Thickness is the first number every buyer asks about, and the easiest one to get wrong. Too thin and the load fails in transit; too thick and you pay for plastic you don't need. Here is how we recommend thickness when a customer asks for a quotation.
Quick answer: micron by load type
| Your load | Recommended thickness | Typical grade |
|---|---|---|
| Light, uniform cartons (up to ~300 kg pallet) | 12–15 µm | Machine, high pre-stretch |
| Standard pallets, mixed goods | 15–17 µm | Hand or machine |
| Hand wrapping, everyday warehouse use | 17–20 µm | Hand grade |
| Heavy loads (500–1,000 kg), irregular shapes | 20–23 µm | Hand or machine |
| Very heavy or sharp-edged loads | 25–30 µm | Reinforced / added layers |
| Outdoor storage, UV exposure, privacy | 20–25 µm black | Black film |
Hand grade vs machine grade
The same load usually needs a thicker film by hand than by machine. Manual wrapping applies uneven tension, so a 17–20 µm hand film is the everyday choice. A machine wrapper stretches the film 150–250% before it touches the pallet, so a 12–17 µm machine film often ends up just as strong on the load — at a lower weight of film per pallet.
If you run an automatic turntable or rotary-arm wrapper, ask for the film's pre-stretch rating to match your machine's carriage. A mismatched film either snaps on the rollers or wraps loose.
Five things that change the answer
- Weight and shape. Heavy loads need more tensile strength; sharp corners and protruding edges need puncture resistance more than raw thickness.
- Transport time. Pallets sitting in a sea container for 30–40 days face humidity, temperature swings and shifting — add one step of thickness or an extra wrap layer.
- Storage conditions. Outdoor or long-term warehouse storage calls for black film: it blocks UV and hides contents from view.
- Number of wraps. A thinner film applied in more revolutions can match a thicker film in few revolutions — what matters on the pallet is total holding force.
- Resin quality. A good metallocene LLDPE 15 µm film can outperform a cheap 20 µm film. This is why comparing films on micron alone is misleading — compare cost per pallet wrapped instead.
Thicker is not always cheaper — or better
Many buyers down-gauge: moving from 20 µm to 15–17 µm film with modern resin cuts film spend by 15–25% with the same load security. The right question is not “which micron is strongest” but “which combination of thickness, pre-stretch and wrap count holds my load at the lowest cost per pallet”. Send us your load details — weight, dimensions, wrapping method — and we will quote the thickness that actually fits, including a trial roll if you want proof before the container.
Quick FAQ
- What micron for a standard 800 kg pallet?
- 15–17 µm machine film with 180%+ pre-stretch, or 17–20 µm hand film. Both are stock thicknesses for us.
- Is 12 µm too thin?
- Not for light, uniform loads on a machine wrapper. It is too thin for hand wrapping and for loads with sharp edges.
- Do you supply custom thickness?
- Yes — any width, thickness and length from our production lines, standard specs held in stock. Minimum order for custom specs starts at 3 tonnes.