Buying Guides

Everything we’ve written about choosing, using, storing and disposing of stretch film, in one place. Over 40 guides, grouped by what you’re trying to do.

Planning and checking your loads

• Pallet Sizes UK: Standard, Euro, Half and Quarter Pallet Dimensions – every common pallet size, what couriers mean by half and quarter pallets, and how many fit in a lorry or container.
• Pallet Load Security Checklist – what to check before, during and after wrapping, with a free printable checklist for your loading bay.
• Where to Buy Pallet Wrap in the UK: DIY Store or Direct? – what to check on the label, and when buying by the box works out cheaper.
• Pallet Wrap Calculator – estimate film, rolls and cost for your own pallet size and load height.

Start here

• The Complete Guide to Stretch Wrap Film – what stretch film is, how it holds a load with its own tension rather than heat, and why it’s the standard way to secure a pallet.
• How to Choose the Right Stretch Film (Buyer’s Guide) – five decisions that determine the right roll: thickness, core type, colour, roll size, and how to compare suppliers.
• What Does Micron, Mu or Gauge Mean on Stretch Film? – micron, mu and gauge all describe film thickness; here’s how they relate and why it matters.
• Stretch Wrap vs Shrink Wrap: What Is the Difference? – stretch wrap holds a load with tension and needs no heat; shrink wrap is heated to shrink tight. Different products for different jobs.

Choosing your film

• 17 Micron vs 23 Micron Stretch Film: Which Do You Need? – 17µ for lighter, stable, uniform loads; 23µ for heavier or more demanding pallets. If you’re unsure, 23µ is the safer pick.
• Clear vs Black Stretch Film: Which Should You Use? – clear when you need to see the product and read labels through the wrap; black when you want to conceal what’s on the pallet.
• Hand vs Machine Stretch Film: How to Choose – the choice comes down to volume: hand film for lower and mixed volumes, machine film once you’re wrapping enough pallets to justify one.
• Extended Core Stretch Film: What It Is and Why It Matters – the core extends past the film at both ends, giving you two built-in handles, so you wrap by hand with no dispenser needed.
• Cast vs Blown Stretch Film Explained – cast film is clear, quiet and easy to apply; blown film is tougher against tears but noisier and usually pricier. For most hand wrapping, cast wins.
• Standard Core vs Extended Core Stretch Film: Which Do You Need? – same film either way; the choice is about a dispenser for regular high-volume wrapping versus handles for wrapping straight by hand.
• What Stretch Film to Use for Heavy Pallets – use a thicker film, more passes and firm tension, and tie the load to the pallet properly. Our 23 micron is the right starting point.

Technique & handling

• How to Wrap a Pallet Properly (Step by Step) – anchor the film at the base, wrap upward with good overlap and tension, come back down, and tie off at the bottom.
• Common Pallet Wrapping Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them) – most failures trace back to a short list: not tying the load down, too little tension, too few wraps, and wrapping over unprotected sharp edges.
• Why Does My Pallet Wrap Keep Tearing? (Causes and Fixes) – usually one of four causes: sharp edges, film too thin for the load, poor technique, or damaged rolls.
• How to Wrap Heavy, Irregular and Sharp-Edged Loads – protect the sharp points, use a thicker film, and build the wrap around the shape of the load rather than treating it like a neat box.
• How to Wrap a Pallet for Shipping and Export – export pallets get handled more and travel further, so they need a heavier film, more passes, and protection from dust and moisture.
• Pallet Wrapping Safety and Ergonomics Guide – the real risks are repeated bending, twisting while walking the load, and gripping and turning the roll all shift. Good technique and sensible equipment fix most of it.
• Do You Need a Hand Pallet Wrap Dispenser? – worth it for regular, high-volume wrapping from one spot; skip it if you’re mobile or occasional.
• Six Signs Your Pallet Wrap Isn’t Holding the Load Properly – loose film, shifting boxes and unanchored wraps to check for before a load leaves the warehouse.
• Stretch Wrap for House Moves and Furniture – useful for holding drawers and doors shut and protecting surfaces from dust and scuffs. It’s not padding, so pair it with proper protection for fragile items.

