Custom Shrink Sleeve Labels

Containers That Suit Sleeves

Aluminium drinks cans are the most common use, but sleeves work on glass and plastic bottles, jars and tubs too. They are especially useful on shaped containers, such as bottles with a curved shoulder or a narrow neck, where a flat label would crease or leave gaps.

Sports drinks, juices, kombucha, cold brew coffee, spirits and mixers all use sleeves. Outside drinks, they appear on sauces, supplements, cleaning products and cosmetics. A tamper-evident band can also be added at the top of the sleeve, covering the cap and perforated so it is torn when the container is first opened.

Each container shape needs its own artwork layout, so if you sell in two sizes, expect two sets of artwork. A printed bottle necker for promotions can sit over the sleeve for a limited offer.

Multipacks are another option. A larger sleeve can wrap four or six cans together into a single pack, replacing a cardboard sleeve or plastic rings. Ask us about multipack sleeves if you sell in fours or sixes in shops.

Film Types and Finishes

Different films shrink by different amounts and suit different containers. Some are best for gentle curves, others for heavy shrink around narrow necks. We will choose the right film for your container shape once we have a sample.

Finishes include gloss, matt and a soft-touch effect, as well as metallic and pearlescent inks for a premium look. Matt finishes with a spot gloss on the logo are popular for craft beers and spirits; bright gloss suits soft drinks and juices. Clear areas in the design let the colour of the drink or the metal of the can show through, which can look striking on a clear glass bottle.

Print is reverse printed on the inside of the film, so the ink is protected by the film itself and does not scuff in a cool box or a delivery crate. Our guide comparing print and finish options covers matt and gloss effects across other formats too.

Artwork Tips for Shrink Sleeves

Keep important text, barcodes and legal information on the flatter parts of the container, where shrink is lowest. Fine text and barcodes placed on a shoulder or neck can distort and become hard to read or scan.

Design the artwork as if the container is unrolled flat, then let us apply the distortion. We will send you a proof showing how the design will look on the finished container. Leave room for batch codes and best-before dates, which can be printed on the can base or on a clear area of the sleeve.

For drinks, think about how the can is held. A logo running vertically up the side, rather than across, reads well when the can is in a hand or on a shelf facing sideways. If the barcode simply will not sit well on the sleeve, separate custom product labels on the base can carry it.

Applying Sleeves in Small and Large Runs

Larger producers apply sleeves with an automated machine and a steam or heat tunnel. Small breweries and startups often apply them by hand, sliding each sleeve over the can and shrinking it with a heat gun or a small tunnel. Both methods work, though hand application takes practice to get even shrink without wrinkles.

Tell us how you plan to apply the sleeves. For machine application we supply them on rolls to suit the machine; for hand application we can supply them pre-cut. If you are new to sleeves, start with a short run and practise on spare containers before your main batch.

Whichever method you use, check a few containers from each run under good light. Look for wrinkles at the shoulders, air pockets on the body and sleeves that have crept up or down. Small adjustments to heat and dwell time usually fix these quickly, and keeping notes on the settings that worked saves time on the next batch. If you apply other labels on the same line, our full labels and stickers range includes rolls wound for most applicators.

Ordering Your Sleeves

Send us a sample container or detailed drawings, your artwork, the finish you want and the quantity. We reply with a custom quote by email within one working day, with low minimums so small producers can sleeve limited editions.

You will receive a free design proof showing the distorted artwork and a preview on your container. Sleeves are printed and converted in 4–7 working days from sign-off, and the rolls or pre-cut stacks reach UK mainland breweries and bottling lines by free tracked delivery in 2–3 working days. Any sleeves that arrive misprinted or damaged, reported within 10 days, will be reprinted or refunded.

If you are moving from paper labels to sleeves for the first time, start with your best-selling product. It gives you the most practice on the application line and shows the biggest impact on the shelf.