Packing materials: strap, film and tape

Packing materials on this page are for securing, wrapping and sealing goods in factories and warehouses. The main types are strap, stretch film, adhesive tape and shrink film. Strap holds a load to the pallet or a bundle together, stretch film holds the pallet load together, adhesive tape closes cartons and shrink film is shrunk tight around a single product or pack.

This page lists the strap from the strapping bands category and the stretch films directly. The two subcategories adhesive tapes and shrink film hold the tapes and the POF film.

Choose packing materials by the load or product, and by the machine or tool they are used with. Below the products, a table shows the material families, their uses, sizes and pack options.

Strapping bands: types and closures

The strapping bands on this page are PET and PP strap, steel strap, cord and textile strap, and paper and OPP band. PET and PP strap are welded by friction with battery or pneumatic tools. PP strap can also be closed with a metal seal by a manual tool. Steel strap is closed with a clip or sealless by the tool. Cord and textile strap are closed with a wire buckle. Paper and OPP band are closed by the banding machine.

The same strap products are in the strapping bands category, with their tools, seals, buckles, carts and machines. That category has the subcategories plastic strapping, steel strapping, paper strapping and cord strapping. This page lists only the materials, not the tools or machines.

Strapping bands work by holding a load to the pallet or keeping a bundle together with tension. The type of strap you use decides how much force it can hold and how much it stretches under load. Steel strap hardly stretches and holds heavy loads with sharp edges. PET strap stretches less than PP strap. Paper band only holds light bundles and loses strength when it gets wet.

Start from the tool or machine you already have. Its strap material and width range decide which strap you can order. If your dispenser or cart is made for a 406 mm core, only PET and PP strap on that core will fit.

The strength of a strapping job depends on the joint, not just the strap itself. On the battery tools whose product pages give a figure, the friction weld keeps about 75 percent of the strength of the PET or PP strap.

The closure part for each strap is chosen by its width. Seals for PP strap come in 13 mm for 12–13 mm strap and 16 mm for 15–16 mm strap. Steel clips are sized 16 x 40 mm for manual or pneumatic strapping, and 19 x 57, 25 x 57 or 32 x 57 mm for pneumatic tools. Wire buckles fit 16, 19, 25 or 32 mm cord and textile strap. Paper strap cannot run in a friction-weld machine for PP strap, as these machines melt the strap to make the joint and paper does not melt. Textile strap can be tied with a knot instead of a buckle, but cord strap cannot. Manual tensioners for cord and textile strap are not for PET, PP or steel strap, so a site that uses cord or textile strap as well as PET, PP or steel strap needs a tool for each. A buckle joint can be tensioned again after the load settles, but a crimped steel joint cannot.

PET, PP and steel strap: sizes and packs

PET strap is available in 12, 15.5, 19, 25 or 32 mm widths on a 406 mm core, by the coil or on a pallet of 60 coils. PP strap comes in 12 or 15.5 mm widths on a 406 mm core. Steel strap is supplied in 16, 19, 25 or 32 mm widths as a 25 kg coil, 10 coils (250 kg) or a pallet of 40 coils (1000 kg). The 25 kg coil and the 1000 kg pallet are coated and painted.

Choose PET, steel or cord strap for heavy loads. PP strap is for loads that do not need a high tensile strength. At the same width and thickness, PP holds about half of what PET holds and stretches more.

The thinner and narrower the strap, the more meters you get on a coil. For example, 12 x 0.6 mm PET strap has 2500 m on a coil, while 32 x 1.2 mm has 500 m. When you order PET strap by the pallet, you receive 60 coils of one size. This is practical for a busy warehouse where the same size is used every day. If you switch between sizes, order coils separately to avoid unused stock.

The 12 x 0.55 mm PP strap has 3000 m on a coil, while 12 x 0.8 mm and 15.5 x 0.7 mm have 2000 m. Use PET strap for heavy pallets and long transport, where the load must stay tight. PP strap is for lighter packs and cartons.

The steel strap pallet holds 40 coils of one width. A pallet of 1000 kg is heavy and needs a forklift or a pallet truck for unloading and moving in the warehouse.

