drink can
- Egg carton
- Evidence packaging
- Field ration
- Flour sack
- Foam food container
- Food packaging
- Fuel container
- Gas cylinder
- Glass milk bottle
- Growler
- Juicebox
- Low plastic water bottle
- Luxury packaging
- Milk bag
- Optical disc packaging
- Oyster pail
- Popcorn bag
- Pharmaceutical packaging
- Plastic milk container
- Purdue Improved Crop Storage bags
- Sand bag
- Seasonal packaging
- Self-heating food packaging
- Screw cap (wine)
- Single-serve coffee container
- Toothpaste pump dispenser
- Water bottle
- Wine bottle
- Aerosol spray
- Aluminium bottle
- Aluminum can
- Ampoule
- Antistatic bag
- Bag-in-box
- Bag
- Barrel
- Biodegradable bag
- Blister pack
- Boil-in-bag
- Bottle
- Box
- Bulk box
- Cage
- Case
- Carboy
- Carton
- Chub
- Clamshell
- Corrugated box design
- Crate
- Disposable cup
- Drum
- Endcap
- Envelope
- Euro container
- Flexible intermediate bulk container
- Flexi-bag
- Folding carton
- Glass bottle
- Gunny sack
- Inhaler
- Insulated shipping container
- Intermediate bulk container
- Jar
- Jerrycan
- Jug
- Keg
- Mesh bag
- Multilayered packaging
- Multi-pack
- Packet (container)
- Padded envelope
- Pail
- Paper bag
- Paper sack
- Plastic bag
- Plastic bottle
- Retort pouch
- Salvage drum
- Sachet
- Security bag
- Shipping container
- Shipping tube
- Skin pack
- Spray bottle
- Squround
- Stand-up pouch
- Steel and tin cans
- Tetra Brik
- Thermal bag
- Tub (container)
- Tube
- Unit load
- Vial
- Wooden box
and
components
- Adhesive
- Aluminium foil
- Bail handle
- Bioplastic
- Biodegradable plastic
- BoPET
- Bubble wrap
- Bung
- Cellophane
- Closure
- Coated paper
- Coating
- Coextrusion
- Corrugated fiberboard
- Corrugated plastic
- Cushioning
- Desiccant
- Double seam
- Flip-top
- Foam peanut
- Gel pack
- Glass
- Hot-melt adhesive
- Humidity indicator card
- Kraft paper
- Label
- Lid
- Linear low-density polyethylene
- Liquid packaging board
- Living hinge
- Low-density polyethylene
- Meat diaper
- Metallised film
- Modified atmosphere
- Molded pulp
- Nonwoven fabric
- Overwrap
- Oxygen scavenger
- Package handle
- Packaging gas
- Pallet
- Paper
- Paper pallet
- Paperboard
- Plastic-coated paper
- Plastic film
- Plastic pallet
- Plastic wrap
- Polyester
- Polyethylene
- Polypropylene
- Pressure-sensitive tape
- Pump dispenser
- Screw cap
- Screw cap (wine)
- Security printing
- Security tape
- Shock detector
- Shock and vibration data logger
- Shrink wrap
- Slip sheet
- Staple (fastener)
- Strapping
- Stretch wrap
- Susceptor
- Tamper-evident band
- Tear tape
- Temperature data logger
- Time temperature indicator
- Tinplate
- Velostat
- Aseptic processing
- Authentication
- Automatic identification and data capture
- Blow fill seal
- Blow molding
- Calendering
- Canning
- Coating
- Containerization
- Converting
- Corona treatment
- Curtain coating
- Die cutting
- Die forming (plastics)
- Electronic article surveillance
- Extrusion
- Extrusion coating
- Flame treatment
- Glass production
- Graphic design
- Hazard analysis and critical control points
- Hermetic seal
- Induction sealing
- Injection moulding
- Lamination
- Laser cutting
- Molding
- Package tracking
- Papermaking
- Plastic extrusion
- Plastic welding
- Printing
- Product development
- Production control
- Quality assurance
- Radio-frequency identification
- Roll slitting
- Shearing (manufacturing)
- Thermoforming
- Track and trace
- Ultrasonic welding
- Vacuum forming
- Vacuum packaging
- Verification and validation
- Barcode printer
- Barcode reader
- Bottling line
- Calender
- Can seamer
- Cap torque tester
- Cartoning machine
- Case sealer
- Check weigher
- Conveyor system
- Drum pump
- Extended core stretch wrapper
- Filler
- Heat gun
- Heat sealer
- Industrial robot
- Injection molding machine
- Label printer applicator
- Lineshaft roller conveyor
- Logistics automation
- Material-handling equipment
- Mechanical brake stretch wrapper
- Multihead weigher
- Orbital stretch wrapper
- Packaging machinery
- Pallet inverter
- Palletizer
- Rotary wheel blow molding systems
- Seed-counting machine
- Shrink tunnel
- Staple gun
- Tape dispenser
- Turntable stretch wrapper
- Vertical form fill sealing machine
post-use
- Biodegradation
- Can collecting
- Closed-loop box reuse
- Environmental engineering
- Glass recycling
- Industrial ecology
- Life-cycle assessment
- Litter
- Packaging waste
- Paper recycling
- PET bottle recycling
- Plastic recycling
- Recycling
- Reusable packaging
- Reverse logistics
- Source reduction
- Sustainable packaging
- Waste management