Cold shrink tubing is an open rubber sleeve, mainly made of rubber elastomers with high-performance physical properties, which has been expanded or pre-stretched from the factory and mounted on a portable, removable plastic core. Cold shrink tubing shrinks when the support core is removed during the installation process and the electrician slides the pipe over the cable to be joined, terminated or abandoned and unwinds the core, causing the pipe to collapse or collapse in place.

Cold shrink tubing is used to insulate wires, connections, joints and terminals in electrical work. It can also be used to repair wires, tie wires together and to protect wires or small parts from minor abrasion. It needs to be stored in controlled environments with temperatures not exceeding 43 degrees Celsius.