Steel strap hardly stretches, so it is used for heavy loads with sharp edges that must not move during transport. If a load settles or shrinks, steel strap can become loose, as it does not stretch to take up the slack. In these cases, a plastic strap like PET, which stretches a little, keeps its tension better. When cutting any tensioned strap, especially steel, always use a strap cutter, wear gloves and eye protection, and stand to the side. The strap can spring back suddenly and steel edges are sharp.

Table of packaging material families

The table below lists the packaging material families, their category, what they are used for, the sizes available here and the pack options.

To use the table, start with the job you need to do: holding a load to a pallet, keeping layers together, closing a carton or wrapping a single product. Find the material family that matches your job, such as PET strap for heavy loads or stretch film for pallet wrapping. Then check the sizes listed against your machine or tool, for example, the core diameter or width. Pick the pack size based on your weekly use. The category column shows where to find the tools and machines that work with each material.

Cord, textile, paper and OPP band: features and uses

Cord strap is a composite polyester strap with a polypropylene coating, available in 13, 16, 19, 25 or 32 mm widths on a 200 mm core. Its breaking strength ranges from 485 kg at 13 mm to 2360 kg at 32 mm. Cord and textile straps are closed with a wire buckle. Textile strap is made of polyester fibers, 16 or 19 mm wide on a 76 mm core. Waste bale strap is 16 mm wide and tied by hand around waste bales.

Paper and OPP band are for banding machines. Paper band is available in 12 mm and 30 mm widths, 150 m a roll. OPP band is a plastic film band for banding machines, not an adhesive tape, in 12 mm and 30 mm widths, 150 m a roll. Paper strap is available in 9, 12 or 15 mm widths for bundling light items and cartons.

Cord strap comes as 2 coils in a box or by the pallet. Cord strap is used on heavy loads as an alternative to steel strap because it does not rust.

The breaking strength is the force needed to tear one new strap, but the joint made with a wire buckle always holds less than the strap itself. In practice, the load you can secure depends on the weakest point, the joint. For example, if you use a 19 mm cord strap with a breaking strength of 800 kg, the wire buckle joint will hold less. Always consider this when planning how many straps to use on a pallet.

Textile strap comes 2 rolls in a box. The 19 mm roll has 600 m. Both cord and textile strap are closed with a wire buckle and tensioned with a tool. This method lets you pull the strap tight around the load and secure it without welding or sealing.

The 16 mm textile strap for waste bales is supplied in rolls of 340 m, packed in sets of 4 rolls. This strap is tied by hand around bales from a baler.

Paper band comes in 12 mm (100 rolls in a box) and 30 mm (56 rolls), each roll 150 m. OPP band is a plastic film band, available in 12 mm (100 rolls) and 30 mm (40 rolls), also 150 m a roll. Paper loses strength when wet, so it is not for damp environments. OPP band is a plastic film, so moisture does not weaken it the same way. Banding holds a stack together, such as a bundle of brochures, but does not secure a heavy load on a pallet.

Textile strap is not used for goods with sharp edges or hot surfaces, as these can cut or damage the strap. Loads with sharp edges get cord or steel strap.

Paper strap is made for moderate tension only. If you pull it as tightly as a PP strap, it will tear. The width of paper strap matches the bundle: 9 mm for small bundles, 12 mm for standard cartons, and 15 mm for heavier or sharper-edged bundles. Tie a waste bale with the waste bale strap while the baler platen still holds it down. Tied later, the bale expands and the straps sit loose.

Stretch film for hand and machine use

All stretch films here are 500 mm wide and 23 microns thick, made of LLDPE. Hand film is supplied on 3 kg rolls (6 per carton, 40 cartons on a pallet) or 5 kg rolls (120 on a pallet, 600 kg). Machine stretch film comes on 16 kg rolls in two versions: Standard A and PRESTRETCH POWER, by the roll or 46 rolls on a pallet (736 kg).

Stretch film gives limited UV protection and is recyclable where local collection allows. The stretch wrap category also includes a hand dispenser for the film. Machine stretch films are for pallet wrapping machines.

Stretch film works by being stretched as it is wrapped around the load. The film tries to return to its original length, and this pull holds the load together. When wrapping a pallet, start by wrapping the film around the bottom of the load and the pallet itself. This step locks the load to the pallet, making it one unit for transport.

