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USE CODE PSBM624 FOR 10% OFF THE ENTIRE WEBSITE. CLICK HERE TO SHOP TERMS
USE CODE PSBM624 FOR 10% OFF THE ENTIRE WEBSITE. TERMS
October Sale – 10% Off
One time use only. Must be logged into a customer account to apply. Discount applies to the regular price. Offer is not valid on Overstock and Clearance Price. Valid only at packagingsuppliesbymail.com. Offer cannot be combined with any other offer. Some exclusions may apply. Offer subject to change at any time without notice. Offer valid 10/01/24 – 10/31/24.
Last Updated: February 19, 2024
What is Stretch Wrap?
Stretch Wrap vs. Shrink Wrap
What are the Types of Stretch Wrap?
What are the Styles of Stretch Wrap?
Hand Stretch Wrap
Pallet Stretch Wrap
Mini Stretch Wrap
Colored Stretch Wrap
Coreless Stretch Wrap
Machine Length Stretch Wrap
What Gauge of Stretch Wrap Should I Use?
Stretch Wrap is a film made from polyethylene plastic. This thin and durable film is often used in shipping, palletizing, and warehousing applications and is known for its ability to elongate, or stretch, beyond its resting state. Stretch film is tightly wrapped around items on pallets for extra security during transportation and storage. Stretch wrap comes in various widths, thicknesses, and types. When used properly, stretch films help reduce product loss and protect against injuries within work areas.
We have a separate product guide for our Specialty Stretch Wrap products:
Specialty Stretch Wrap Product Guide
While some may use “stretch wrap” and “shrink wrap” synonymously, they are actually two different products. Shrink wrap uses heat to constrict, or shrink, around the item held inside. Stretch wrap does not require heat activation and, in fact, should not be exposed to a heat gun or shrink tunnel for extended periods of time. Stretch films are more pliable and will stretch to create strength during the wrapping process.
For more information on the differences between stretch wrap and shrink wrap, be sure to take a look at our article comparing these packaging materials side-by-side.
Cast
Formed from a cast extrusion process, most popular type of stretch wrap
Wide selection, cost-effective, quiet when unwinding
Can cling to other wrapped shipments, lower tear resistance than blown
Blown
Formed from blown air and continuous spinning
Stronger and more flexible than cast, high tear resistance, low temperature tolerance
More expensive, narrow selection, noisy when unwinding
High Performance
Special manufacturing process forms a high-strength, super thin film
Higher performance than stretch wraps of similar gauges
More expensive, narrow selection
Pre-Stretched
Film is pre-stretched close to the breaking point
High-strength film is easier to apply, lessening strain
Hand Stretch Wrap products range anywhere from 11” to 20” widths. These rolls have a 3” diameter core and are designed to be applied by hand. To ease the application process, dispensers and hand-saver products can be used but are not required.
Cast Hand Stretch Wrap
1000' - 2000'
12" - 18"
60 - 120 Gauge
Blown Hand Stretch Wrap
1000' - 1500'
70 - 120 Gauge
High Performance Hand Stretch Wrap
1500' - 1968'
36 - 47 Gauge
Pre-Stretched Hand Stretch Wrap
1476'
13" - 17"
26 - 48 Gauge
Ultra High Performance Hand Stretch Wrap
1476' - 1968'
16" - 18"
32 - 48 Gauge
Pallet Stretch Wrap, also known as extended core or pipe wrap, features a 1” core that extends beyond the width of the stretch film on both sides. This creates built-in handles for easy application. Tension handles are available for these products to prevent wear on the hands of users.
Cast Extended Core Pallet Stretch Wrap
700' - 1000'
10" - 30"
High Performance Pallet Wrap
1000'
20"
45 - 63 Gauge
Made in USA Pallet Wrap
80 Gauge
Mini Stretch Wrap products are small-width rolls, making them great for small-scale bundling applications. Mini stretch wrap is a quick and easy alternative to tape, twine, and strapping products. Mini stretch can be paired with handles or dispensers for easy hand-wrapping applications.
Mini Bundling
600' - 1000'
2" - 6"
80 - 150 Gauge
Mini Extended Core
3" - 5"
80 - 120 Gauge
High Performance Mini Bundling
High Performance Mini Extended Core
5"
45 - 80 Gauge
Made in USA Mini Bundling
Mini Wrap with Spinner Handle
Mini Wrap with Tension Spinner Handle
Colored Stretch Wrap is available in a variety of types and colors. Our colored wraps come either as opaque or tinted. Opaque stretch film prevents people from being able to see the product that is wrapped up, which is ideal when privacy is a necessity. Tinted stretch film allows the contents to be seen but retains the color of the wrap. Both options can be great for easily organizing and identifying bundles of products.
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, White, Black
15" - 18"
1500'
63 Gauge
Pallet Wrap
20" - 30"
Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, White, Black
5000'
80 - 90 Gauge
High Performance Machine Length Stretch Wrap
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, White, Black
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Black
18"
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Black
47 - 63 Gauge
Pre-Stretched Hand Wrap
15" - 17"
30 - 34 Gauge
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue
Red, Yellow, Green, Blue
Coreless Stretch Wrap rolls do not include the standard cardboard core. This feature reduces both the weight of the roll and waste, making these products a great solution for environmentally conscious buyers. Reusable dispensers take the place of the traditional core for safe and easy application.
Coreless Pallet Wrap
2000'
32 Gauge
Coreless Pre-Stretched Hand Wrap
Coreless Pre-Stretched Mini Bundling
Machine Length Stretch Wrap is ideal for large-scale industries. These film rolls are large capacity and feature a standard 3” core. When used with a stretch wrapping machine, this stretch film can wrap several pallets and bundles in an hour.
Cast Machine Length Stretch Wrap
3000' - 8000'
10" - 60"
60 - 150 Gauge
Blown Machine Length Stretch Wrap
4000' - 6000'
5000' - 10000'
19.7" - 29.5"
39 - 63 Gauge
Pre-Stretched Machine Length Stretch Wrap
6000'
17"
34 Gauge
Ultra High Performance Machine Length Stretch Wrap
5000' - 7000'
19.7"
40 - 52 Gauge
Gauge, as it relates to packaging, is one-hundred-thousandths of an inch. For reference, human hair comes in at around 400 gauge, or 0.4% of an inch. Gauge is a popular unit of measurement for the thickness of stretch film; the higher the gauge, the thicker the film. Thicker film is stronger than thinner film, but can be more costly.
Heavy Duty (100 Gauge and Above) – We define heavy duty stretch film as anything over 100 gauge. Due to the thickness of the film, these products tend to have less length per roll but are the strongest available in our catalog. These are commonly recommended for wrapping heavy industrial products.
Regular (80 - 99 Gauge) – Any films that are 80-99 gauge are classified as regular. The 80 gauge films are the bestselling and most common products. This thickness offers the best strength for most applications without the added costs of thicker heavy-duty films. If you are unsure of which film to use, we recommend starting with an 80 gauge film in most cases.
Medium (60-79 Gauge) – Our medium gauges range from 60-79 gauge. These films are recommended for smaller loads or where lightweight items are being bundled.
Economy (60 Gauge and Below) – We classify any film under 60 gauge as economy in our catalog. These films are only recommended for the lightest product bundling and wrapping applications. These films offer better pricing than heavier gauge films, but at the expense of strength.