A Guide to Pallet Wraps

Pallet wraps are available in a variety of different types, colours and thicknesses, providing plenty of choice. But sometimes you might want to better understand which is best for your needs or ideally suited for a particular type of pallet load.

Often referred to as stretch film, they not only protect goods during storage but also prevent damage occurring during delivery and distribution. The strong and stretchable plastic keeps goods dry, prevents theft, and stabilises pallet contents.

With all these benefits and many more, our pallet wraps are available in various types to suit your requirements, whether you need to wrap lightweight delicate items or secure heavy goods, we have the right wrap for you.

Read on for our guide to pallet wraps...

What is pallet wrap?

Pallet wrapping is the process of wrapping a pallet wrap film around various goods which will be placed on a pallet, hence the name. While this simple definition may suffice as a basic description, when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of pallet wrapping, there is a whole lot more to it.

Pallet wrap film is used by warehouses and logistic companies all over the world to secure goods for storage and transit.

Commonly referred to as 'stretch wrap' or 'stretch film', pallet wraps are plastic films that are highly stretchable, strong, and versatile in terms of their uses.

How is film thickness measured?

Wrap thickness may be indicated in gauge or micron. One micron is a 1/1000 (a one thousandth) of a millimeter, while one gauge is a quarter of that. The gauge can be converted to micron by dividing by 4.

Is thicker wrap film always stronger?

While it may sometimes be true, thicker film doesn’t actually always mean a stronger film. Due to new innovations in film technology, many high performance pallet wrap films can actually be a lot thinner but still as strong. This high yield wrap, often referred to as 'nano film', can result in plastic waste reduction without any extra costs.

Types of Pallet Wraps

Now let's look at the various types of pallet wraps that are available on the market. These different types are distinguished based on their applications, method of wrapping, stretchability, tint, and various other properties.

Clear Film Pallet Wrap

Clear film pallet wrap, as the name suggests, provides excellent clarity. This means that the wrapped products are clearly visible and that the barcodes can be easily scanned through the pallet wrap.

These types of pallet wraps are typically easier to use, as they are highly stretchable, don't require a lot of effort to unwind and possess great strength properties.

They also provide exceptional load stability and can keep your goods protected for a very long time.

Blown Film Pallet Wrap

Blown film pallet wrap is tough, strong and great for large shipments while providing a high degree of stretchability.

This wrap is also highly resistant to tears and punctures and therefore is better to use for wrapping products with sharp edges.

Opaque Pallet Wrap

Opaque pallet wrap is often available in dark colours, like black, as well as opaque white. It has much the same properties as blown film pallet wrap, and is used to prevent anyone from seeing through the wrap. Ideal for use where load contents should remain hidden.

Tinted Pallet Wrap

Tinted pallet wrap is found in various colours, such as yellow, green, red, and blue. This type of pallet wrap film is translucent and is often used to colour code pallets for easier identification. The wrap will become more opaque as more layers are added.

Hand Pallet Wrap

Hand pallet wrap film is available in different sizes and is made to be applied by hand, not by automated machinery. This means that if you do not possess a pallet wrapping machine, then rolls of hand wraps are the appropriate pallet wrap films for you.

This is typically used in smaller scale operations or the shipping of infrequent pallet loads. The Grip Film hand wrap dispenser is an ideal solution, making the application of hand films much easier.

Machine Pallet Wrap

Machine pallet wraps are high quality and stretchable wraps that are specifically made to be used in semi-auto and fully automatic pallet wrapping machines.

Just like many other pallet wraps, they can be found in various colours, with different properties available based on your preferences.

Newer, thinner machine wrap films are now available, using advanced film production techniques to create thin, strong films. Using these will help to reduce plastic usage without any compromise on performance.

Recycled Pallet Wrap

Recycled wrap can be found among all of the above types of pallet wrap but comes with the added benefit of being made from recycled material. The use of recycled pallet wraps can help you to avoid paying Plastic Packaging Tax, due to these films containing at least 30% recycled content.

Not only are they beneficial to the environment but they are also as affordable as all the above-mentioned pallet wrap types.

High Performance Films

Some of the newest films have been expertly produced to be as strong as traditional stretch films, but much thinner. This allows for no loss of protection for your goods, while reducing the amount of plastic waste. Our Optimus wrap range is our own innovative high performance wrap film.. and could easily result in reducing your costs and your carbon footprint.

These films can often actually be even more environmentally beneficial than 30% recycled films, due to the big reductions in plastic use and waste.

Get Superior Quality and Affordable Pallet Wraps at Bonus Trading

Now that you have finished our complete guide to pallet wraps, it’s time you get the most suitable one for you, from Bonus Trading.

With years of experience in supplying high-quality packing equipment and material, we aim for the highest level of customer satisfaction.

You can find all of the above-mentioned pallet wraps on our website and order them right away.

We also offer exceptional bulk discounts and can have your order delivered with our efficient and fast delivery service.

To learn more about our products and services, visit our homepage or contact us now.

Pallet Film Audits and Packaging Assessments

Ask us about our free pallet wrap audit and packaging assessments. We can provide detailed analysis of your packaging processes and product usage, we’ll make suggestions for changes that will reduce your costs and increase efficiency.

Get in touch with us today on 08000 540 100 to find out more.