The 3 kg rolls are lighter and easier to handle for workers wrapping pallets by hand all day. The 5 kg rolls last longer between changes but are heavier to carry. Choose the roll size based on how many pallets you wrap per shift and the physical demands on your staff.

Machine stretch film is supplied on 16 kg rolls for use in pallet wrapping machines. These rolls are too heavy for manual use and are loaded onto the film carriage of the machine. You can order a single roll or a pallet of 46 rolls. The film comes in two versions: Standard A and PRESTRETCH POWER.

The amount of film used per pallet depends on the number of turns, the overlap and the stretch applied by the machine or operator. This means film use varies from one warehouse to another. To measure your own use, weigh a roll before and after wrapping a known number of pallets. Standard stretch film gives only limited UV protection, so cover pallets that stand outdoors for a long time.

Adhesive tapes for carton sealing

The adhesive tapes subcategory includes BOPP tape and kraft paper tape. BOPP tape is 48 mm wide, 66 m a roll, 50 microns thick, available in brown or transparent, and works in temperatures from -20 °C to +60 °C. It is suitable for cartons up to 60 kg, packed as 72 rolls in a carton or 3024 rolls on a pallet. Kraft paper tape is 50 mm wide, 50 m a roll, and comes 72 rolls in a box.

FLEX TAPE, TOP TAPE and AUTO-TAPE carton sealers take 48–72 mm tape, so both tapes fit. RUBBER and AUTO&FOLD-5050 take 48–60 mm tape, so both tapes fit. The AUTOBOX10 case erector takes 50 or 60 mm tape, so only the 50 mm kraft paper tape fits.

Kraft paper tape is self-adhesive paper tape; a box of 72 rolls holds 3600 m. Kraft tape is water-resistant but not waterproof, and it holds less well in very hot or very cold conditions. In a warehouse, kraft tape is used for sealing cartons by hand or in a carton sealer. A kraft tape closure is the same material as the carton.

Tape sticks by pressure, so press it down along the seam and at the ends folded over the carton. Dust, damp or cold cartons reduce adhesion and can cause the tape to lift. Transparent tape lets labels and print on the carton show through, while brown tape matches a brown carton for a uniform look.

A carton of BOPP tape contains 72 rolls of 66 m each, giving you 4752 m of tape per carton. In a packing line with a carton sealer, both the top and bottom of the carton are taped in one pass. This means two rolls run at once, one in the upper tape head and one in the lower. Keep spare rolls next to the machine to avoid downtime when a roll runs out during a shift.

Paper tape is thicker than BOPP tape, so the tape head needs more tension to apply it. Each tape head runs one width and type at a time. If you switch between BOPP and kraft paper tape, set the tape head again. The tape leg is the part folded over each end of the carton and can be set on the tape head, for example from 5 to 50 mm on the RUBBER model. For each carton, the tape used is the seam length plus the two legs on the top and the same on the bottom. Kraft paper tape is self-adhesive and runs dry, unlike water-activated gummed paper tape, which needs a wetting dispenser. For heavy or full cartons, apply a second strip across the first at right angles to reinforce the seal. Carton sealers need dry, clean corrugated cartons that are not deformed. Plastic-coated cartons cannot be taped with either tape.

Shrink film for tight packaging

The shrink film subcategory holds POF shrink film, 15 microns thick, on rolls 200, 500 or 550 mm wide. The 200 mm roll has 1259 m, the 500 mm and 550 mm rolls have 1335 m. The film is clear and glossy, so the packed product is seen through it.

POF shrink film shrinks tight around the product when heated in a shrink tunnel or under a hood. Our shrink wrapping machines run POF film in these widths and thicknesses: T4535 takes POF 100–550 mm wide and 15–25 microns, AUTOSHRINK takes POF 200–550 mm wide and 0.01–0.03 mm, T5040 takes POF 0.015–0.019 mm up to 570 mm wide, B4255 takes POF, F7060 takes PVC or POF, A450 takes POF or PVC, and V4530 shrinks POF or PE.

To use POF shrink film, the product is first wrapped and sealed in the film. Then, heat is applied in a shrink tunnel or under a hood. The film shrinks tight around the product.

Always check the film width and thickness against your machine’s range.

