Stretch film looks like a commodity — until you compare how much different operations spend wrapping the same pallet. The spec you choose (micron, grade, width) and how the film is applied decide whether a pallet costs you sen or ringgit to wrap. Here's what actually matters.
Micron: thicker isn't automatically safer
Micron (µm) is film thickness. The common range for hand wrapping is 17–23 µm:
| Micron | Load type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 17 µm | Light, uniform cartons (<400 kg pallets) | Lowest cost per roll; fine for regular box profiles |
| 20 µm | Mixed loads, moderate weight | The safe default for most operations |
| 23 µm | Heavy, sharp-edged or unstable loads | Higher puncture resistance for protruding corners |
What matters as much as thickness is pre-stretch. Stretch film gains holding force when elongated. Wrapped straight off the roll with no stretch, you're using up to 30–50% more film than needed for the same containment — this is the single biggest source of film waste we see.
Hand grade vs machine grade
Hand grade comes on lighter rolls (typically 500 mm width) with a core you can hold or fit to a dispenser. Right for operations wrapping up to a few dozen pallets a day.
Machine grade comes on heavier rolls (typically 750 mm, longer length) for pallet wrappers. The machine's powered pre-stretch can elongate film 150–250%, cutting film cost per pallet dramatically. If you wrap more than ~40–50 pallets a day, a wrapper plus machine film usually pays for itself within months.
Clear or black?
- Clear — the default. Contents visible for picking and counting; barcode scanning through film is possible.
- Black — conceals contents for theft-sensitive goods and gives UV cover for pallets stored near loading bays. Slightly higher cost.
How much film per pallet? A quick benchmark
For a standard 1.2 m pallet wrapped by hand with 20 µm film:
- 2–3 wraps at the base (this locks the load to the pallet — don't skip it)
- Spiral up with ~50% overlap
- 2–3 wraps at the top
That's typically 200–300 g of film per pallet. If you're weighing in significantly above that, look at pre-stretch technique before buying thicker film.
Ordering checklist
- Pallet weight and load profile (uniform cartons vs irregular shapes)
- Pallets wrapped per day — decides hand vs machine grade
- Roll width — 500 mm hand / 750 mm machine are standard; we can slit custom widths
- Clear or black
We stock 17–23 µm in both grades at our Telok Panglima Garang factory and can cut custom widths on request.