Shrink sleeve label

1. A film comprising:

a skin layer comprising polyester;

a base layer comprising styrenic block copolymer having a styrene monomer content of at least about 50 wt. %; and

an intermediate layer between the skin and base layers and directly adjacent at least one of the skin layer and the base layer, the intermediate layer comprising:

(i) from about 0.5% to about 20%, based on the weight of the intermediate layer, of ethylene/norbornene copolymer having a norbornene monomer content of from about 18 mole % to about 40 mole %; and

(ii) one or more polymers selected from ethylene/unsaturated ester copolymer and styrenic block copolymer having a styrene monomer content of at most about 50 wt. %, wherein:

the film has a free shrink at 100° C. in at least one direction of at least about 10%; and

the thickness of the intermediate layer is at most about 25% of the total thickness of the film.

2. The film of claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer is directly adjacent the skin layer.

3. The film of claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer is directly adjacent the base layer.

4. The film of claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer is directly adjacent both the skin and base layers.

5. The film of claim 1 wherein the styrenic block copolymer of the base layer comprises styrene/butadiene copolymer.

6. The film of claim 1 wherein the styrenic block copolymer of the base layer comprises styrene/butadiene copolymer modified with unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride.

7. The film of claim 1 wherein the base layer comprises at least about 50% styrenic block copolymer, based on the weight of the base layer.

8. The film of claim 1 wherein the base layer further comprises from about 0.5% to about 30%, based on the weight of the base layer, of polystyrene having a styrene monomer content of at least about 90 wt. %.

9. The film of claim 1 wherein the skin layer comprises glycol-modified polyester.

10. The film of claim 1 wherein the skin layer comprises at least about 80% glycol-modified polyester, based on the weight of the skin layer.

11. The film of claim 1 wherein the skin layer comprises at least about 80% glycol-modified poly(ethylene terephthalate), based on the weight of the skin layer.

12. The film of claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least about 80% by weight of the intermediate layer of the one or more polymers (ii).

13. The film of claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least about 60% of polymer selected from ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer and unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride modified ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer, by weight of the intermediate layer.

14. The film of claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least about 60% of polymer selected from styrenic block copolymer having a styrene monomer content of at most about 50 wt. % and unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride modified styrenic block copolymer having a styrene monomer content of at most about 50 wt. %, by weight of the intermediate layer.

15. The film of claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least about 60% of polymer selected from styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene block copolymer and unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride modified styrene/ethylene-butylene/styrene block copolymer, by weight of the intermediate layer.

16. The film of claim 1 wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least about 60% of polymer selected from ethylene/C 1 -C 12 alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer and unsaturated carboxylic acid anhydride modified ethylene/C 1 -C 12 alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer, by weight of the intermediate layer.

17. The film of claim 1 wherein the Young's modulus of the film is at least about 200,000 psi.

18. The film of claim 1 wherein the free shrink in at least one direction is at least about 40%.

19. A shrink sleeve comprising the film of claim 1 .

20. A method of labeling a container comprising:

placing the shrink sleeve of claim 19 around the container; and

shrinking the shrink sleeve to conform the shrink sleeve to the container.

21. The film of claim 1 wherein:

the skin layer is a first skin layer;

the intermediate layer is a first intermediate layer; and

the first intermediate layer is between the first skin layer and the base layer; and further comprising:

a second skin layer comprising polyester; and

a second intermediate layer between the skin and base layers and directly adjacent at least one of the second skin layer and the base layer, the second intermediate layer comprising:

(i) from about 0.5% to about 20%, based on the weight of the intermediate layer, of ethylene/norbornene copolymer having a norbornene monomer content of from about 18 mole % to about 40 mole %; and

(ii) one or more polymers selected from ethylene/unsaturated ester copolymer and styrenic block copolymer having a styrene monomer content of at most about 50 wt. %.