Black Pallet Stretch Wrap or Shrink Wrap
Black pallet stretch wrap, also sold as black shrink wrap, is opaque, so nobody can see what is on the pallet. Businesses choose it for two reasons. It keeps the contents private while a load moves through a yard, a depot or a shared vehicle, and it makes a pallet look neater. Mixed cartons, uneven stacks and scuffed packaging all disappear into one clean, uniform block.
We supply black hand pallet wrap in 23 micron, in standard or extended core, alongside the clear film in our main pallet wrap range. Every roll is 400mm x 250m and comes in a carton of 6. We hold it in UK stock and dispatch the same working day on orders placed before 2pm. We publish the length and weight of every roll, so you can compare what you are really buying instead of guessing from the price.
Buy black stretch film by the carton
| Image | Product | Colour | Thickness | Film Width | Roll Length | Roll Weight | Core | Best For | Carton (6 Rolls) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
23 Micron Black (Standard Core) | Black | 23 Micron | 400 mm | 250 metres | Approx. 2.43kg | Standard | Concealing contents, tidy finish, regular wrapping | £34.99 | View the product |
 |
23 Micron Black (Extended Core) | Black | 23 Micron | 400 mm | 250 metres | Approx. 2.43kg | Extended (Handles) | Concealing contents while wrapping by hand | £35.99 | View the product |
Both black rolls: 400mm × 250m · 6 rolls per carton · 30%+ recycled content.
How to choose the right roll
Both black rolls are 23 micron, so there is only one decision to make: how you apply the film.
Core: standard or extended
Standard core is the usual cardboard core, designed to sit on a hand dispenser. A dispenser lets you keep steady, even tension as you walk the pallet, which gives the tightest and most consistent finish and reduces strain across a long session. If you wrap regularly and in one place, this is the format to use.
Extended core has a longer cardboard core that sticks out at each end as a handle, so you pick the roll up and wrap with no dispenser and no setup. It suits removals, mobile and multi-site work, awkward or irregular items, and quick top-ups where fetching a dispenser is not worth the walk.
Both hold the same. Standard core also goes on wrapping machines, while extended core is for hand use. The choice is about how you apply the film, not how strong it is. More on the extended core range.
Why 23 micron only
Black is stocked in 23 micron because the jobs people use it for tend to be the heavier ones: fuller pallets, mixed loads, goods going out on transport rather than sitting in a rack. If you want a lighter, more economical roll for stable everyday boxes, that is the 17 micron clear.
One thing worth knowing about the price
Black costs around a pound more per carton than the equivalent clear roll. That is the pigment, not the performance. It is the same 23 micron film at the same weight, so if you do not need the contents hidden, the clear roll does the same job for slightly less.
| Specification | 23μ BlackStandard Core | 23μ BlackExtended Core |
|---|---|---|
| Film thickness | 23 micron | 23 micron |
| Film width | 400mm | 400mm |
| Roll length | 250m | 250m |
| Roll weight | approx. 2.43kg | approx. 2.43kg |
| Core type | Standard | Extended cardboard core |
| Dispenser required | Recommended | No |
| Film type | Hand or machine film | Hand stretch film |
| Colour | Black, opaque | Black, opaque |
| Recycled content | 30%+ | 30%+ |
| Rolls per carton | 6 | 6 |
| Application | Hand, dispenser or machine | Hand wrapping |
Roll weight is published on every product so you can compare what you are actually buying. Both black rolls are 400mm x 250m, 6 rolls per carton, 30%+ recycled content.
What black film does, and what it does not
It is worth being straight about this, because black wrap is often oversold.
What it does. It removes the load from view. Someone walking past a wrapped pallet cannot see what is on it, cannot count it, and cannot read the packaging. In a shared yard, a depot, a groupage vehicle or a busy loading bay, that is a genuine deterrent: opportunists tend to target what they can identify. It also hides mixed or untidy stacking, which is why black-wrapped pallets look more professional on arrival.
What it does not do. Black film is not a security seal and not tamper-proof. Any stretch film can be cut. Treat it as privacy and presentation, and pair it with the controls you would use anyway: seals or security tape on high-value loads, labelling procedures, and the usual checks at handover.
That distinction matters, because a buyer who is told black wrap is a security product and then loses a pallet has been sold the wrong thing.
Where black film is used
Despatch and transport
Pallets travelling on shared or groupage vehicles, where the contents are better left unadvertised.
Higher-value or branded goods
Electronics, tools, alcohol, cosmetics and anything whose packaging tells a passer-by exactly what is inside.
Yards, depots and shared premises
Loads standing in areas with contractors, drivers and visitors moving through.
Presentation-led deliveries
Retail and trade customers where a tidy, uniform pallet reflects on you, particularly with mixed or awkward stacking.
Removals and storage
Furniture and household goods kept out of sight in a van, a container or a storage unit.
By application: warehousing and logistics, manufacturing and production, shipping and despatch, retail and distribution, ecommerce and fulfilment, removals and storage.
Black film questions
Does black stretch film completely hide the contents?
It keeps them out of view. A properly wrapped pallet reads as a solid black block rather than showing what is inside. It reduces visibility, but it is not a tamper-proof security seal, and like any stretch film it can be cut.
Is black weaker or stronger than clear?
No. Colour does not affect strength. Our black and clear 23 micron rolls are the same film at the same weight. The difference is visibility.
Do you do black in 17 micron?
Currently black is 23 micron only. For a lighter, more economical roll, the 17 micron option comes in clear standard core.
Will black film hide damage or defects on the load?
Black film conceals the contents of a pallet, not damage to the film itself. Any tear or puncture in the wrap is still visible on the surface, so load integrity checks work the same way as with clear film.
Does black stretch film cost more than clear?
At the same thickness and core type, black and clear are priced closely together. The small difference reflects the colour pigment, not a difference in film strength or performance.
Why do businesses choose black over clear film?
Black gives a tidy, uniform, branded appearance and keeps the contents of a pallet private during transit and storage. That’s useful for goods moving between sites, stock that shouldn’t be visible to passers-by, or simply a cleaner finished look on the loading bay.
How do I label a black-wrapped pallet?
Apply the label over the film, or use a label pouch. Nothing underneath the wrap is readable, so labelling has to happen after wrapping.
Is black cling film the same as black stretch film?
Yes. People call it black shrink wrap, and it is the same opaque stretch film. It isn’t the thin cling film you’d use in a kitchen. Ours is 23 micron, 400mm wide and 250m long, made for wrapping pallets, furniture and stock. See is pallet wrap the same as cling film? for more.
Is black stretch film recyclable?
Yes. It’s polyethylene film, which commercial waste services widely recycle when it’s clean and kept separate. Our black film also contains at least 30% post-consumer recycled plastic, the same as our clear film.
Further Reading
Weighing up colour? See clear vs black stretch film for the full comparison.
Ordering and delivery
Black pallet stretch wrap or shrink wrap is supplied by the 6-roll carton, held in UK stock in Derby and dispatched the same working day on orders placed before 2pm, Monday to Friday. Delivery is free to Mainland GB. Within 15 miles of Derby we deliver the same day at any time, or you can collect from our unit.
If you get through film by the pallet rather than the carton, we price it accordingly. Tell us which rolls you use, roughly how many cartons a month and your delivery postcode, and we will come back with pallet-quantity pricing. Ask for trade and pallet pricing
Not sure whether black is right for your loads? Message us what you are wrapping and how it travels, and we will tell you before you spend anything.
Not sure which film to choose?
Tell us what you’re wrapping, how much, and your postcode. We’ll point you to the right roll and sort trade pricing if you need volume.