Custom Stretch Wrap Film

Choosing Film Thickness

Stretch film is described by thickness in microns. Thinner films are lighter, cheaper per metre and fine for light, regular-shaped loads such as boxes of clothing or paper products. Thicker films resist tearing and puncturing, which matters when loads have sharp corners, metal parts or irregular shapes.

Choosing the right thickness is about balance. Too thin, and the film tears and the load is unstable. Too thick, and you are paying for plastic you do not need. If you are unsure, tell us what is on the pallet, its height and weight, and how far it travels, and we will suggest a starting point.

Cast and blown films behave differently too. Cast film unwinds quietly, is very clear and clings well, which makes it the usual choice for general pallet work. Blown film is a little noisier and less glossy, but it tends to be tougher and more resistant to punctures, so it is often chosen for loads with sharp edges such as metal parts or timber. Fragile loads often add a layer of bubble wrap rolls under the film.

Clear, Black, Coloured or Printed

Clear film is the default. It lets warehouse staff read labels and barcodes through the wrap and check the load without unwrapping it. Black film hides the contents, which is useful for valuable goods or products that should not be advertised during transit. It also gives some protection from sunlight.

Coloured films help with sorting. A warehouse can use blue for one customer, green for another and red for urgent loads, making it easy to see at a glance where each pallet is going. Printed film carries your logo or a message such as fragile or do not stack, repeated along the roll. It turns a plain pallet into branded freight and acts as a tamper indicator, since a re-wrapped load would not show the printed pattern. Brands that want the same logo on every parcel also print branded packing tape for cartons.

Wrapping Technique That Saves Film

Start by tucking the film end into the pallet base and wrapping the bottom several times, including the pallet itself, to lock the load to the base. Work upwards in a spiral, overlapping each layer by about half the width of the film. Wrap the top a few times, then come back down to finish near the base.

Keep the film under steady tension, as loose film will not hold the load. Avoid wrapping too tightly around light boxes, which can crush corners. A corner board or edge protector on each vertical edge helps spread the pressure and stops the film from cutting into cartons.

A quick check before a pallet leaves the dock saves a lot of trouble later. Push gently on the side of the load at the top: if it sways independently of the base, add a few more turns around the middle and top. Make sure labels are on the outside of the film or clearly readable through it, and that the film tail is pressed flat so it does not catch on other pallets or racking. The board and card types guide explains which carton grades hold a tight wrap without crushing.

Who Orders Stretch Film

Warehouses and distribution centres are the biggest users, wrapping pallets for outbound and inbound shipments. Manufacturers wrap finished goods before they leave the factory. Wholesalers and importers use it to secure mixed pallets. Removal companies use narrow rolls to wrap furniture and keep drawers and doors closed. E-commerce businesses use bundling film to group items together, such as multipacks of bottles or sets of flat-packed boxes.

Printed film is popular with brands that want their freight to look professional on the road and in customers' yards, and with businesses that want clear tamper evidence. Most of them palletise their own shipping boxes that stack on pallets before the film goes on.

Count Pallets Per Week Before Choosing Hand or Machine Rolls

The right stretch film follows the number of pallets you wrap, not the size of the warehouse. Under about twenty pallets a week, hand rolls on a dispenser are cheaper and quicker to set up; above that, a turntable wrapper with machine rolls pays for itself in film saved, because the machine pre-stretches the film further than an operator can. Note the heaviest load and whether it has sharp edges, which decides the thickness, and whether the freight needs to look branded or show tamper evidence on arrival.

Tell us hand or machine rolls, the width and thickness, and clear, black, coloured or printed film, with the logo for printed film, and a custom quote comes by email within one working day with minimums set per job. Printed film comes with a free design proof showing the repeat. Production takes 4 to 7 working days after approval and free tracked delivery reaches UK mainland addresses in 2 to 3 working days; rolls that arrive damaged or misprinted are reprinted or refunded if reported within 10 days. Corners that need extra protection under the film use cardboard edge protectors for pallet corners.