Solar Shrink is produced on custom-built machinery that physically modifies the molecular structure of the film. The result is a sheet that is stronger and lighter than conventional mulch — and that shrinks to fit the bed in sunlight.
Manufactured up to 50% thinner than other mulch products, so it is competitively priced. Less weight of plastic per foot means less plastic to dispose of and a smaller environmental footprint. Longer rolls mean fewer roll-change stoppages and faster laying.
The patented process builds shrink stresses into the sheet and substantially raises breaking strength and puncture resistance (up to ~3×). Premium polymers, chemical-resistant UV stabilisers and fine-particle carbon black — with no cheap fillers — keep the sheet strong all season. That strength lets the film be machine-lifted, saving roughly nine labour-hours per acre versus manual lifting.
Solar Shrink is not elastic — it shrinks permanently in sunshine, conforming to the bed contours for improved soil heating even on rough ground. The drum-tight sheet doesn't flap or move in wind, so hot air and moisture stay trapped in the soil and seedlings are protected from desiccation and rubbing damage.
Conventional approaches to using less plastic simply down-gauge the film, trading away strength. Solar Shrink takes a different route: its molecular structure is physically modified during manufacture, raising toughness so the sheet can be thinner and stronger at the same time. The technology is patented, and no other agricultural plastic is produced by this method.
Because Solar Shrink starts the season stronger, it ends the season stronger — which is what makes a clean recovery possible.
Higher retained strength reduces tearing and break-off when lifting, so the sheet comes up in smaller, tighter bundles for lower transport cost.
Fewer torn fragments left behind means less plastic residue in the soil and reduced loss of topsoil.
A cleaner, single-polymer film can be shaken free of contamination, improving the chance of recycling and the quality of recycled pellets.
An ISO 14040 screening LCA quantifies what less plastic means for carbon, fossil fuel and water.
View the LCA results