Choose the roll width by the largest product you need to wrap, allowing extra width for the seal. A film that is too narrow does not close around the product. Check that the roll fits the film holder of your machine. Keep the rolls in their packaging, dry and away from heat and sunlight, so the film does not shrink before use. Protect the edges of the roll from knocks, as a damaged edge can tear when unwinding.

Some shrink wrapping machines, such as the B4255 and the F7060, pierce the shrink film with a needle wheel. This step lets air escape from the pack as the film shrinks. Without the holes, the trapped air can open the seal.

In a shrink tunnel, belt speed and temperature work together. A faster belt needs a higher temperature to shrink the film in the same time. POF shrink film needs a higher tunnel temperature than PVC, so if you switch from PVC to POF, reset the tunnel. To set up a tunnel, preheat it, set the belt speed in the middle of its range, then find the temperature that shrinks the film at that speed. Note this setting for future runs of the same product. Start with a short sealing time and raise it in small steps until the film seals and cuts cleanly. Keep the shortest time that works. A smoking sealing wire means the sealing time is too long or there is film residue on the wire. Clean the sealing wire or knife right after sealing, while it is hot, with a dry cotton cloth. Use as little film around the pack as possible, as film cut off as trim is paid for but not used.

Which packing materials for each job

Each type of packaging material is made for a specific job. Strap holds a load to the pallet or keeps a bundle together with tension. PET strap and steel strap are used for heavy loads. PP strap is for lighter loads that do not need a high tensile strength. Cord strap is an alternative to steel strap for heavy loads and does not rust.

Stretch film holds the layers of a pallet load together and keeps dust and moisture out. Adhesive tape closes cartons. Shrink film is used to wrap a single product or pack tightly by shrinking it with heat. Heavy or unstable pallet loads often get both strap and stretch film.

To hold a stack or a bundle together without a pallet, use paper or OPP band on a banding machine, or paper strap. They hold light stacks and bundles, such as brochures or small boxes.

To close a carton, use BOPP tape or kraft paper tape, by hand or in a carton sealer.

To wrap a single product or a small pack so it is clean and visible, use POF shrink film on a shrink wrapping machine.

At sharp corners or edges of a load, place edge protectors or corner boards under plastic strap and stretch film. Sharp edges can cut into plastic strap and tear stretch film during handling or transport.

If one strap is not enough to hold a load, use a stronger strap or add more straps. At the same thickness, a wider strap holds more.

For goods stored in damp conditions, cord strap does not rust and leaves no rust marks on the goods, while bare steel strap can. Stretch film wrapped around the sides of a pallet leaves the top open. A top sheet keeps dust and rain off the top. Some pallet wrapping machines, such as the EASY-IN models, the SMARTWRAP B3 PRESTRETCH and the ROBI-600B, have a mode that stops at the top of the load so you can lay a top sheet before finishing the wrap.

Packing materials must fit the machine

A packaging material must match the machine or tool it goes on. Strap must be the right width and core size for the tool or machine. For example, PET strap and PP strap are on a 406 mm core, while cord strap is on a 200 mm core. The coil must fit the cart or dispenser.

Stretch film must match the film width and core that the pallet wrapping machine or hand dispenser takes. All stretch films here are 500 mm wide. Tape must be the right width for the carton sealer. FLEX TAPE, TOP TAPE and AUTO-TAPE take 48–72 mm tape, so both BOPP tape 48 mm and kraft paper tape 50 mm fit. Shrink film must be the material, thickness and width the shrink machine takes, such as POF shrink film in 200, 500 or 550 mm rolls.

Textile strap is on a 76 mm core. For example, a cart made for a 406 mm core will not hold a cord strap coil with a 200 mm core.

A banding machine takes one band width, and the core must fit: the 12 mm paper band and the 30 mm OPP band are on a 40 mm core. Check the band width and core size against your banding machine before ordering.

The dispenser cart for PET and PP strap takes coils on a 405 or 406 mm core and strap 10–19 mm wide. PET strap in 25 mm and 32 mm widths does not have a cart in the shop. Cord strap, textile strap and steel strap each have their own cart, so the core and strap width must match the cart you use.

Manual tensioners for cord and textile strap come for 13–19 mm, 19–25 mm and wider strap up to 50 mm. There is no 13 mm buckle, so before ordering 13 mm cord strap, check how you will close the joint.

