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 Plastic film is a thin continuous polymeric material. Thicker plastic material is often called a "sheet". These thin plastic membranes are used to separate areas or volumes, to hold items, to act as barriers, or as printable surfaces. Plas ...

(sometimes called polywrapping) or

paper Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses or other vegetable sources in water, draining the water through fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distrib ...

. 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 A multi-pack also known as multipack is packaging that combines or holds multiple items or smaller packages. Functions Multi-packs can be used to: * Combine several items for a larger unit of sale, often with a reduced individual cost * Provide ...

* Keep a package or item clean * Help prevent

package pilferage Package pilferage is the theft of part of the contents of a package. It may also include theft of the contents but leaving the package, perhaps resealed with bogus contents. Small packages can be pilfered from a larger package such as a shippin ...

or premature opening of the package * Help provide a tamper indicating seal * Help keep insects out of a package * Obscure a package for distribution, sale, or gifting * Help provide an

authentication Authentication (from ''authentikos'', "real, genuine", from αὐθέντης ''authentes'', "author") is the act of proving an assertion, such as the identity of a computer system user. In contrast with identification, the act of indicatin ...

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.

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 A heat gun is a device used to emit a stream of hot air, usually at temperatures between 100 °C and 550 °C (200-1000 °F), with some hotter models running around 760 °C (1400 °F), which can be held by hand. Heat ...

(electric or gas) or the product and film can pass through a

heat tunnel A shrink tunnel or heat tunnel is a heated tunnel mounted over or around a conveyor system. Items (such as packaging) have shrink film loosely applied; with heat, the film shrinks to fit snugly around the wrapped object. Uses * Shrink labels. * ...

. Most shrink films are

polyethylene Polyethylene or polythene (abbreviated PE; IUPAC name polyethene or poly(methylene)) is the most commonly produced plastic. It is a polymer, primarily used for packaging ( plastic bags, plastic films, geomembranes and containers including b ...

Film wrap

Plastic film Plastic film is a thin continuous polymeric material. Thicker plastic material is often called a "sheet". These thin plastic membranes are used to separate areas or volumes, to hold items, to act as barriers, or as printable surfaces. Plas ...

s, usually

polypropylene Polypropylene (PP), also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications. It is produced via chain-growth polymerization from the monomer propylene. Polypropylene belongs to the group of polyolefins a ...

, can be wrapped around an item and attached with adhesive,

PSA tape PSA, PsA, Psa, or psa may refer to: Biology and medicine * Posterior spinal artery * Primary systemic amyloidosis, a disease caused by the accumulation of abnormal proteins * Prostate-specific antigen, an enzyme used as a blood tracer for pros ...

, 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 Kraft paper or kraft is paper or paperboard (cardboard) produced from chemical pulp produced in the kraft process. Sack kraft paper (or just sack paper) is a porous kraft paper with high elasticity and high tear resistance, designed for packag ...

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 inhibitor In chemistry, a corrosion inhibitor or anti-corrosive is a chemical compound that, when added to a liquid or gas, decreases the corrosion rate of a material, typically a metal or an alloy, that comes into contact with the fluid. The effectiveness ...

s, etc.

References

* Soroka, W, "Fundamentals of Packaging Technology", IoPP, 2002, * Yam, K. L., "Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology", John Wiley & Sons, 2009, {{packaging Packaging