Most pallet wrap looks the same on a shelf: a clear roll on a cardboard core. Underneath, the types of stretch film differ in how they are applied, how they are extruded and what extras go into the resin. A buyer who knows these groups can write a tighter spec, compare quotes properly and avoid paying for performance the load never uses.
Stretch film is a highly elastic polyethylene film, normally LLDPE, that is pulled tight around a load and clings to itself. As it tries to recover its original length, it squeezes the cartons together into one stable unit. The categories below cover almost every roll sold for pallets and bundling.
Types of stretch film by wrapping method
Hand stretch film
Hand rolls are narrow and light enough for one person to walk around a pallet, often with a simple dispenser handle. They suit small warehouses, mixed shipments and sites that wrap only a handful of pallets a day. Because a person can only pull so hard, hand film is formulated to stretch easily at low force.
Machine stretch film
Machine rolls are larger and heavier, built to run on turntable, rotary arm or ring wrappers. Many machines have a powered pre-stretch carriage that elongates the film far beyond what a person could manage before it touches the load. The result is fewer metres of film per pallet, more consistent tension and faster throughput. The roll has to unwind evenly at speed, so core quality and winding tension matter more here than on hand rolls.
Pre-stretched film
This film is stretched during manufacture and then wound onto the roll. It is thinner and lighter, and operators need much less effort to apply it by hand. The trade-off is that less elongation remains, so it performs best on regular, square loads rather than loads with sharp edges or awkward shapes.
Cast or blown: two ways to make the film
Any of the formats above can be produced by one of two extrusion processes, and the process shapes how the film behaves.
Cast film is extruded through a flat die onto a chilled roller. It cools fast, which gives high clarity, a quiet unwind and an even gauge across the web. It stretches readily and is usually the more economical option.
Blown film is extruded as a tube, inflated into a bubble and cooled by air. The slower cooling gives a tougher film with better puncture and tear resistance and stronger load holding. It is hazier, noisier on the roll and usually costs more. Our separate comparison of cast and blown film goes into the detail.
Speciality grades
Additives and pigments turn standard film into something for a particular job:
- Coloured film: black, blue, red or other colours hide the contents, mark different product lines or flag a priority shipment.
- UV-stabilised film: slows breakdown in sunlight for pallets stored outside, such as building materials or garden products.
- Low-temperature film: keeps its cling and flexibility in cold stores and freezer areas where standard film can stiffen.
- Vented film: has openings that let air move around produce or warm goods so condensation does not build up.
For goods that need a top cover as well as side wrapping, buyers often order pallet covers with the same shipment of film.
A useful check before you order is to write down the wrapping method, the extrusion type and any additive as three separate lines on the spec. Quotes that say only “stretch film 20 micron” can hide a switch from blown to cast, or from virgin to recycled resin, and you will not see it until a pallet arrives loose.
From the Hanpak team
Frequently Asked Questions
Can machine film be used by hand?
Not easily. Machine rolls are heavy and the film is made to be stretched by powered rollers, so pulling it by hand is tiring and gives poor tension. Ordering a hand grade is the better answer for manual wrapping.
Which type is best for export pallets?
Long sea journeys with handling at several ports favour tougher film, so blown or a strong cast machine grade is common. If the pallets wait in open yards, add UV stabiliser. The load shape and the wrapper you use should settle the final choice.
Get a stretch film quote
Hanpak supplies hand, machine, pre-stretched and coloured stretch film for export, with flexible MOQs quoted per size and a reply within 48 hours of receiving your spec. Send your details through our contact page or on WhatsApp to request a quote or samples; samples are free.