a transversely pleated , longitudinally heat - shrinkable tape is made from a heat - shrinkable polymeric film . one side of the tape may be adhesive - coated , and the other side may be coated with a thermochromic paint . the tape is wrapped around a substrate , and is particularly adapted , by reason of the pleats , to be wrapped around a substrate of non - uniform cross - section , e . g . a splice in a telephone cable . on heating the tape to its recovery temperature , the pleats disappear and the tape shrinks longitudinally to tightly cover the substrate . the tape may additionally comprise integral heating means .