Extended Core Stretch Film
Extended core stretch film has a longer cardboard core that sticks out past the film at each end, so the roll comes with its own grips. You pick it up, hold it at both ends and wrap. There is no dispenser to fetch, load, set down or store, which is what makes it the practical choice for removals, mobile work, awkward items and quick jobs where getting a dispenser out is more effort than the wrap itself.
Hilux Poly supplies extended core in 17 micron clear, and in 23 micron clear or black. Every roll is 400mm x 250m, supplied by the 6-roll carton, held in UK stock and dispatched the same working day before 2pm. We publish the length and weight of every roll, so you can compare what you are actually buying rather than guessing from the price.
Buy extended core stretch film by the carton
| Image | Product | Colour | Thickness | Film Width | Roll Length | Roll Weight | Core | Best For | Carton (6 Rolls) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
23 Micron Clear (Extended Core) | Clear | 23 Micron | 400 mm | 250 metres | Approx. 2.43kg | Extended (Handles) | Wrapping by hand or on the move, visible goods | £34.97 | 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 |
You’ll also see it sold as extended core shrink wrap, or as stretch wrap or shrink wrap with handles. It’s all the same film. Both extended core rolls: 400mm × 250m · 6 rolls per carton · 30%+ recycled content.
How to choose the right roll
Both extended core rolls are 23 micron film at the same weight, so there is one decision: colour.
Clear keeps labels, barcodes and contents readable through the wrap, which is what you want when goods are picked, scanned or checked on sight. More on clear film
Black is opaque and keeps the load out of view, which suits goods you would rather not advertise in a van, a yard or a storage unit, and gives mixed or untidy loads a cleaner finish. Black costs around a pound more per carton, and that is the pigment rather than the performance. More on black film
| Specification | 23μ ClearExtended 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 | Extended cardboard core | Extended cardboard core |
| Dispenser required | No | No |
| Film type | Hand stretch film | Hand stretch film |
| Colour | Clear / transparent | Black, opaque |
| Recycled content | 30%+ | 30%+ |
| Rolls per carton | 6 | 6 |
| Application | Hand wrapping | Hand wrapping |
Roll weight is published on every product so you can compare what you are actually buying. Both extended core rolls are 400mm x 250m, 6 rolls per carton, 30%+ recycled content.
When extended core is the right choice, and when it is not
Extended core is a format, not an upgrade, so it is worth being clear about where it wins.
Choose extended core when you wrap in more than one place, when you are working out of a van or moving around a site, when the jobs are short and occasional rather than continuous, when you are wrapping furniture and awkward shapes that need you to move around the item, or when you simply do not want to buy, store and maintain dispensers.
Choose a standard core roll on a dispenser when you are wrapping steadily through the day in one place. A dispenser gives more consistent tension, a tighter finish and noticeably less fatigue over a shift, and the standard-core roll is cheaper. If someone is wrapping pallets for hours, the dispenser earns its cost quickly.
Plenty of operations run both: standard core on the despatch bench, a couple of extended core rolls kept for the van and for odd jobs around the warehouse.
Getting the most from extended core film
Use both handles
One hand on each end gives you an even pull across the full width of the film. Wrapping one-handed puts tension through one edge and leaves the other loose.
Anchor the base first
Two or three turns around the bottom of the load and the pallet itself tie the goods down. Most loads that fail in transit fail because the base was never anchored.
Lean back, don’t pull with your arms
Tension comes from your body weight as you walk around the load, not from your wrists. It is steadier and far less tiring.
Overlap by about half the film width
Roughly 50% overlap as you work up the load gives even coverage without wasting film.
Keep the roll upright and moving
Walking the load at a steady pace gives you far more even tension than standing still and swinging the roll around a corner.
Store rolls flat and out of direct sun
Stretch film performs best used from stock rather than left in a hot vehicle for weeks.
Where extended core is used
Removals and house moves
Wrapping furniture, mattresses, drawers and doors, where you move around the item rather than the item moving around you.
Van-based and mobile work
Engineers, installers and delivery teams who wrap on site and have nowhere to keep a dispenser.
Multi-site and multi-bay operations
Where a roll needs to travel with the job rather than live at one bench.
Awkward and irregular loads
Long, tall or oddly shaped items that are easier to wrap freehand.
Occasional and top-up wrapping
Stockrooms, offices, trade counters and warehouses where wrapping happens a few times a day rather than continuously.
By application: warehousing and logistics, manufacturing and production, shipping and despatch, retail and distribution, ecommerce and fulfilment, removals and storage.
Extended core questions
Is extended core film stronger than standard core?
No. It is the same 23 micron film at the same roll weight. The difference is how you hold and apply it.
Is extended core available in 17 micron?
Currently extended core is 23 micron only. For a lighter, more economical roll, the 17 micron option comes in clear standard core.
Clear or black extended core?
Clear keeps contents and labels visible. Black keeps the load out of view and gives a tidier finish. Same film otherwise.
Can extended core film be used with a dispenser?
It’s made for wrapping by hand without one. The core ends give you a handle in each hand, and most dispensers are sized for the wider 50mm standard core. If you’re wrapping from a dispenser, standard core is the better fit.
Does extended core waste more film than standard core?
No. The core length is the only difference.the film itself, its stretch and its coverage per roll are identical to standard core at the same thickness and colour.
Who is extended core film best suited to?
Anyone wrapping without a fixed dispenser: removals teams, mobile jobs, occasional or variable-volume wrapping, and anyone who wants to pick up a roll and start wrapping immediately without setup.
Is extended core better than using a dispenser?
For mobile, occasional and awkward jobs, yes. For steady, high-volume wrapping in one place, a dispenser with a standard-core roll gives better tension, a tighter wrap and less fatigue, and the roll costs less.
Further Reading
For more on why the extended core format exists and who it suits, see Extended Core Stretch Film: What It Is and Why It Matters.
Ordering and delivery
Extended core pallet stretch wrap or shrink wrap, with handles, 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.
Moving house? Extended core rolls are what most people mean when they ask for packing cling film or cling film for furniture. The handles let you walk round a sofa, wardrobe or mattress and wrap it by hand. Our guide to wrapping furniture with stretch wrap shows how, step by step.
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 extended core or a dispenser suits your operation? Tell us how often you wrap and where, and we will give you a straight answer.
What is extended core stretch film?
Stretch film on a longer cardboard core that sticks out at each end as a handle, so you can hold the roll and wrap by hand without a dispenser.
Do I need a dispenser with extended core film?
No. The handles are the point. You hold the roll at both ends and wrap directly.
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.