Can shrink sleeves be designed to support recyclability?

Yes, shrink sleeves can be designed to better support recyclability, but the preferred construction depends on the bottle material and the recycling stream. For PET bottles, design-for-recycling guidance commonly favours floatable PE or PP sleeve technologies that can separate from PET, together with controlled coverage, inks that meet recycling requirements, and, where useful, perforation for removal.

PETG and PVC should not automatically be promoted as recycling-compatible sleeve choices for PET bottles. Current RecyClass guidance identifies PET/PETG sleeve materials as incompatible with the conventional PET-bottle stream, while PVC can also contaminate PET reprocessing. Some individual sleeve technologies can receive compatibility recognition after testing, so brands should ask for evidence that applies to the exact film, ink system, coverage, and bottle combination being proposed.

Design choices also influence sorting and separation. Full-body coverage can obstruct optical or near-infrared detection of the bottle, while lower coverage or an easily removable sleeve can reduce this issue in some systems. Because recycling rules and infrastructure vary by market, the final sleeve specification should be checked against the current APR, RecyClass, or relevant local design-for-recycling guidance for the intended sales region.