Cost & storage

• How Much Stretch Film Do You Need Per Pallet? – there’s no single figure; it depends on pallet size, load height, wraps used and how far you stretch the film. Here’s how to work out your own number.
• How Much Does Pallet Wrap Cost in the UK? – cost depends on film thickness, roll length and weight, volume and delivery. Cost per pallet is more useful than a headline price.
• How to Store Stretch Film Rolls Correctly – store upright or flat, indoors, out of direct sunlight, away from heat and cold, and off the floor, to keep its cling and stretch.
• Stretch Film for Outdoor and Cold Storage: What to Know – standard film isn’t built for long-term outdoor exposure or extreme cold; here’s when standard film is fine and when you need something else.
• Breathable Stretch Film: What Vented Pallet Wrap Is and When You Need It. Which loads need air to reach them, and when normal solid film is the better choice.
• Food Grade Stretch Film: When Pallet Wrap Needs to Be Food Safe. What the UK food contact rules mean for pallet wrap, and when ordinary film round packed food is fine.
• Pallet Top Sheets: How to Keep Rain and Dust Off Wrapped Pallets. Why stretch wrap leaves the top open, and how to fit a top sheet so the wrap holds it.
• Load Containment Force: What Holds a Wrapped Pallet Together. What controls how firmly the film holds a load, and how to check it by hand.
• Buying Pallet Wrap in Bulk: How Much to Order and How to Store It. A simple way to work out how many boxes you need each month.
• How to Check Your Pallet Wrap’s Real Length and Thickness – weighing a roll is the simplest way to check it’s genuinely the length and thickness advertised.
• How to Cut Pallet Wrap Costs Without Cutting Load Safety – roll weight, real stretch and matching film to the load matter more than buying thinner film.
• Why the Cheapest Pallet Wrap Isn’t Always the Cheapest Option – a lighter roll at the same advertised spec can cost more in roll changes and damaged loads than it saves on price.

Sustainability & compliance

• Is Stretch Wrap Recyclable? A UK Recycling Guide – yes, it’s polyethylene (LLDPE), one of the more widely recycled plastics, but it goes through commercial soft-plastic recycling, not your household bin.
• How Does Eco-Friendly Stretch Film Reduce Packaging Plastic Waste – the real levers are recycled content, using less film per pallet, and recycling what you use, not a single “green” product that solves everything.
• Does Your Stretch Film Qualify for Plastic Packaging Tax Exemption? – the recycled content already built into a roll can directly reduce what you owe under the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax.
• Recycled Content in Stretch Film: What PCR and PIR Actually Mean – post-consumer and post-industrial recycled content aren’t the same claim, and the difference matters for reporting.

Industry & performance

• Uses of Stretch Film Across Warehousing and Logistics – beyond securing pallet loads: bundling, dust protection, holding covers in place, and unitising awkward goods.
• How Stretch Film Is Made, and Why It Changes What You’re Buying – resin quality and the manufacturing process decide performance long before a roll reaches you.
• What ‘Up to 500% Stretch’ Actually Means for Your Pallet – higher stretch capability means more coverage per roll and more give around awkward loads.
• LLDPE vs LDPE: Why Stretch Film Uses One and Not the Other – a more linear molecular structure gives LLDPE the stretch and puncture resistance a pallet wrap needs.
• Pallet Stability Testing Explained: What EUMOS 40509 Actually Checks – what the European load-security standard measures, and what it means for wrapping technique.
• How Tensile Strength Affects Packaging Performance – tensile strength is one of the most important properties determining how well packaging performs under stress.
• How Stretch Wrap Supports Safe Transportation of Goods – how proper wrapping reduces damage, loss and delay across shipping and distribution.
• The Importance of Safe Packaging in Modern Logistics – as transportation networks expand and delivery speeds increase, reliable packaging matters more, not less.

Still not sure which roll fits your job? See recommendations by industry, or ask us directly.