Banding machines under paper strapping take band rolls on a 40 mm core, which matches all paper and OPP bands here. Most stretch film clings on one side only. When loading a roll onto the film carriage, make sure the cling side faces the load and thread the film along the arrows marked on the carriage.

Storing strap, film and tape

Store packing materials indoors, dry, away from heat and direct sun, in their cartons and off a cold floor. Paper strap and paper band pick up moisture from a concrete floor and lose strength when wet. A damaged film edge tears when the film is stretched.

Shrink film stored near heat can shrink before use. Dust on a tape roll becomes dust on the adhesive, which reduces adhesion. Dust, damp or cold cartons cost adhesion, and a cold roll sticks badly: store tape at room temperature.

A 25 kg steel strap coil should be put on the dispenser cart for steel strap, which is made to carry up to 50 kg. Unwound by hand, a steel coil can spring open and tangle.

Keep machine stretch film out of sunlight in storage as well as during use, as long exposure to sunlight degrades the film.

Take tape rolls out of the box one at a time so the rest stay clean. Plan lifting when moving boxes of strap: a box of two cord strap coils weighs about 20 kg and a box of two textile strap rolls 16 kg. Keep these boxes low on the shelf rather than high.

Ordering by the coil, carton or pallet

Packing materials are sold by the coil, carton or pallet. A pallet holds one size: PET strap pallet has 60 coils of one size, steel strap 1000 kg is a pallet of 40 coils of one width, and BOPP tape pallet has 3024 rolls. Hand film 3 kg comes as 40 cartons on a pallet. Count the use per week before ordering a pallet.

The table above shows the packs of each packaging material family. Check the load or product, the machine or tool it goes on, the pack size and how much is used in a week.

Count coils of strap, rolls of film and rolls of tape, then choose between a single coil or roll, a carton and a pallet. If your use is low, order by the coil or carton to avoid tying up space and money in unused stock.

Other pallet packs: hand film as 120 rolls of 5 kg (600 kg) and machine film as 46 rolls of 16 kg (736 kg).

A pallet of packing materials needs a place in a dry store and a forklift or a pallet truck for unloading.

Compare strap by the price per meter, not per coil, because coils of the same width can differ in length. For example, a 15.5 x 0.7 mm PET strap coil has 1750 m, a 15.5 x 0.9 mm coil 1250 m.

To estimate how many coils of strap you need per week, calculate the length of one strap by adding the girth of the load and the overlap at the joint. Multiply this by the number of straps per load and the number of loads per week, then divide by the meters on a coil.

Compare packs by the meters included. Cord strap has 1000 meters in a box of 19 mm or 25 mm, and 500 meters of 32 mm. Textile strap in 19 mm width comes with 1200 meters in a box of two rolls. Waste bale strap is 1360 meters in a pack of four rolls. Paper band 12 mm holds 15000 meters in 100 rolls, and 30 mm holds 8400 meters in 56 rolls. OPP band 12 mm is 15000 meters in 100 rolls, and 30 mm is 6000 meters in 40 rolls. A cord strap pallet holds coils of one width. The hand film 3 kg pallet is 240 rolls, packed as 40 cartons of 6. For a site starting to strap pallets, a pallet strapping kit brings the tool, the strap and a cart together in one order.

Questions about packing materials

Which tape fits my carton sealer?

Both tapes fit the five carton sealers in the shop: the 48 mm BOPP tape and the 50 mm kraft paper tape are inside their 48–72 mm or 48–60 mm range. The AUTOBOX10 case erector takes 50 or 60 mm tape, so only the 50 mm kraft paper tape fits.

Should I use stretch film or shrink film?

Stretch film is for wrapping and securing pallets, available in hand and machine rolls, all 500 mm wide and 23 microns thick. Shrink film goes around a single product or a pack and is shrunk tight with heat in a tunnel or under a hood.

Which strap is suitable for heavy pallets?

For heavy pallets use PET, steel or cord strap. Steel strap hardly stretches and holds heavy loads with sharp edges; cord strap is the alternative to steel that does not rust.

Can I buy packing materials by the pallet?

Yes, several packing materials are available by the pallet. PET strap is offered as a pallet of 60 coils, steel strap as a pallet of 40 coils (1000 kg), hand film on pallets, and BOPP tape as 3024 rolls on a pallet.