Published · 2 min read
The first question we hear about stretch film is almost always the micron: "How many microns should I use?" There is no single correct answer, because micron is not an outcome — it is a means. What decides the matter is whether the pallet is still standing when it arrives.
Why thinner is not always cheaper
Thin film looks economical because the cost per metre is lower. But a load with sharp corners punctures thin film during wrapping. The hole spreads, the wrap loosens and the pallet breaks apart in transit. At that point the material you saved is irrelevant next to the damaged goods.
The opposite is equally true: film thicker than the job needs is material wasted on every pallet. If you wrap thousands of pallets a year, that difference is not small.
Four things to weigh
- Weight of the load. Heavier loads need the wrap held at higher tension, which asks more of the film.
- Corner geometry. Box corners and protruding parts are where puncturing starts. Corner protectors often solve this more cheaply than added thickness.
- Distance and route. A short city delivery and a load spending days on the road do not call for the same film.
- How it is applied. Machine wrapping holds tension constant and can match the same result with thinner film; by hand, tension varies with the operator.
Stretch ratio: the figure people miss
Two films of the same micron behave differently if their stretch ratios differ. A film with a high stretch ratio wraps more pallets from the same length, so it can lower the cost per pallet even when the roll price is higher. The comparison to make is not roll price but cost per pallet.
A practical approach
Before settling on a thickness, trial two or three options with your actual load. The test is simple: if the pallet does not shift when pushed by hand, there is no puncturing at the corners, and the wrap does not loosen in transit, you have the right film.
Tell us the dimensions and weight of your load and how it ships, and we can narrow the options together.