- Always remember you need to allow your packaging materials acclimate to room temperature. So, when you restock, give your product time to rest before you put it to work. If you are having trouble maintaining a steady stream of stock, try calling your Polyline sales rep for help. They can find order patterns you may have missed or they may be able to find a good solution to keep your supplies at a steady level.
- Protect your vinyl packaging from sunlight and other sources of UV light. Vinyl is sensitive to UV rays, so prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause white vinyl to turn beige over time. (We like to think it gives them character.) You can prevent vinyl from tanning, by protecting your product from sunlight and other sources of UV light. If you are using vinyl binders or albums for archival purposes, you may want to opt for a darker color.
- Look for vinyl cases with a thick vinyl overlay, as opposed to a thin poly one. This way, if your vinyl packing is exposed to changes in temperature, the overlay is expanding and contracting at the same (or similar) rate as the rest of the package, preventing wrinkles.
- Look for vinyl packages that allow you to use a single-sheet insert, instead of three separate sheets. This will save you time and money. Ask for a sample of the product before you make your purchase. Some manufacturers place a strip of paper in the binding to keep the overlay from becoming adhered to the rest of the binder. Other manufacturers use different techniques. (Some of these techniques work; others don’t.) The easiest way to check if you’ll be able to use a single-sheet insert is to turn your vinyl binder (or album) over and open it all the way. If the overlay along the spine pops up, it will allow a single-sheet insert.
Getting the best quality from your vinyl album or binder
Help prevent cracks in your vinyl packaging products
There are few media packaging options that offer the luxurious look and feel of Polyline’s vinyl albums or binders. The rigid vinyl interiors ensure the media product is well protected, while the pliable vinyl exterior provides a satisfying sensory experience that makes the packaging a downright pleasure to hold. They are also shaped to resemble a hard-cover book, making them the ideal packaging solution for study materials, seminar materials and books on tape.
It is the pliable nature of the product’s exterior, however, that has caused isolated instances of cracking – particularly during hot summer months or cold winter months.
“We’ve found that cold weather affects it more,” said Michael Schlobohm, COO of Polyline. “PVC – the base material for all vinyl compounds – is brittle by nature. Extreme changes in temperature will cause the softer vinyl to expand and contract, which could create cracks along the spine.”
This exposure to temperature change happens during shipping, when the cases of vinyl albums and binders are placed into trucks and cargo-holds that are not climate controlled. To maintain the quality of your vinyl binders and albums, just allow the product to slowly return to room temperature before using it. Schlobohm both recommend leaving the vinyl products in their cases (in the location they will be used) for 24- to 48-hours prior to using them. That should provide them enough time to become acclimated to room temperature.
“You also have to consider these temperature issues could affect you even if the weather in your location is moderate,” said Nilda Reillo, team leader and trainer in Polyline’s customer service department. “We ship from California and Illinois. So, while it could be 70 degrees in Florida, it could still be only 20 degrees here in Illinois.”
Another lesser seen problem with vinyl albums and binders has also been associated with temperature change: wrinkling. Wrinkling is most common when the overlay is made of poly or is very thin. When the vinyl packaging materials are exposed to extreme temperatures the vinyl and the thinner overlay are expanding and contracting at different rates, explained Schlobohm. It is this different expansion rate that is causes the wrinkles.
“The vinyl album we’re using now has a thicker overlay,” said Reillo. “Thicker is better: no wrinkles.”
Again, allowing the materials to rest at least 24 hours in the packing area prior to using the vinyl products is the best way to ensure quality. It requires a little extra planning, because customers need to plan for this rest period when they are restocking. The polished finished look of the packaging is well worth the wait however.
“Whenever we have a customer who is really trying to impress a client, we recommend vinyl,” said Reillo.
It is the pliable nature of the product’s exterior, however, that has caused isolated instances of cracking – particularly during hot summer months or cold winter months.
“We’ve found that cold weather affects it more,” said Michael Schlobohm, COO of Polyline. “PVC – the base material for all vinyl compounds – is brittle by nature. Extreme changes in temperature will cause the softer vinyl to expand and contract, which could create cracks along the spine.”
This exposure to temperature change happens during shipping, when the cases of vinyl albums and binders are placed into trucks and cargo-holds that are not climate controlled. To maintain the quality of your vinyl binders and albums, just allow the product to slowly return to room temperature before using it. Schlobohm both recommend leaving the vinyl products in their cases (in the location they will be used) for 24- to 48-hours prior to using them. That should provide them enough time to become acclimated to room temperature.
“You also have to consider these temperature issues could affect you even if the weather in your location is moderate,” said Nilda Reillo, team leader and trainer in Polyline’s customer service department. “We ship from California and Illinois. So, while it could be 70 degrees in Florida, it could still be only 20 degrees here in Illinois.”
Another lesser seen problem with vinyl albums and binders has also been associated with temperature change: wrinkling. Wrinkling is most common when the overlay is made of poly or is very thin. When the vinyl packaging materials are exposed to extreme temperatures the vinyl and the thinner overlay are expanding and contracting at different rates, explained Schlobohm. It is this different expansion rate that is causes the wrinkles.
“The vinyl album we’re using now has a thicker overlay,” said Reillo. “Thicker is better: no wrinkles.”
Again, allowing the materials to rest at least 24 hours in the packing area prior to using the vinyl products is the best way to ensure quality. It requires a little extra planning, because customers need to plan for this rest period when they are restocking. The polished finished look of the packaging is well worth the wait however.
“Whenever we have a customer who is really trying to impress a client, we recommend vinyl,” said Reillo.
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