The Amazing Shrink Inks

The best options for high-adhesion inks, depending on the print job, are solvent-based and UV cationic inks. According to Dedman, "Water-based and UV free radical inks struggle with adhesion due to limitations in their chemistries. That's something we are constantly trying to improve."

Retained solvents: Frito-Lay is a dominant player in the expansion of shrink use in packaging. However, companies that print for the national brand have to meet its retained-solvent specification, Maunsell said. While turning up the dryer heat would solve the problem by evaporating the solvents faster, the heat would also prematurely shrink the film. "You can't add a lot of heat to the product on press with shrink films," Maunsell said. "But if you don't add any heat, the product won't dry. You need to have a balance of printing conditions and drying conditions to meet certain companies' standards, such as Frito-Lay, and that can be challenging."